Remembering A Special Gift

One day, when I was a child, I'm not sure what age but I'm guessing around 8; I was watching TV with my grandmother while waiting for my older brother to come home from the flea market. I remember being told about the flea market and my imaginative mind saw a market that sold fleas of different variety; like jumping fleas or maybe even circus fleas. I now know that it is basically a large yard sale or consignment sale.

When my brother came home, he had a present for me; a toy dancing pig in overalls with short blonde sculped vinyl hair and little brown shoes. What a random present it was, but I LOVED it. It was my new favorite toy and I took it everywhere. I remember going to a store and putting it down in the parking lot to let it dance. It drew a little crowd and I was delighted. Shortly after, I took his overalls off and put a frilly doll dress on him, leaving his mechanical legs exposed.

You may be asking, "Why would young Ashley love a toy dancing pig so much? Why not pick a doll as a favorite toy or even a stuffed animal?" Well, there's a simple answer that took me 20 years to realize - it was a gift from my older brother. Because he gave it to me, it was special. Looking back I could say, "It was just a weird dancing pig toy." but back then it was the best toy ever.

What if I loved every gift the Father gave me as much as I loved that pig? What if I looked at every new day I received like it was the best day ever? What if I looked at my blessings and saw each one of them as special? Would it eliminate envy for 'better' gifts that God gives others?

If you would have tried to bargain with my younger self and ask me to trade diamonds for that dancing pig, I would have said no way. So, what if God gave me that option today? What if He said, "I will give you this gift for that one." Depending on the gift, I would probably jump on it in a heart beat. But why? Aren't my gifts made for me? Wouldn't someone else's gift be like a glove that didn't fit right?

The lesson I can take from that toy dancing pig I had 20 years ago is to look at the gifts God has given you like diamonds. Hold to them and have fondness for them because they are gifts from the Father. Therefore they are amazing, incredible, priceless. So, find joy in them.