What a tricky word “gift” is. When you hear this word, do you picture in your mind a pretty wrapped box with a big sparkly bow on top? Do you picture a “gift” as someone having a unique talent that few others possess like Michael Jordan, Andrea Bocelli or Clint Eastwood? Or do you imagine a “gift” as a blessing from God that you have always dreamed of having? So many ways to think of what a gift means to you. Maybe this word means “all of the above” like it does to me.
On my 25th birthday, I met the man of my dreams. I didn’t know it then but what I did know was there was something very special about this boy. We met in the mid-90s via an online BBS (bulletin board system – look it up if you don’t know what it is) when there was no such thing as social media or smart phones. In fact, caller-ID was the newest telephone technology and that wasn’t very well-received at first. Dating someone who you met online, back then, was quite taboo. And it was certainly not a normal thing for me. Now, that’s about the only way people meet these days.
My last long semester of college was about to begin and I was just playing around on my brother-in-law’s computer when I stumbled across what I thought was just a way to chat with people who were also in college. The third person introduced himself and then he ended up being the only person I wanted to continue “chatting” with once the evening was over. Over the next few weeks we “chatted” most every night. I don’t even know what we talked about but I never wanted to hang up. Then, the big day came and he asked for my phone number so that we could actually talk to each other. I was definitely reluctant. This was so far out of my comfort zone and my personality. I just didn’t do things so daring on a normal basis. But something was telling me that it was all going to be okay. Plus, I was one of the few ATT customers with the big caller-ID phone so when he called I would have his name and number. I thought, if he ended up being a creep, I would have all of his information to do something with…..Not that I had any idea of what I would do….But he wasn’t so creepy, after all.
We went on our first real date two weeks later and were together forever from that day forward. That was the best birthday gift this girl has ever gotten. I truly believe that it was God’s hand nudging me a little more forcefully than normal to make our meeting happen; that moment of being courageous enough to step out of my box to do something out of the ordinary led me to meet my future husband. Together we were given the gift of 20 years of marriage and three beautiful children. I see all of these as my greatest earthly gifts given to me by my glorious God. Not everyone finds their “person”. Not every couple can have children. I take neither of these for granted and thank the Lord every day for gifting this life to me with these people beside me.
Life with my husband was filled with pretty wrapped boxes of all sizes that we bestowed on each other with our undying love.
Life was filled with the ability to celebrate his talents and accept his not-so-talented characteristics while also giving me the ability to show him my talents and my not-so-talented characteristics and still feeling accepted and celebrated.
We experienced a dream coming true by having children of our own, no matter the struggle.
All of these are true gifts to me and they have all come from our God. Oh, God is so Good!!! And of course, we all know (I hope) that the greatest gift we are promised is everlasting life. When the book that is filled with our many different chapters of experiences here on earth comes to an end, a new book will begin with the promise of everlasting life.
I can’t wait to experience the many more gifts God has in store for me and my children. Thank you, God, for showing us your beautiful love!!