Living Outside the 'Box'

This morning I gave my daughter and empty diaper box to play with. I assumed she would have fun with it for a half hour or so, and give me time to get some work done. Well I greatly underestimated the excitement, enthusiasm and creativity that the box brought about. She was so excited when I gave her the box that she bounced up and down, clapped her hands, said 'yeah Mama,' and gave me a hug!
She spent countless hours with the box. She sat inside the box, stood inside the box, hid inside to play peekaboo and even placed a blanket in the box so she could pretend to sleep inside the box. She put her favorite dolls and animals inside the box and gave them rides all around the house. She filled the box with toys then dumped it out and filled it again. She turned the box on its side and rolled/bounced various balls into it. She tried several times to find out how many books would fit in the box (but always lost count). She turned the box upside down and crawled under it. She used it as a chair, a stepstool and a table. She colored on the box. She even 'fed', petted and hugged the box. Then when it seemed her box fun was coming to an end she insisted that the rest of the family join in, begging daddy to push her around in the box, making sure her baby brother got to sit in the box too and giving me a 'pretty hat' by putting it on my head.

Watching her excitement over what seemed an ordinary, even boring gift, made me think. When was the last time I got so excited over something I was given? What about the many blessings, gifts and talents that God has given me? I realize that I often view these as ordinary or only able to be used in one specific way. Just think about what could happen if we applied the same creativity, commitment and excitement to using what God has given us, as my daughter did when she put her box to use. Imagine what could be done, and who could be touched! I was challenged today to put the time, talents and treasures that God has given me to use.... and not to take them for granted. While my daughter spent the majority of her day 'in the box' I decided that I need to start thinking and living 'out of the box.'