OH, I’VE BEEN GOOD…PINKY, PROMISE GOOD By Lori A Alicea

They’re all good, aren’t they?

In a grandparent’s eyes, their grandchildren, each and every one of them, make the “Good List” come December. Just send your grandparent a greeting card wearing Christmas jammies and find yourself on the “Very Good List”.

Yes, grandparents know their babies have those “bad days” from time to time.
But don’t you worry kids; your name stays on our “Good List” throughout the month of December and beyond.
Grandkids are something else.

You ask them if they’ve been good, and there’s always that one whose suspicious look and reply has you both wondering and laughing under your breath;

Oh, I’ve been good… pinky, promise good.
Good or bad, a grandparent’s heart is to give good gifts to their grandchildren. Grandchildren don’t earn our love by accumulating enough good stickers.  Nor can they lose our love by those checkmarks of bad behavior next to their name.

“We love” is reason enough to give.
We give because we love.

There are no strings attached to a grandparent’s love in giving.

Well, unless you consider the strings that tug your heart when a grandchild’s bare feet on a wood floor are heard racing the halls searching and calling your name. In these treasured moments a grandparent scoops up this child, surrendering his keys to the toy store.
No matter our age, our Heavenly Father delights in his children running and searching the halls, calling out for him and his whereabouts.

There are no “good days or bad days” that ever jeopardize his love for us.

And just like a father or grandfather, God loves to give good gifts to his children.

If you…. know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

In fact, our Heavenly Father’s best gift came to us as baby.
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, (which means “God with us”.) Matthew 1: 23 NIV

A baby who would grow up and give his life in exchange for our life; yes our Heavenly Father’s best gift at Christmas came to us wrapped as a baby.

We didn’t earn it. We didn’t deserve it.
But God loved us enough to still give his very best, his only son.

If the bottom of your tree seems bare and empty come December 25, remember a good Father doesn’t show up empty handed. He gives good gifts.  He lavishes himself on his children.

This dad is beside himself, anxious for you to see and remember the blessings from the gift of his son this Christmas and all year long. If this is your first Christmas with Him, your Heavenly Dad can’t wait for you to open and receive this wonderful gift of his son into your heart.

In a grandparent’s eyes, their grandchildren, each and every one of them, make the “Good List” come December and beyond.
In our Heavenly Father’s eyes, his children are always on the good list.  No “good stickers” or “checkmarks” beside our name ever earn or jeopardize his love for us.

There are no strings attached to the gifts bearing his name and affectionate love.

Unless you consider the strings that tug on his heart, when the sound of bare feet on wood floors are heard running and searching the halls, calling out for their Heavenly Dad.

Pinky Promise.