Gifts 2/2

     Well, I guess you could say I lied about this post.  I haven't really had the time to give you 50 more great things.  I don't know why you would want to see what I am thankful for anyways.  Instead I am going to talk about spiritual gifts.  Personal gifts.  The gifts you receive are different from everyone else.  Often I criticize myself for not being as smart as others or having an obvious calling.  Sure, I'm in a program for "academically gifted" kids, but that doesn't mean your're the most intelligent one.  There will always be someone better than you at something.  This makes me wonder why I even hope.  Well, let me tell you a story.  I hope it can inspire you as much as it did me.

     There is a girl in my class named Sarah* who is good at everything.  She has won the school science fair twice and is in the process of going to districts for this year's competition.  She even won a prize at states last year.  Sarah truly is gifted.  Every time I do something, she does it better.  She will make her paper longer or the teacher likes it better.  There will always be something.  It's hard to compare yourself to someone who is good at everything.  The craziest part is that she's unbelievably nice.  You would think that someone like her would be selfish or stuck up.  Honestly, that's how all "academically gifted" kids are thought to be.  To us, middle school is just middle school.  Relationships are thought highly of and social rankings fill our minds, but there is no interest in school.  We just understand concepts easier than other kids.  Life is just the opposite for Sarah.  There is no way she would get caught up in screwed relationships or popularity.  She spends her time studying genetics and pondering philosophy, enjoys anything scientific and lives for mature debates.  Sadly, the only people that understand what she's talking about are the teachers.  More people would like her if she didn't whisper everything.  You can't understand a word when being surrounded by rambunctious kids in a cafeteria who entertain themselves by throwing food at each other.  The only thing you can manage to do is nod, smile and pretend you heard every word.

     One day, I felt a little braver.  Or maybe I was just too curious.  I came up to her and asked, "How do you do it?"  "What do you mean by that?", she replied.  I guess I just thought she would know what I was talking about.  "I mean how are you so good at everything?" I asked.  "Well," she told me, "I don't know what you mean.  I am definitely not good at everything.  I just try to be." "Oh," I said, "so there's not a trick? You just know everything already?  That seems unfair."  I could tell she was confused by then even though she managed to keep a sincere smile on her face.  "Actually," she said, "I do have a trick."  I don't know what I was anticipating at this point, because it's not like she is a witch.  "I have an inspiration." she told me, "It's my brother Timmy*.  He has a genetic disability and inspires me to work hard every day.  I strive to help others with disabilities after becoming a geneticist."  I stood there in awe, trying to let that sink in.  "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't know!"  "Oh," she replied, "It's nothing to be sorry about.  I love him so much just the way he is."  That had made my day.  A girl who does everything to the glory of someone bigger than herself.  Someone who cares to do the right thing and doesn't let anything get in her way.  "I'm so glad he has a sister like you.   He should be so proud!"  I said, smiling at the gracious being set before me by God.  Every since that day, we have become great friends.  I have even gotten to meet Timmy since then.  I can tell why she loves him so much.  A boy like him is very lucky to end up with a family like theirs.

     So, I realized that there was passion inside of her.  That's what I was missing.  Dwelling on how bad I was compared to her got me stuck in a ditch.  There was no way out until I got my priorities straight and ducks in a line.  That way I could really focus on getting out.  Every now and then I look back and ask why I was so concerned, but have to tell myself that I've grown since then.  Like Sarah says, "You can't go higher, if you don't start lower."

* name changed for privacy reasons

Gifts 1/2

100 Great Things Part 1 of 2

The great things that life has to offer may not come in big packages (or big lists), but you know they're there. Someone recently challenged me to make a list of just 100 things I'm grateful for. Today I have the first 50 of them. To receive joy, you must first give thanks.

1. Noticing that there are good things in life
2. A 3-point "swish"
3. Sweating underwater
4. A day with no homework
5. A friend to love you
6. Being completely surrounded by pillows and blankets in your bed
7. A book that seems to speak to you
8. Colors that overlap in ways they shouldn't
9. Realizing it was all just a dream
10. Light
11. A soft bed
12. Fuzzy socks
13. Leftovers
14. A salad that has too much cheese and dressing to be classified as "healthy"
15. Music that can calm you under any circumstance
16. A choice
17. A unique personality
18. My mom
19. My dad
20. My brother
21. My dog (Buddy)
22. Buddy's fuzzy ears
23. Life
24. A God that cares
25. Myself
26. Money (I mean seriously, you'd be grateful if you had it)
27. Flowers that bloom in the middle in Winter
28. The small things (picture below)
29. The tide that finally reaches your feet
30. Salty air
31. Cool breeze
32. Warm sun
33. Hot shower on a cold day
34. A pair of jeans that fit just right
35. Acne treatment
36. Tears that relieve pain
37. Mom's "Million Dollar Pie"
38. Pain (think about what would happen if we didn't have it)
39. TV remote control
40. Japanese take-out
41. Lazy Saturday
42. Winning a game
43. Smiles
44. People that want to help
45. Birds that sit on telephone wires
46. A thumb
47. A freshly tuned piano
48. A perfect cantaloupe
49. A juicy strawberry
50. Getting an "A" on a quiz you didn't study for

So now I challenge you to name just a few gifts in your life!