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FRIDAY THOUGHT 10/14/11

October 14, 2011 on 10:38 am | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

THE COOKIE TREE

 We used to have a dog called Jackie.  One day, roaming the property, she took a nap under a tree.  For reasons no longer remembered, I quietly opened a window and tossed a cookie in her direction.  It landed by her nose.  Slowly, her nose twitched as she sniffed its presence; then she opened her eyes, stretched out grabbed it, ate it, and went back to sleep.  So, I threw another, which she also found and ate.  Of course, being a pea-brained dog, she never gave a thought to how those cookies got there. 

We can be that way when it comes to the good things in our lives.  (No, I’m not calling anyone pea-brained, just human.)  Blessings seemingly drop off the tree and into our hands.  Cool.  Enjoy.  Good life.  Sometimes we like to believe we get them from our own brilliance and hard work.  Often, we just shrug and figure, “Oh, look, another cookie off the Cookie Tree.” 

My point:  I’ve been around long enough to have learned that the good things in this life are gifts from God.  When we fail to realize that, even the greatest wealth and power give little if any true joy.  When we recognize and acknowledge the Giver, it is only then that we can truly enjoy the blessings that drop from the Cookie Tree each and every day.  – jri

“O LORD, You are the portion of my

        inheritance and my cup; You maintain

        my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

       yes,  I have a good inheritance.”

                       —  Psalm 16:5-6

 

One of the blessings of getting a tad older is that I see less value in things and more value in people. This leads me to believe that God arranged this life in this neat way on purpose:  We focus on the physical and temporary as youth, but we have the opportunity and insight to turn our minds to the true and eternal as we grow older, that is if we take the opportunity to grow, not just grow older.  I wish you a joy-filled, wondrous day.  Blessings surround us at every turn.  Don’t take them for granted, as if they just fell out of the Cookie Tree.  Embrace them; enjoy them; thank the Lord for them.  God bless. 

 

John Ingrisano

209 Church Street

Algoma, WI 54201

(920) 559-3722

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October 14, 2011