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The Olympics and God's Gifts


There's no way someone can watch these Winter Olympics and still wonder if God isn't giving us unique gifts from the onset of conception.

As we have been giving time to watch a few Olympic sports lately, and showing the children what hard work and dedication can bring....we also are reminded that we all have special and unique gifts that can only be understood as an undeserving gift from God. Some gifts are those athletic abilities that we see on TV lately, that have been sharpened, focused and concentrated over many years.
We too, must recognize that our children may not have these particular gifts, namely athleticism. They may excel in a variety of different avenues, and it's our job, as the parent, as the SAHM at Work, to recognize a particular gift and assist that child in fostering it, helping it to mature.

No matter what we might see in our children, and help them to see themselves....we must put it into the right perspective. It's only by God's Grace, that they have this gift at all. With hard work, yes the gift might flourish and grow, and help them to be successful in life, but, and this is important to the virtue of humility, to remember, that it all started by God deciding to give it first. Without Him, there is no gift to build on.

We know, our gifts are meant to be given. Children must be able to recognize their own gifts, skills and hard work, in humility, but also be prepared to be able to share them with others....not only that, must teach others that these gifts are only theirs with God's help.
This formative tool keeps reality in check, especially with children whose personality likes to 'go it alone', claim the praise and ultimately shut out the assistance from God. We all should remember so much of our lives is due to God leading us, teaching us, giving to us and at times, perhaps healing us.

Remember Christ healing the 10 lepers? How many came back to say thanks for this gift of healing? Just one. Just one out of ten. Those are awful odds.

Is it enough to simply say 'thanks' in a simple prayer? Perhaps. Only God knows the mind of God....but I think, and so I teach, that in order to truly be grateful for the gifts we see in our lives, we must share them with others, we must teach others where the gifts came from to begin with. Then maybe, just maybe, over time, the odds of those coming back to say 'thanks' will improve dramatically.
I heard once, and the imagery is beautiful: Think of the hundreds of different varieties of flowers in the garden of Heaven. And each flower represents a virtue. Which one would be the most beautiful, the most unique, the most special in God's many options......It's gratitude. It's truly the recognition of God in our lives, and the simple act of saying 'thank you.'
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