7th December 2006

Dear God,

I worked hard, many a hour sitting and dealing with mundane and sometimes challenging tasks.
So when the day came that i looked upon that cream coloured slip with a more-than-usual-amount, i beamed with satisfaction over my due for a week's worth of hard work.

Then i remembered what was due to you, my tithes from my toil and time.
I was however, calculative and dreaded taking out that sum from my hard earned money as a sacrifice and act of worship,
But i did it anyway in obedience.

When saturday arrived, i made sure i had the notes in my pocket, ready to give it out of rightful duty.

But as i counted it and clutched it in my hands awaiting for the bag to come by, i caught myself experiencing a small, and involuntary bubbling sense of joy within my being, as if a shy but gleeful child was looking up, smiling and saying in a soft, sweet voice:
"Father God, i'm so pleased to give this to you. It isn't easy to do this, but as your child, i really want to offer this up to you."

It's so obvious really, but it was only then when i realized and experienced the difference between acting out of duty and acting out of love and reverence, despite the same action arising from the need to obey a commandment.

Thank you for teaching me life's lessons Daddy.

From Your Daughter,
Joline