"Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." James 1:7 (NLT)

Have you ever received a gift with no tag? We had two teenage girls assigned to tape every gift tag to the gifts at our wedding. We still ended up with a gift or two with no idea who they were from!

What’s the first thing you do when you see that tag-less gift?

- the rest of the story -

If not before, once I open it and find something nice, I say “Who is this from?”

God is constantly sending us good gifts. In fact every good and perfect thing that happens in our lives is from God. (James 1:17)

But, what about the hard times? In fact, what about those periods in life where life’s troubles just seem to pile on like football players all trying to be the one to recover a fumble! Imagine how the poor football must feel!

It’s been like that for me lately. I feel like a nail being pounded into a board, wondering how many more whacks on the head I have to take!

I know you can relate because we’ve all been there. The car breaks down. Whack! Your boss criticizes something you worked hard on. Whack! An unexpected bill arrives. Whack! You get sick. Whack! The AC goes out during 110+ weather, whack whack!

With each whack, we begin to wonder “What next?”

Yes, my AC really went out. It’s vital to life here in the desert and the week it was out, I began writing this story in my head. It was not a fun week, but it was only one of many “whacks on the head” or “linebackers landing on me” in the last few months.

And yet, this painting is a beautiful example of one of God’s perfect gifts in the midst of this hard period and I almost missed it.

Walking with my husband, daughter, and her dog, my heart was numb from all the “whacks”. As we walked I saw these two goats perched up on their platform. Across from them was a baby cow. I took a few pictures of the calf in case I wanted to paint it, and then we walked on.

The air was fresh, the sky bright blue and it began to settle me, but I can’t say I had any joy in my heart. On the way back home, there were the goats again. I stopped to take a picture of them because I’m always thinking about possible reference photos for paintings. My daughter and husband walked on.

As I realized how perfectly framed the goats were with their platform and big old shade tree, I began to position myself for a better photo. My husband and daughter politely stopped up ahead and chatted.

I took a few more photos. Their inquisitive looks were fun to see. But then, unexpectedly they looked at each other and smiled!! I didn’t know goats could smile!

I laughed out loud with joy!

In the midst of the trials I was facing, God had given me the perfect gift! I didn’t have to ask “Who gave this to me?” I knew the moment it happened, that he had given me that moment, there alone with two goats.

Sometimes I think I would enjoy these gifts so much more if life wasn’t so hard. But then I realize, without the hard times, I wouldn’t recognize and appreciate his goodness, his provision, his presence or his faithfulness near as well as I do when his gifts arrive during the hard times.

I get a lot of joy anytime I recognize God’s lovely gifts - as evidenced in my artwork. But, oh, how much sweeter is that joy when it arrives in the midst of life’s challenges! Since this moment with the smiling goats, I am constantly watching for God’s good and perfect gifts, and when I see one, I pause to soak it in and enjoy it.

Whether you’re in a restful peaceful period in life (plenty of good gifts come in those times too) or in a “nail getting whacked on the head” period, keep your eyes open for your smiling goat moments. He has good and perfect gifts for you too!