Like TA-mater, without the TA.

Didn't you know? have you not heard?

He gives good gifts.

Mater is one of my favorite Disney characters of all time, for sure. Just a happy go lucky, loyal to the end, none-to-bright but friendly to the point that it doesn't matter. The guy you go cow mail box tractor tipping with, and hood fishing. Good ole' Mater.

And Mater, more than anything else, just wanted to ride in a helicopter. THAT was his dream. nothing really all that complicated, but he was still pretty satisfied with life even if he would never get to ride in a helicopter. Which just made the pleasure all the more satisfying when, as his first official good friend act, McQueen was able to give Mater his wish. Even a selfish race care could give a good gift.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?" Matt 7:9-10

...fine. I'll admit it. that whole fairy tale falling in love thing is my helicopter ride. Don't judge me. You have a helicopter ride just as embarassing, I'm sure. I regret nothing.

But here's the thing. what if Mater had felt entitled to his helicopter ride? I'm not sure his joy would have been quite so complete had he sat around and waited for someone to hand him the helicopter ride he was sure he deserved. Its the same with my helicopter ride. I think I get it now.

It's an interesting journey the Lord has taken me on in the last couple of weeks. There are always tangles in the path in thorns in this not-quite-as-wild wilderness. Because, before anything could start, I had to lose my faith in Adam, and put it back in the One who died to win it. We humans are strange creatures, in the way that we put our trust in things like logic, or emotion, or earthly love, who paid nothing, rather than in the One who gave everything for our Rescue. I think this might be the most bewildering thing about idolatry, and its no wonder His Heart breaks.

But I digress. Back to the point.

I think it's good that I lost my faith in Adam. Its true that everyone needs accountability and to tell the truth, I'm still not all the impressed with the present Christian variety. But here's the kicker. I lost my faith. I set back up what SHOULD be (that is, a man of character). And so, after faithlessness and a very weird process of standardization, the last of the bricks fell: my sense of entitlement. God brought me back into an understanding of who He is and the kind of gifts that He provides. And the final piece to the puzzle was getting me to a place where I would LET Him give good gifts. Thats right. Good gifts. Not livable ones. And yet me living in an attitude of entitlement that I didn't realize I had made any of God's gifts seem all the more flashy and plastic. It took away the experience of His goodness by placing myself in the center.

This is what happens when I drive with windows down and music blasting and God gets ahold of me with Disney Pixar analogies. I am COMPLETELY ok with that.

Especially now that He's led me to this foreign place of contentment that only He can provide.

It's insane, I tell you.