realizing the "richness" of my life...

My new 10-year old friend, Betsy, stood in my kitchen and said, "You have a garbage disposal? You must be rich!!" Though my first thought was a defense, "we're not really rich...", God gave me a glimpse of the truth of Betsy's statement....I am rich!

When I look around me, I see hurting people, broken families, marriages in trouble, children in turmoil. I see families striving to simply stay together for Christmas. I see lines of people trying to buy happiness for their children or themselves. All of these caught in the whirlpool of trying to maintain a happy facade while hiding the hurt in their hearts.

The richness of my life goes so far beyond an appliance in my kitchen. At the very core of my existence, I have been showered with grace and mercy. It's the grace of a loving God and His never ending mercy that make me rich. It's knowing that He has given me the gift of eternal life through the perfect sacrifice of His Son for my sins that makes me rich. It's God's constant work in my life changing me and molding more into His image that makes me rich.

When I look at the true richness of my life, my garbage disposal becomes nothing...my house, my clothes, my vehicle, my possessions become nothing as well. My answer to Betsy becomes, "Yes, Bets, you are right! I am rich beyond my own comprehension!"

My desire is to recognize this richness of God in my life daily, not just during the season of Christmas...for it is the gift of Christmas all year long that makes me rich!