The Giver, not the Gifts.

The transition into a new year inevitably beckons reflection on the old. As I mull over the happenings of 2011, feelings of joy, sorrow, disappointment, elation, pain, anxiety, peace, satisfaction... tumble within my heart and erupt in an overflow of thankfulness. A thankfulness emerges for both the trialling and the trifling, the sorrows and the joys, the pain and the growth... the beauty of God's grace amidst it all.

2011 was a gift.

One of the strongest aspects of that gift was the people who appeared in my life. Whether by briefly touching my heart or stamping a lasting seal of friendship, my life has been changed through God's generous gift of relationships. With some, our lives only crossed for a moment before the Lord set our paths on different trajectories... their impact, however, will linger within my memory. With others, the memories we've shared will only propel us into future experiences, connecting us in the coming years. Regardless of how shallow or intimate they have been, the depth to the variety of relationships has left lasting imprints on my life.

Moreover, those relationships have awakened my eyes, mind, and heart to knowing my Lord deeper and fuller. The gifts he've lavished upon me would not be true gifts unless they pointed me towards him. I must continue worshiping the Giver rather than the gifts, lest I commit idolatry. When my satisfaction lingers on the blessings alone, I miss out on experiencing deeper joy in my Lord.

May the desire of my heart not be to seek joy; may it be to enjoy God forever, the infinitely glorious Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

Walls

Walls 

Hand-crafted bricks

Meticulously sculpted.

Adhered with tears,

A seal too strong to break.

Each one is placed

Next to another.

Stacked side by side

No light between the cracks

Soon height increases

And width expands

Once a few bricks

Now a strong wall

Emerges.

Built to stand firm

Unscathed, unmoved

Intended never to fall

The rough, calloused texture

Of the cemented stones

Threatens to proclaim

The ugliness of the wall

Then appears thick, white paint 

To hide the hideous bricks

And deceitfully appear 

Beautiful