Day 174- A Sweet First

Hannah Grace and I were on the way home from swim practice and I was needing a "first."  Laura called and asked if I would stop by the store on the way home and buy some chicken.  I readily agreed since she was going to cook it for me to eat tomorrow night while she's out of town visiting her sister in Mississippi.  I decided that I would buy her something for a "prize" that I had never bought her before.  Now, before you are too harsh with my gift, I stopped at a small grocery store.  I bought her a Baby Ruth candy bar for my "first."

I've never bought her a Baby Ruth candy bar before and she told me when I gave it to her that she had never eaten a Baby Ruth candy bar. I had never seen her eat one and I knew that she loved chocolate and caramel.  When I gave it to her, she was surprised and either happy or pretended to be happy.  It is a very small thing, but it never hurts to give a small gift to say to someone I love you and I'm thinking of you.

Hey, it has 4 grams of protein! 

Oooo, big treat

OK, so Laura said she liked it and ate the whole thing.  She did confess that it was not her favorite. The thing is, I know some of her favorites but those would not have qualified as a "first."  I will also confess that I love Baby Ruth candy bars and I knew that if she did not like it, I would suffer for Jesus and eat it for her.  Far be it from me to let good food with 4 grams of protein go to waste when people around the world are hungry.

As I thought about this, I wonder if I treat the Lord that way sometimes. Do I give Him things that I really like instead of what He really likes?  It is easy to say something is God's will that really is just something that I want to do.  I feel pretty comfortable when I think God wants me to take Joel fishing. If I feel like God wants me to play a game with Hannah Grace, I all in for that.  If I feel like God wants me to give Laura a hug, I'll do that right away. If I feel like God wants me to speak to a stranger about Him, I'm tempted to say, "How about I go give Laura a hug?"  It is easy for me to give God what I want to instead of what would really please Him.  Here's the thing; if I give Him what really pleases Him I will be have more joy as well.  2 Timothy 2:4 says, "No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." Let's make sure that God's pleasure is what we are aiming for. 

Now, if I remember correctly, I bought 2 of those Baby Ruths....

Seeking to please God in the abundant life
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Electricity
2. Shirts that fit comfortably
3. A wife who smiles easily