Treasured Gratitude

Guest blog by Debbie Harrell

I recently stood sixth in line on a brisk Michigan spring morning waiting for the doors to open at our local Goodwill store. I wondered if anyone else was after the same treasure I was hoping to snag in behalf of my sister. Twenty chilly minutes later, the doors opened to thirty people racing into the store on half-price day. I had no trouble locating the basket my sister requested, and, to my relief, I did not need to ‘wrestle’ anyone for it. Making my way back to my vehicle, I felt like one who ‘went and saw and conquered’ (and in less than thirty minutes)! Once the basket was safely tucked in my car’s trunk, my plan to head straight home was diverted by an almost imperceptible impulse to return to the store. “This is silly,” I thought. “I don’t need to buy anything else today.” Nevertheless, I allowed my curiosity to guide my feet.

Just a few steps inside the front door, all other merchandise blurred from view when my eyes spied something that stopped me in my tracks. I froze near the shelf containing a wonderful find. I did not want to move for fear someone else would seize this treasure before I would have a chance to claim it. I called to one of the clerks and asked her to page someone to help me lift the box. Fifteen minutes later, I victoriously exited the store with seventy-three newly acquired pieces of a vintage magnolia dish pattern titled: “Turquoise” by Lifetime China Company. I was elated! Driving home in a daze, I kept thinking, “what a find!” My delight reverberated around the car’s interior all the way to my driveway.

There are a couple of reasons for my delight that day. First is the contrast of this experience to a yard sale incident several years ago. I was reaching for a stack of the very same pattern when a voice nearby chided, “I already have dibs on those.” I looked up into the eyes of two very agitated faces (the buyer and the seller). Feeling humiliated and disappointed, I slunk my way to another sale down the street. Somehow, my Goodwill conquest left me feeling wonderfully exonerated.

Secondly, as I carried those dishes into my kitchen and set them on the island, I was suddenly so overwhelmed with God’s love and affection for me, that I crumbled in front of a chair and wept. I managed to mutter in conversation with the Lord, “They’re just dishes. I can’t believe I’m crying over dishes. But Lord, I know you did this for me. I know this exquisite gift has been extended to my heart from yours just because you love me and want to bless me. I just don’t understand why you love me so much. Your love is so intimate and so sweet to me. You know me so well, and this latest expression of your care and compassion is so immense. Your love astounds me, and the words ‘thank-you’ seem so shallow compared to this extravagant expression of your affection. I love you too, so very much! Thank you, Father, for extending your favor in such a special way!”

Jacob’s words in Genesis 49:25 have an even greater meaning to me since that day, “…God who helps you…the Almighty who blesses you…” As a parent, my joy is made complete when my kids are content with a gift I’ve given them, but my happiness as a parent ‘flies off the joy chart’ when my kids are ecstatic over a gift I’ve given them! Similarly, I think our Heavenly Father’s joy is multiplied when we express our deepest gratitude and elation to Him over the gifts He gives, and I think His happiness may “fly off the joy chart” when we demonstrate our gratitude by sharing the news of His Son’s sacrifice on the Cross to purchase our pardon. That is a true treasure for the road!