Eureka!

"I'll meet you at the card section," my husband said as we entered Walmart.  He wanted something in the grocery department and knew I was looking for a musical birthday card for our son, Greg.  We had already stopped at one store whose cards I usually love, but it turned out they had no musical cards.  The thought had occured to me when I realized I had no feasible idea for a gift for our son who was turning 46, but I wanted to remember this important date at least in a small way.

"This looks good!" I said to myself when I saw a card with a guitar, knowing that when I opened it there would be twanging guitar music.  Guitars are one of his passions.  But the flames around the red guitar and the rock music might not be just right.  I'd keep looking.

"Yes!" I smiled, when I spotted a card that said something like, "This might be a little extravagant, but I knew you wanted a little house in the country..."   They had just bought a country place where they were making improvements!  Then I opened the card and read the words, "So here it is!"  It was a weathered old structure just like several of the outbuildings on their land! My ears were blasted with a Beverly Hillbillies type tune complete with fiddles, guitars and banjos.  This was perfect!  Thank You, Lord!

I couldn't wait to show it to Howard when he came to meet me.  His grin told me he thought it was perfect, too!  Then I saw a classic car calendar for 2013 (redoing vintage cars is another one of his passions), got a gift bag, and breathed a sigh of satisfaction.  I knew he would like it, and he did, getting a kick out of the apropos, off-beat card.

They are off for a birthday trip tomorrow with the family, coinciding with the kids' fall break.  We are dog-sitting with our granddog, who is finally lying down, tired from running to the door, listening expectantly, and giving the occasional sharp bark as she looks at me questioningly.  Tomorrow we will feed their other dog who is on guard duty at their farm and tend their chickens (and ours).  Presents don't have to be expensive!

There is one Gift, though, that was very expensive, yet available free to everyone, the Gift of salvation. It cost Jesus His life, but it gives us back our life when He redeems us from sin. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son unto the  world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."  John 3:16, 17.  There is no greater gift!