Today is my birthday. I celebrated in much the same way that many of you might celebrate. I ate all day, and opened gifts and cards and had a lovely evening with my family. Over dinner we talked of many things but I told them of the best gift my father had ever given me.
My dad left school in the 6th grade to go to work. It was in the thick of the depression and my grandfather was earning 25c a day and trying to feed a family of 8. There was no question of furthering an education, so that was that. Fast forward many years and he's a father to his own small family, still working hard and doing his best with his limited education. On the morning of my 7th or 8th birthday, he came to wake me up and said there was a surprise for me. He carried me to the window and showed me that it had snowed during the night (April 12th...yeah, pretty cool!)and told me God had done that for me. Then he gave me a poem he had written especially for my big day. It's full of misspellings and letters that aren't capitalized, and it's a English teacher's nightmare, but it's more precious than gold to me because it was a gift from the heart and one I'll never forget. I still have it in my box of treasures.
Our Heavenly Father does the same for us. He loves us unconditionally, carries us close to His heart, and shows us the magnificent things He's created, things like snowy April mornings designed to bring us joy.
What has the Lord done for you that brings you joy or great encouragement? Think about these things, write them down and store them up like treasures in your heart.
Paula, thank you for sharing your birthday with us. Thank you for a reminder of the love our earthly father gives but more important the never ending love of our Heavenly Father.
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