Matthew 7:11 – If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! (NIV)

I saw the notice on the community bulletin board, and I knew that reading it was risky, but I read it anyway. They wanted to give away three Siamese kittens. I thought, Oh, my! They will go quickly! and willed the ad out of my mind. A couple of weeks later, however, the ad was still there. I thought to myself, Well, maybe I'll just call, for surely they are all gone now, and once I know that they have all been well situated, I won't think about them any more. I called. All three were still available. You guessed it. One came home with me.

I always make sure that I get a male kitten. Females can be difficult, as far as I'm concerned. Fortunately, they had a lovely male, whom I named Leo. He was just the sweetest, most loving little fellow. He learned his name very quickly; he came whenever I called him; and he got along well with the dogs and the other felines. I knew that a male would work out best.

Before long, Leo turned six months old, and I took him to the veterinarian to be neutered. She gave him a thorough checkup and told me that he was in great shape. There was just one problem which involved genetics — a problem that he was born with. He was a she. Leo was actually Cleo. What a laugh we had about that mistake!

To make a long story short, Leo becoming Cleo still ended up perfectly, for she was exactly what I had wanted: a loving, affectionate kitten that got along with everyone. That caused me to think about what I would have missed if I had known that she was a female and said "No", instead of bringing her home. God knew exactly what I was looking for and what would fit the bill. I'm so glad that the owners made a mistake when they sexed the kittens, or else I would have missed out on this special blessing.

I wonder how often this happens to us in our everyday life experiences. We miss out on God's special blessings because we already have our minds made up about what we want or think should happen. When it doesn't measure up to our expectations, we get discouraged, miffed, peeved, or just plain mad about the whole thing. Yet, if we would trust that the gifts that God gives us are good, as He has promised that they would be, instead of trusting that what we want will make us happiest, we just might discover everyday joys and blessings that are right there in front of us waiting to be embraced and relished.

What special blessing might you be missing today, because the gift that you received wasn't the one that you wanted?

Prayer: Father God, thank You for being such a good God Who promises us good gifts. Help us to have hearts and minds open to Your will amidst our own longings and desires, that we might not miss the special blessings of the good gifts that You choose to bless us with. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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