What God Chooses to Give {Unabridged}

{an unabridged re-post. original post and list here}

I don't know what I am going to make for supper tonight.

That's quite unlike me. The menu hanging on the fridge is from last week.

But not knowing what to make for supper tonight is not the only uncertainty in life. And we ask for God to give us clarity and confidence and the next big thing....

Not only do I not know what I will be feeding my family tonight, but I don't know what we will be feeling tonight. It will either be celebration or disappointment. Either way, after tonight, we will be able to move on, and I guess that's all that really matters. After 2 months, it will be nice to just know.

“bend the knee and be small and let God give what God chooses to give..."

I read those words over at A Holy Experience, and my head knows it's true. I try to impress them on my heart because my head is tired.

Let God give what God chooses to give

I call the husband and ask him what time they are meeting to decide our fate. And he says 3:00 our time. He's already got his eyes set on the time. And I can hear it in his voice; fatigue after a busy, fun wedding weekend, emotional exhaustion after 2 months of courting a large company for a new position that he was asked to apply for, restrained anticipation for this evening's decision.  We didn't pursue this on our own, the opportunity fell in our lap, and now we wait.

"I'll let you know as soon as I know."

"Okay......I love you."

Let God give what God chooses to give

So I snap some asparagus out of the backyard patch and try to decide which to thaw out, venison, pork, or turkey.

The wind blows and the birds sing and the washing machine chugs and the kids play and tussle.....and the clock ticks.

Do we really want to give up our business for this opportunity?

What will God choose to give?  And how we will receive what He gives?

The tots play in the fence swinging on their tummies, throwing stuff in the kiddie pool, and yelling at each other over little disagreements. They only see what they want in that moment; they don't see the bigger picture. They don't see what Mom and Dad do. They don't fully understand that every "yes" and "no" we tell them is usually thought through what will best launch them into their future. And if I do this for my kids, how much more does God do this for me, to launch me into eternity?

He never holds back with His giving. His kingdom budget is driven by love not limitation. And what He gives in love may not make sense right now, but right now is not what matters. Tomorrow is not what matters. Eternity is what matters. And these twists and turns of today are only given to shape us for what matters.

Let God give what God chooses to give

Some days it seems my tots are never satisfied, never done wanting, needing.... always asking for that next thing. And even though it's my job right now to meet their needs and I typically enjoy doing so, I just want them to see what they already have, that they have so much, are so full........just be thankful....

And so I see that learning to receive and learning to be full of thanks are gifts in and of themselves. And I see that God gives this too......the ability to name those things when the uncertainty is nearly choking.

So God gives and we receive and we know that every good and perfect gift is from Him.

{Not linking up today but still counting. This week's gratitude post right HERE over at A Holy Experience.}

#321. finally knowing
#322. that a roller coaster of emotions does not phase God
#323. eating platefuls of garden produce
#324. toddlers happily splashing in the water
#325. beach towels
#326. sand between toes
#327. watching God work it all out:
#328. eleven interviews
#329. the husband just catching the flight he should have missed
#330. a new distributor to take over