Nice Clubs...

I love gifts.

When people give me things I get excited! Especially if they are wrapped. There is nothing more invigorating than unwrapping a present and seeing something that you have always wanted. Your heart rate quickens, a smile jumps across your face, and the eyes tend to sparkle. Yes, gifts can make anybody happy.

What is the best gift that you have ever received?

I would have to go with the golf clubs my wife got for me when I turned 30. They are the kind that make a man feel good when he is out on the golf course. I can walk by people and they make comments like,

"Those are some nice clubs" or "I've always wanted a set of those....how do they play?"

I always give a cool smile and act like I'm really good at golf (which I'm not). I like asking if they would like to swing the clubs and see how they feel. I watch with pride as they try out my gift and then I gently take them back because I don't want them to get to attached to my clubs. This gift given to me by my wife makes me feel good and raises my confidence when I am out in public.

Yep. Thirteen rods made of titanium and steel make me feel like I'm "cool", like I'm "somebody", like "I matter" in the eyes of others.........

Pretty shallow isn't it?

We all do it. We all have those material items that we show off in order to make others think that we are important or that we fit in. There is a laundry list of items: cars, bikes, clothing, hairstyles, bags, ipods, video games, boats, fishing gear, hunting rifles, cell phones, TVs, homes....the list is endless. We are a society built on impressions and the unconscious effort made by all of us to fit into the different molds of our lives is exhausting.

What if we all had the same gift? What if we all had the same priority? What if the gift that I held was the same gift that you had? What if life ceased to be a competition and instead became a group effort?

What if the gift was already here? What if the gift was free?

There is a present that we all have in our possession. It is a gift that was given to us by God for the sole purpose of being able to live with each other in peace and harmony. We all have the capacity to use this gift; it is merely up to us whether or not we decide to incorporate it into our lives.

It is the gift of Love.

What a powerful gift this is! It is a gift that comes in many forms and can be used in a myriad of ways. There are people that use it very effectively and there are others who decide that the gift is one that they will ignore. There are people who use it in their personal lives but then fail to continue to use it out in public. There are those of us who use it in the work environment but then ignore the need to open it while at home. We all have the capacity to love, but it is up to us to decide the method.

How are you using this gift? Do you carry this gift with you or is it left on the coffee table when you walk out the door? Do you share it with others? Do you allow the gift to grow or do you stunt its growth with disuse? Do you abuse the gift and use it to control others? Are your children aware that you carry this gift and do you allow them to exhibit their gift as well? Is Love an important aspect of your life or merely a by-product?

God gave us the gift of Love and He is hoping that it becomes a gift that we use over and over. Make this gift count and allow others to use this gift in your presence.

I like my golf clubs, but I Love my God.

Thank you for the gift.....