Beanie Babies

     Gina was a large-hearted little girl. One of the great joys in her life was to give gifts. There came a day when she arrived at school and began pulling Beanie Baby after Beanie Baby out of her bag. With great fanfare she began to dole them out to her classmates. Of course, I assumed Gina had permission to make gifts of the toys. She didn't. Apparently the Beanie Babies were meant to be a keepsake, and Gina had left the house without her parents being any the wiser about her intentions. 
    When was the last time you gave a gift? We are all familiar with the good feeling that comes from giving something to someone else. I've been impressed lately with a gift we can give daily to our Heavenly Father. While we all understand the big gifts of our hearts and our time, how about the smaller areas of self-denial? 
    Maybe you sigh when you read that word. I do. Self-denial is not a fun word. It's not an easy word. It's work. But just as Gina received joy from giving away Beanie Babies, we can receive joy from denying ourselves. What if we changed our mindset? What if we saw self-denial as a gift we can give instead of a burden of suffering?
    I've been attempting to practice this more. When critical thoughts come into my mind and I choose to let them go, I turn my heart heavenward and whisper, "That's my gift for you, today, God." When I choose to skip over yet another discouraging story in the news, I remind myself that it's for Him. When I choose right over wrong or white over gray, I know it is but a tiny gift; yet I also know that Creator recognizes how little I have to give.
    He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37-38) For most of us, the self-denial God is asking in daily life is not the big things. It's the little things, the Beanie Babies. 
    Let's be willing to give our wonderful Savior the gifts that we can, our daily choices to follow after Him instead of our own desires. It won't be easy, but the joy will be worth it. Let's turn our self-denial into gifts of praise, for He has certainly given us many things to thank Him for!