Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A Dubious Gift (a slight re-run)


Dooley is my 7 year old cat whose teeth are extremely unhealthy. As a result, he gets a little canned food every morning. As you might expect, he LOVES it. Lately, he's taken to bringing me gifts in return. Sadly, he brings them after I've already had breakfast (sorry, Dooley).

Dooley brings me gifts because I've done something for him. Despite the mice, moles, grasshoppers, snakes, and birds he's brought me (ewww), he can't repay me with an appropriate gift.

He doesn't need to bring me a gift (in fact, I wish he wouldn't). I love Dooley - just because of who he is, even with his weird cat-ness. He didn't and can't earn my love. It just is.

That's God's Grace. It is an unearned gift. A gift you can not earn. A gift you can not repay.

What do you call a gift that is never received? What's the best gift you've ever given? What about the best gift you ever received (and you don't have to be all spiritual about it!)?

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