I hope your week has been joyful as God has provided you opportunities to glorify his name.  This afternoon I was at the doctor's office with Rachelle, getting one of her check ups.  When I came back into the waiting room, there was Joshua, with my oldest, Chelsea.  I got within five feet of Joshua and noticed he had a little army man in his hand.  He doesn't own one of those so I was curious where he found it.  Chelsea told me he got it from one of the chairs in the waiting room. I looked back at Joshua and he began to whine and wave his hand, signalling me that he did not want me to come any closer.  He was making clear that he thought I was going to try to take his new toy away from him and he was going to have none of it.  What struck me was how Joshua normally loves me coming around, but when he thought my presence meant his newfound joy would be removed -- I needed to leave.  I realized that's how I am sometimes with God.  I become afraid that when he "com!
es around" his intent is to play the role of cosmic killjoy.  But Scripture and experience remind me (eventually) that God is much more interested in giving me truly good things than taking them from me.  We're promised in God's word that we can't outgive God.  He has blessings in store for us that we can't begin to imagine.  So, remember that God "comes around" his people, he does it to do good to them, not bad.  Grace and peace,

                            Ethan