Put it back where you got it from!

The other day, I moved Darnell's prescription while cleaning up. I thought I put it back where it belonged, but clearly I didn't, as he couldn't find it...for days. I apologized. He went to CVS to get a new one. No big deal. However, in a later discussion, he sarcastically stated, "You know how that could have been avoided, right? Next time, put it back where you got it from!" Why was this sarcastic? Because its kiiiiinnndd of a mantra of mine when ranting throughout the house as I search for something that doesn't even (typically) belong to me.

Kaleb: "Mama you know where my cleats are?"
Me: (bending under his bed) "You know if you put them back where you got them from, you wouldn't have this problem, right?"

Micah: "Mama where's my tablet sharger?" (spelled that way because that's EXACTLY how he says it)
Me: (digging through a crate of controllers and cords) "Did you put it back where you got it from? No. Wanna know how I know? Because it's not where it goes!"

Darnell: "Babe, you seen my wallet?"
Me: (digging through the pockets of the jeans he wore and left on the floor last night; yelling because he's asking me from the basement, refusing to make the trek up the 13 stairs from the garage) I'm assuming you checked your dresser. Where it normally is? (smart-alec-ish) You know...WHERE IT GOES?!?"

I mean let's face it, putting things back where they belong make life that much easier. You don't have to do any searching. You're not running later than you already would have been. You're ready. Because things are in their proper place.

It's much the same with gifts from God. Anything we are able to do, anything we possess, all that we have came from God. He is a giver. You can sing. God did that. You can rap. God did that. You have beautiful children. Yep, that too was God. Got a job? A little money in the bank? You guessed it...God. However, we have a tendency to not put our gifts back where we got them from. We don't sing for God. We don't rap for God. We don't raise our children to know God. We don't work for God. We don't give like God.

Once we honor that all we have comes from God, we become gracious. To operate in a spirit of gratitude is a humble and honorable space. It shows reverence for God's provision. It shows thankfulness for His care. When we honor Him by putting things back where we got them, He blesses us even more. What's this look like? For us "church folk"  it's simply tithing or singing in the choir or serving on the hospitality committee. All of this is fine and well, but there are other ways to honor God with what has been given to us. We can honor Him with our time by simply spending more of it with Him. We can honor Him with our money by being good stewards or by providing for someone who is less fortunate. We can honor him with our talents by using them to bring awareness of his existence and His love for all man-kind. We can honor Him with our work by understanding that when those crazy people at our jobs start working our nerves, we don't work for them, but as "unto the Lord." Nothing of ours was granted by us alone. The universe aligned by God's appointment to give us all that we have. Be sure to give back to Him what has been given to you. Be Blessed XOXO