In the middle ‘80s our children were small. Robbie had started to school, but Stephie was still at home. Christmas was coming and they had gone through the Sears Roebuck Christmas catalog so many times it was worn and frayed. Some pages were even falling out.

One of their requests that year was bicycles. Baxter and I had decided to wait till Easter for the bikes. They were getting what we thought was plenty. They would have to wait.

The last day Baxter worked before Christmas, he came in grinning from ear to ear. It isn’t rocket science to know he has done something we hadn’t discussed. I said, “What have you done? Did you get those bikes?”. Baxter’s reply was classic Baxter. He replied, “You just wish I bought bikes.”

At that point I headed outside. He drove a company car then. It was an El Camino. In the back of that El Camino was a red two seater go Kart. I almost fainted. I still don’t know how that go kart went into the back of that thing.

But how could I be mad? How could I fuss? Here was a father who purchased a gift our children never expected to recieve…something much more expensive than those two bikes. How could I take away his happiness? I couldn’t.

But isn’t that our Abba God? Doesn’t He give us more than we could ever imagine? Doesn”t He give us everything good and perfect when we deserve only judgment and condemnation?

I watched my sweet husband that Christmas. It gave him so much pleasure to give his children such an unexpected, extravagant gift. I imagine our Abba the very same way…Watching us enjoying His gifts, walking in His love…and it is “His good pleasure”…working in us.