What do you understand?

A second grader came home from school and said to her mother, "Mom, guess what? We learned how to make babies today."

You can imagine that the mother was more than a little bit surprised, thinking that she should have signed some sort of paper stating the teacher could start offering such information. And she thought, "Isn’t second grade a little early?" But she kept her cool anyway.

"That's interesting," she said to her little girl, "How do you make babies?"

"It’s simple," the little girl said. "You just change ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’."

Amazing, isn’t it, how you think you know what someone is talking about and you don’t? That’s why listening to life today for what God has to say is so important in your spiritual growth. That’s why listening to life and making a life, not just a living is so critical to your joy. You assume you know what someone means, even God, and oftentimes don’t.

So as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living today, listen with an open heart. God may mean something different than what you’re thinking.

Do you keep an “ought to” list or a “want to” list?

So what kind of lists do you keep? Not just the ones you write down, but the ones running around in your head—what do you call those lists?

Do you keep an "ought to" list in mind? You know, I "ought to" do this. I "ought to" do that. I guess most of us do. I’m not exactly sure where we get these lists.

What about a "want to" list? Do you keep one of those in mind? The kind where you list your heart’s desires, your soul’s longings, your spirit’s passion.

Which list gets more of your daily attention?

If you discovered today that you’ll die around 8PM, which list would you go to—the "ought to" or the "want to"?

Yea, I thought so. Your "want to" list is a part of your spiritual DNA that God put in you. Your "ought to" list was installed by someone else.

Today, remember that you’re free to choose which list to live from. Use your freedom wisely and choose God’s list, okay?

Do you have any gifts to exchange?

Three sons were discussing their Christmas gifts for their mother. The first said, “I built a big house for our mother.” The second son said, “I sent her a luxury automobile with a driver.” The third son said, “You remember how our mother enjoys reading the Good Book and now she can’t see very well. I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites every chapter and verse. It took the elders twelve years to teach him. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot recites it.”

When the mother wrote her thank you notes, she wrote to the first son, “The house you built is too big. I live in one room, but have to clean them all.” To the second son she wrote, “I’m too old to travel and the driver is rude.” To the third son she wrote, “Thank you so much! The chicken was delicious!”

So do you have any gifts to exchange? Whatever you exchange, make sure you keep at least one gift—God with us.