Thoughtfulness and gifts…

The other night we had a family from church stop by with a little gift for

Klaire.  It was a jar of pink and purple M&M’s! She loves them and we had

been giving them to her as a reward for using her potty.  We have been

looking forward to this day for a while now – it seems Klaire just had to

decide on her own terms when the diapers were going away. Look up “Strong

willed” in the dictionary and you might see her name listed!

 

A short time after this family left our house, Klaire announced that she had

to use the potty. Then the craziest thing happened – it was if she was

straining – trying to go so that she could get her hands on those new pink

and purple M & M’s – then she bowed her head and said a little prayer!  We

couldn’t believe it.  Now, that’s motivation.

 

Isn’t it nice when people bring gifts or do something thoughtful for you –

especially when you least expect it?  This family made our night – and they

sure made Klaire’s.

 

It got us thinking – when was the last time we did something for someone

else?  How about you?

 

1 John 4:7-12 (The Message)

 7-10My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes

from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship

with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about

God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is

how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we

might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not

that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as

a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our

relationship with God.

 11-12My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought

to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another,

God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect

love!