Thinking about gifts

As some of you might know, my birthday is this week (Sunday). As a result, I have already started receiving presents. It's fun and exciting, because, I like presents! haha.

But I was walking tonight and thinking about many different things. I remembered that I had been given two pieces of fruit last week. I couldn't eat it the day I was given it because I had been fasting that day. But now I haven't gotten around to eating them, and it might be too late.

It got me thinking about gifts in general. Like how we can take gifts for granted. Or not appreciate them. Or just not use them and allow them to rot and waste away. I am guilty on on counts.

God gives us many gifts. Some are blessings, something merely to enjoy, like sunny days, or flowers. But God also gives us gifts to use. The gift of teaching, the gift of healing, the gift of trust. There are so many gifts He gives us. But like my fruit, if we don't use them, they will rot away and we will loose them.

How sad. I can't imagine a greater loss. God gives everyone gifts. So many precious gifts. My goal this year is to not take my gifts for granted, but to be truly thankful for them, and use them for the uses they were meant for.

Random pictures: Me after the Trash Box Jam live last week. And one of the few pictures I had taken at prayer retreat this summer. A nice Japanese style garden where I prayed and studied.