Gifting - A Two-way Street

Good morning friends,
The photo above is of some lovely birthday gifts I received and thought I would share them with you! These gifts were given by people who really know me, they are thoughtful, beautiful and practical too! Of course they are tea-related! My cousin Tina (and her dh Rob) sent these amazing flowers in a too sweet tea cup! My friend Elizabeth sent this vintage tea cozy from England along with the gorgeous demi-cloth. I will use and treasure these gifts. Thank you.
Gifts come in all manner of dimension....wrapped, delivered, spoken, unspoken, physically touching, emotionally touching, but they all have one thing in common...they are shared. A gift never stands alone...someone is on each end and that is what makes a gift special. The giver sets the process in motion, the receiver responds in joy giving back...and so the gifting becomes a duet whereby both the giver and receiver participate and profit. The receiver from the knowledge that someone cared...the giver from the knowledge that their gift brought pleasure. "It is more blessed to give than receive." Sums it all up. The joy of giving is habit-forming...kinda like a natural high. Now here's a thought: What if the receiver has no idea who the giver is or that they even have gotten a gift???? Well, that takes one part of the equation away...or has it??? God becomes the receiver in these cases....wow..... It is like getting a May basket on your door knob and not knowing who sent it. God loves to give, He never tires or runs out, He knows just what we desire, need, long for and He knows just when to give....His joy is when we thank Him!
Magnificent Obcession is the name of a book that was made into a movie. It is a story about giving.
Oh for a "magnificent obcession"!
ttfn
tts
cathy