The Greatest Gift

Sometimes I wonder: Is it the power that comes from within, or the power that comes from all around us that allows us to have power within ourselves? 

To think that perhaps we are powerless without everything and everyone around us. 

To maybe realize for a moment, that we are nothing. We are truly nothing.

To say that would also be saying that we are nothing without God, but also that God is nothing without us.

But how could God be nothing? How could God need us?  How and why does God need ME? Why does God even want me? 

Somewhere in the scriptures it explains the great Glory of God. And how his glory increases when we follow him, and when he shares his glory with us.

But what does that really mean?

I want to share something. We live in a mortal world. The things of eternal value are hard to understand. But in this mortal world, God gave us many symbolic aspects. One symbolic aspect is Our parents on earth. 

My Dad for example: He loves me, more than I will EVER know. It's something that I can't comprehend. I can't understand. I've never had a daughter, I've never been a father. I never will be a father. I can't comprehend the immensity of love that my Dad has for me.

God's love is like that. But multiply it by one thousand million kazillion times. We can't understand it. We literally will never be able to know the immense love he has for us.

My Dad is a teacher. In occupation, he's an insurance agent. But to me, he's a teacher. He taught me since I was a baby. He, along with my loving mother, taught me how to walk, talk, move, laugh, jump, swing, ride a bike, read. And so many other things.

When I became older, I didn't need my Dad so much to learn anymore. But he decided to teach me anyways, and hope I accepted it.

(My Dad and I: Milot, Haiti 2012)

Two things I will never forget that my Dad has taught me is 1-To serve others to always love and serve others.

Secondly- He taught me how to fish, and how to drive a boat.

I can't explain the happiness in my Dad's eyes when my fishing pole starts to get tight, and bends sharply, and I start reeling it in. 

The happiness that my Dad has, isn't because of the fish. No it's not the fish at all. It isn't that we get to have a yummy dinner. It isn't that we have bait to catch the crab. 

My Dad's happiness comes from seeing my smiling, laughing, and excited face for when I finally receive that fish, and get to show it off to my older sisters.When I get to hold the fish in my hand and say "Look! I did it! I caught this fish! This fish is mine! And I CAUGHT IT!" 

My Dad gave me the greatest gift. He not only taught me how to fish, but he taught me how to be happy in the moment, and be happy with the gift that I'm given every time I get the wonderful opportunity to fish. 

God gives us gifts too. And someday, when we are older, and when we are worthy, and when we finally get to run to God with his arms open and we get to hug him sooooo tight. Someday, when we finally get to return to our Heavenly Father, we will get to see the happiness in his eyes.

We will see, his happiness, just as my Dad's happiness.

 We will see that God is so so happy that we made it back to him. Heavenly Father will be crying tears of happiness, he will hug me so tight. He will say "Libbie, I'm so happy you're happy. I'm so happy that you're here. I've missed you. You are so strong. You are my amazing daughter. I love you so much. I can't imagine what it would be like without you here with me" 

The truth is, God doesn't need us.

 But he wants us. 

He wants us SO badly. 

He wants to give us all he has. 

He wants us to be happy. 

He wants to see the smiles on our faces and know that we are proud of ourselves, and that we too, are so happy to be there, as a family again with our Heavenly Father.

(Me with a Fish)

(My Dad and I fishing at Lake Chelan)