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It is happening once again.

I had a great idea for a Christmas gift for Sophia. I figured that I would head to Toys-R-Us BEFORE all the Black Friday crowd & buy it. So yesterday off I went. Only to find that the shelf, where the item should be, was completely empty. Thinking that it they must have moved the item, I spoke with a sales clerk.

“Good luck to you!”, he responded.

It seems that my idea had already become a hot item for this season.

He went on to explain that many stores, theirs included, had held a “Pre-Black Friday” sale.

A what?

Thinking that Black Friday was not going to fare well, they had a Pre-Black Friday sale & many of the popular toys are now already sold out, maybe for the season.

OK, so I do not enjoy shopping. To my non-shopper mind, this just seems like the most inconceivable thing I have ever heard of. I really thought he was making it up (or was perhaps crazy, either reasoning works for me!) & had Danny check in Toys-R-Us, Framingham, where he found out the very same thing. Sold out.

Flash back……..

Remember the Cabbage Doll craze?

I had already been through all this with my own children. Even then, I did not stand in a line outside a store for hours. I did not race to the shelves to beat out every other parent who wanted the same item for their child.

And I really dislike shopping so I am not heading out after finishing my pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving night nor getting up at the crack of dawn on Friday.

But now I am a Mimi. I have these two beautiful little girls. Did I mention that you can love grandchildren equally as fiercely as you love your own children? What is a Mimi to do?

I came home to check Amazon & other sites in an effort to get the item. Can we say – way overpriced???? This Mimi will continue to hit Toys-R-Us each time she passes one in an effort to get this toy, which also happens to be an exclusive item to them.

I will continue to search for it.

And that is when it hit me…..

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!

(Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)

My desire to give a good gift will never exceed my heavenly Father’s desire to give a good gift.

Not ever.

This morning I am finding myself filled with gratitude for the many good gifts that my Father has bestowed upon my life. Some things were quickly recognizable as good. With some, it took time. But they were always good. They were always for my good.

Gifts & gratitude truly go hand in hand. Only with an attitude of gratitude (rhyme totally unintended, lol) will we ever have eyes that see the goodness of the gift. It is only fitting, only wise, that Thanksgiving would proceed Christmas. For it is only as we give thanks that we will behold the bounty of His goodness.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1 NIV).