good gifts

Margaret and I made a little trip to Wal-mart yesterday and while we were strolling through the shoe aisles, trying to find practical sandals for Margaret, she discovered some very fashionable shoes with flowers all over them.

Next thing I hear is: "Ooooo-oooh. Those are Margaret's shoes."

I explained very politely that they weren't Margaret's shoes yet because we hadn't payed for them. But she was being such a good girl in the store, and I couldn't find any sandals that I liked for her, so I bought them. It was hard not to cave in since she was so obviously delighted with them, cradling them in her arms for the remainder of the shopping trip and exclaiming every few minutes about how pretty they were.

She loves them so much it makes her burst into song.

I have always doubted the common excuse that girls are just genetically engineered to love shoes. Despite the fact that I can be quite obsessed with my shoe collection (I'm getting better). But Margaret is now causing me to question this skepticism.

I like to give good gifts to my children. Because I love them. And I try to explain this to Margaret because it is one of the simplest ways for her to come to understand God's love. We love and give good gifts because Christ first loved us and showers us continually with good gifts.

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" -Matthew 7:11 KJV