Good gifts

Last night I had a great time hanging out with friends and going to see an awesome IMAX at Fernbank called "The Greatest Places." For anyone who enjoys learning about other places and cultures, it is a must see. When I got home it was time for bed. I find that when I am lying in bed, either at night or when I first wake up, is when I do a lot of thinking. Last night my thoughts led me to these two verses: "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" from 1 John 3, and "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" from Matthew 7. It struck me how hard it is for me to believe that God is good, and does give us good things. I am the kind of person who relies very much on how past experiences have shaped you as the person you are today. I guess that's part of the reason I want to be a couselor. But sometimes I look at my past and see only pain- totally skipping over the fact that God has blessed me time and time again. And if I was honest about how much God is doing for me each day just by loving me alone, it would be painfully obvious that the good He has done for me greatly outweighs the bad things that have happened. Coming off a week that was hard emotionally, it was comforting to see what I do have in being a child of God, and to think on all of the good gifts he has given me.