Can't Buy Me Love

I went to an outdoor marketplace with a friend this weekend. It doesn't boast on the billboards that it's The World's Largest Outdoor Market, but that's what my body was telling me the next morning. I had made a list of items I was looking for so that I could stay on track. I have the attention span of a bumblebee in a rose garden when confronted with a multitude of choices. As I casually walked into a tent that may or may not have my targeted items but had interesting things beckoning me for a look, something caught my eye. Something that was not on my list and I was not looking for it but the second I saw it I knew my son would love it. I wasn't thinking of buying for him and I certainly did not come with the intention of purchasing a a larger-than-life wooden cut-out of a Longhorn. As I inspected it front to back and ran my fingers across it, imagining it in his room above his bed, my heart leapt a little at his reaction. I half-smiled there under that tent because I knew I had found a perfect gift for him. He would find joy in me dragging this awkward, greatly-offensive Longhorn back to College Station despite the effort and consternation of the group I was with. And I didn't care. It pleased me no end to bring my son joy. It truly did.
Know what made this a good gift?
I know what he takes pleasure in.
I know his desires.
I know what he finds fun.
I know he has always wanted this thing.
My loving him unconditionally.
My taking pleasure in his pleasure. Just because.
Bringing the 'horns home, I got the reaction I suspected I might. And I loved it. It was nothing for me to do that for him.
I've said before I never learn so much about how God must love us as I do from my own children.
God presented me with an opportunity of the above example for me to digest and compare to a situation between Him and me:
My husband and I have several long-term prayer requests and goals for our family. Last week, out of the blue and only God's perfect timing, we received a blessing and an answer. Not a blessing that deserves a nod and a smiled 'Thank You, Lord.' A blessing that brought us to our knees in our humility and gratitude at being granted an answer that we desired and in such a big God way.
I love it when His hands are all over something...
I caught myself a couple of times mentally trying to 'walk straighter', to think holy thoughts (poking fun)...trying to deserve what we had been given. Trying to earn His favor He had already given freely (by the way, the definition of grace is unmerited favor...don't you love that?!). It was a familiar feeling but I loved that I had an opportunity to learn in the marketplace this weekend something God wanted me to know:
There is nothing I can do to earn gifts from my Father. He gives as He pleases. And His gifts are good. Because...

He knows what I take pleasure in.
He knows my desires.
He knows what I find fun.
He knows I have always wanted this thing.
His loving me unconditionally.
His taking pleasure in my pleasure. Just because.

But my Father? He knows what I need.
And, boy, is He generous.
And my feeble, human-comparison can't...compare with the love of my Father so he presents it in terms I can try and understand...
another gift.

Know what else gave me joy in giving my son that gift?

This kid of mine has a grateful heart I have not witnessed before.

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:11

Thank You, Lord.
Thank You.