Unwrapping the Good Gift

His head is lowered, concentrating on coloring in the lines. He is too old to be coloring, but he does, as he listens to me read. Today, Abram and Sarai, and the gift of Isaac. God granting Abram a son, and then later, much later, the little boy coloring can be adopted into that covenant.

The tale goes on, this observing of Advent that is anything but traditional. Eating McDonalds french fries as he colors, ketchup piled high. "Does God know my name?" He asks. "Yes.",I answer, pausing in the story. "And does he know your name?", as he dips a french fry again. "Yes, Caleb. He knows all of our names. He has us engraved in the palm of HIs hand." He looks up, adjusting his glasses on the end of his nose. "But there have been millions of people born since then. How can He know all of us?"

And I take a deep breath, because how do you answer that? How do I, the imperfect mother, put into words the love of a perfect Father, who knows what we need before we ask. "He does. Knows everyone. I'm not sure how, but He's that great. He knows every grain of sand on every beach, and you know how many that is." That's a pretty good answer, right?

"So, He knows that I put more salt on my fries when you told me not to?" Caleb asked. And I look up, and smile. My heart fills with love even as I start to lose my patience. How is it that this good God could send us the greatest gift, us who are so unworthy, who do things even when He tells us not to? "Yep." I answer.

I look around... in this mess of a moment. A living room mess... books piled up on the couch. "He loves us, even when we disobey. Even when we are a mess."

Unwrapping his gifts with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky... especially the good gifts that come out of undeserved grace. This moment... one moment in time, but in Caleb, affecting eternity. Eternity in my heart, as well... because His grace is sufficient.