desires of our heart........

I love finding bargains, don't you? A few months ago while shopping at the local "Goodwill" I found a "Blue-boy" print. It's from the early 1900's and went really well in my bedroom. I think I paid $5.99 for it. After doing research, I found that it was worth several hundred dollars. I was so excited, that every time someone came to my house, that hadn't seen it, I made them go look.
During one of these times of making one of my friends look at it, she had this funny look on her face and said, "where did you get that?!"
I proudly told her of my find at the "GW". She then said, "I think that's my Mom's picture."
She went over and touched it like it was The "Mona Lisa". She told me when she was a kid her Mom had a picture just like that hanging over her bed, frame and all.
She wanted it but her father had sold it at a garage sale without her knowing, he didn't realize she wanted it.
Her Mother died shortly after my friend had turned 18.

I really Loved this print, but not for the same reason my friend did.
I decided my friend should have it, so I found out when her mom’s birthday was and just this past week, 4/30, I gave it to her on her mom’s birthday.
When she received it, she started to cry, which made me cry.

I knew I'd never find that print again, not at the Goodwill. But it was okay, it was worth a lot more to me not to have, than to have it.

Today, while shopping at the same Goodwill, I found the same print.....unbelievable!
It's smaller than the one I gave my friend, but it's a "Blue Boy".
When the Goodwill puts a price tag on a donation they receive they also put the date the donation was received. The date on the price tag, $2.99, was 4/27.
So, if I would have decided not to give the print to my friend and went to the GW, I still could have given it to her and still had one. I was never expecting it to be replaced.
I thought, "what if I would have found it then decided to give her my "extra one"?
Is giving out of our "extra" really even giving? Is giving without sacrifice giving?

I know the Lord smiles with delight when we put others "wants" over our "wants".

I'm thankful that the Lord gave us both the desires of our hearts!

Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.