By: Ellen Wekall, Atherton Resident since 2013

Scripture:(Matthew 7:9-11) “How much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask him!”

Questions for reflection and application:

  • Is it time for you to do something tangible for yourself to celebrate grace?
  • Who can you encourage today to celebrate grace by being frivolous?

Thought for today:

While working as a therapist with a very depressed woman, she described how she never did anything nice for herself. There was no sense of grace filling her days. She had no understanding of a God who is “easy to live with” and she always expected nothing but severity and rebuke from her world.  I gave her homework to go and buy something for herself that was absolutely not needed and that she would enjoy, whether or not anyone else did…  This may sound like and easy, fun assignment; but believe me, it was a difficult task for her. Sometimes life makes it hard for us to believe that we are deeply loved by a heavenly Father who longs to give us good gifts; who is always interested in the very best for us.  I even made it harder by saying that I looked forward to seeing what she would buy for herself. I wanted to enjoy with her the enjoyment she could find in a such a gesture.  She was smiling for the first time when she came in the following week. She had done her homework.  At first, she had been very upset with me. It was hard to let herself think in terms that would allow her to be frivolous. Then on the last day, before her appointment, she went to a store and bought something for herself.  She had been tempted to also get the same thing for me; but she remembered it was to be just for her. She showed me a colorful coffee mug adorned with birds and flowers that she could treasure. She loved it and would use it every day. This was a first step in her understanding of a God who was calling her to an exorbitant new world of grace. Yes, it is OK to be frivolous and to treat yourself to some fun. The Father delights in our smiles.