Unused Gifts

Have you ever bought your children a new toy or game just to have them lose crucial pieces of it in a matter of days?  My youngest son received a game for Christmas in which you make monkeys jump into a series of cups by popping a tab on the back of the little plastic monkey.  It's January 3rd and several monkeys have disappeared without a trace.  If you believe my children, who claim to always put them back when they're done, the plastic monkeys grew real legs and jumped away on their own.  As a mother, this frustrates me to no end that this is a gift that is now going to be unused.  But how many of us have unused gifts.  Do you have a pile of things to be returned or exchanged?  A sweater that doesn't fit?  A toy from a distant relative that isn't age appropriate for you children?  Maybe you have clothes hanging in  your closet with the tags still on them from Christmases past.  What about that heart-shaped waffle maker you got 3 Christmases ago?  How many times have you used it?  We all have received gifts that go unused.  I am no exception to this.  And it's not just Christmas or birthday gifts that we all leave unused in the back of our closets.  Our gifts and talents given to us by God to be used to glorify Him and encourage the Church are often left unused, or worse, used for selfish gain.  Scripture is clear when it says that "Every good and perfect gift is from above," -James 1:17.  (emphasis mine)  The gifts God has given us are perfect.  There is no defect.  They fit us.  They aren't broken.  There is no good reason why we shouldn't be using them.  As the new year starts and the calendar starts to progress forward, my New Year's resolution is to use my gifts.  I'm not talking just about spiritual gifts, which are incredibly important.  I'm talking about talents and abilities given to me.  He has made me unique with a unique combination of talents and abilities.  If I'm not using them to glorify Him and serve the Church, then I am not using them as intended or I'm not using them at all.  And since one of my abilities is communication, you should be hearing a lot more from me here on this blog.  This year, my gifts will be brought out of the back of the closet and used.