Growing up, my dad traveled a lot for work. In the early days of his career, he mainly traveled by car. The cost of flying kept it out of reach for most people. Sometimes dad would plan a trip during the summer so the whole family could tag along. When we lived in Canada, one of his excursions took us the entire way across the country. The journey gave me a love of travel and was a good gift for me.
When we moved to the USA, his travels continued and still included the family when possible. We lived in Michigan, and one of his regular stops incorporated Pittsburg, PA. I remember one trip, in particular when I was about 15 years old. The time came for the whole family to go to Pittsburg with dad. Mom would take my brother, and I sightseeing as dad worked. Then, each evening we would dine together and maybe go for a walk around the area. On Saturday, dad toured around with all of us.
The Good Gift
As his work day wound down, my dad announced he had found somewhere special to take us. So when he got back to the hotel, we headed out for a walk up a hilly street. Mom and I window shopped as we walked along. Money was tight for us, so I learned the enjoyment of window shopping. As we walked past one shop, I stopped and gawked. On a mannequin hung the most beautiful baby blue corduroy jacket I had ever seen. My parents walked on, but I remained glued to the window. Once he realized I had stopped, dad walked back to see what help my attention. I showed him the coat and then started to walk to catch up with everyone else.
My dad called me back over to the window and asked if I wanted to try on the coat. I knew money was tight, so I smiled and told him it was okay. But, he grabbed my arm and dragged into the shop. Next thing I knew, I stood in front of a mirror wearing the coat. My pulse quickened as I turned to admire my reflection. Then I heard my dad tell the lady we would take it. I held my breath in anticipation. As I walked out the door, I skipped over to my dad and hugged him tightly. We continued on our way, and I soon found myself enjoying an ice cream cone to top off my already wonderful day.
I kept that jacket for years. I included a picture of me wearing it, but please don’t laugh when you look at it. It was a long time ago.
God’s Gifts
My dad loved to surprise us with special gifts. But the memory of that day helps me think about another gift giver. My father is gone now, but I have my Heavenly Father, who also likes to give me gifts. Just like my earthly dad, God delights in presenting us with special presents. Let’s turn to the Bible to learn about some of these gifts God gives to His children.
- James 1:17 ESV; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
- Romans 6:23 ESV; “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Ephesians 2:8 ESV; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”
- John 3:16 ESV; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Which One is Better?
The gift from my dad eventually wore out and went in the trash. But, God’s gifts last forever and provide us with eternal life. I am also reminded of verses from Matthew 7; “9 Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” And, the memory of this story from my childhood helps to reinforce these verses for me. I hope they help you too.
Prayer
Dearest Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts you give to us even when we don’t deserve them. Help those who did not have good earthly fathers as an example to understand Your love for us. Forgive us when we take Your gifts for granted. Teach us to follow Your example with our children. Let us be more like You in every aspect of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Blessings,
Yvonne M. Morgan, author, blogger, and speaker.
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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Amen. God’s gift is forever. He gives us new mercies and gifts each day. I pray I will be alert to all His blessings today and every day.
He is the best gift giver and we are so blessed b them. Thanks for visiting and God bless
Oh, this is such a beautiful story and powerful analogy, Yvonne. I love that your dad bought you the coat you admired from the window. And that’s a great picture of you to remind you of a sweet, sweet gift and memory.
The best gifts come from the Father.
Yes, our Father provides us with wonderful gifts. Thanks Karen and God bless
And the gift of eternal life is going to be awesome!
Loved your childhood picture, by the way. Sweet memories!
Amen to the gift of eternal life. Best gift ever. Thanks Lisa and God bless
Love your blog post today! What a great reminder that God does give us the best blessings & gifts as we live for Him each day. 🙂
Thanks Diane. I appreciate your thoughts and comments. God bless
Such a beautiful memory and analogy.
As good as earthly parents and gifts can be, they’re just a shadow of the real thing!
Yes they are. The real thing can be unimaginable sometimes. Thanks for visiting and commenting. God bless
Thanks Yvonne. Your story reminded me of some of my very own special moments with my mom reminding me how special and precious they were. Seem like yesterday, and yet not so much. I love the photo and how it captures the memory and the analogy. Thanks.
Thanks so much Lorrie. I am thankful to have some wonderful memories and they are gone to quickly. Thanks and God bless
I grew up and still live a couple of hours away from Pittsburgh. My dad also traveled sometimes for business–often to Pittsburgh. Mother had family there and loved the big stores and city vibe. Great memories for me too! God bless!
Sounds wonderful. It is good to remember too. Thanks Nancy. God bless
The gifts we receive in this life can be so special, and it is staggering to imagine the gifts our heavenly Father gives us! Eternal life! Life, period. WOW!
I know! What a wonderful God we serve. Thanks Jessica and God bless.
I think you and I are about the same age. As a result, I love that jacket! I know why you turned back around to look at it in the store window. I would have wanted that jacket, too. I love the blue!
Your Dad showed such kindness and understanding toward you in turning back and making that purchase for you, simply because he loved you. He definitely modeled the goodness of God to you in a way that you still remember today!
My dad did model Christ for me. I know that is not true for everyone so I was blessed.
I know, I still love that blue. I wish I still had it but it would not fit anymore.
Thanks Melinda and God bless
Dearest Yvonne, oh how I loved your story! It truly struck right to the core of the heart. Your dad sounded like a man of excellent character who loved you dearly. I love that he included each of you on his work trips whenever possible. How special that is! Your jacket was precious and I loved that photo of you wearing it. It made me smile!
Your prayer and the Scriptures you included were perfect. Indeed, so many didn’t have the example of what a father should be. I was one of those people and it absolutely does affect how we view the world and our Heavenly Father. It takes years of healing work to process the pain and grief associated with such a critical part of our lives.
Thank you for your beautiful heart, ministry and love of sharing the goodness of God with all of us. You are a blessing, sister. Sending my love your way! 🌺
I am so sorry for your experience with your father. God is a better father than anyone. I will be praying for you to continue to heal and you to increase in faith. Thank you so much for your kind words. God bless sweet sister.
Aw, bless your heart, Yvonne! What a kind reply. Thank you for your prayers. You’re right, the more I encounter the overwhelming presence of Abba, the more I understand His love. Isn’t His presence amazing? Nothing could ever compare!
Such a sweet and tender memory! I loved reading and imagining myself traveling along with you and your family. I also loved that you understood money was tight and extended grace to your parents, by not expecting them to buy everything you saw. So what a special surprise was that cute jacket! Thank you for sharing the memory and most of all, for pointing us to our heavenly Father and His blessings which are poured out for us daily. Spiritual blessings which never wear out. Such a blessing!
Thanks so much Melissa. It was always fun to travel and still is today. I appreciate you visiting and commenting. God bless.
Amazing when we think of what precious gifts God gives us. And to think at times we take them for granted. Love your picture too😁
Thanks Ava. The picture feels like it was from a lifetime ago. But it always makes me think of the good gifts from our Heavenly Father. God bless