Greetings,
The Christmas season is in full swing, and like you, I am putting up the decorations and listening to all my favorite songs.
Of course, front and center in my mind are all the shopping lists I have made; I really do try to give thoughtful, useful gifts! One year I really paid attention to everything my husband said, and that year for Christmas he received Rock'em Sock'em Robots, a hat just like the one Rachel's soccer coach wore during games, a set of four knorks, and a Schoolhouse Rock! CD featuring his favorite tunes from childhood. (I'm Just a Bill...)
A few weeks later, when I was still all proud of my considerate self, Jorge and I were out and about when he was admiring a pair of boat shoes and finished his comment by saying, "Babe, this does not mean I want this for Christmas." In actuality, Jorge was so paranoid that he was going to receive everything he pointed out that he literally ended each sentence with the aforementioned phrase. His loss! He could have had a popcorn maker, sleek aluminum wallet, and a hairless Chihuahua.
I promise my feelings are not hurt, and we have laughed a great deal about the "Year of Thoughtful Giving."
The good news is there are other ways we can be thoughtful in our giving, and for this let's consider the words of one of my greatest faith heroes: Joni Eareckson Tada. She was in an accident almost 50 years ago that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down. But that hasn't stopped her from having a ministry that has made an impact on millions of people. (Google her). Whenever she speaks I listen because she is credible. I encourage you to unwrap her words slowly and then take them in and purpose in your heart to follow her example.
She writes:
"Every Christmas I think about what it was like to be on my feet during the holidays. There were parties and plays, decorating, hitting the malls. Then came my accident. That Christmas I spent at a rehab center. Adding to the hurt I was already feeling was that I couldn't buy gifts for anyone. The way I saw it, God was asking too much of me. The use of my body was taken away at Christmas time, but also the joy of giving. On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I felt like a martyr.
The Christmas season is in full swing, and like you, I am putting up the decorations and listening to all my favorite songs.
Of course, front and center in my mind are all the shopping lists I have made; I really do try to give thoughtful, useful gifts! One year I really paid attention to everything my husband said, and that year for Christmas he received Rock'em Sock'em Robots, a hat just like the one Rachel's soccer coach wore during games, a set of four knorks, and a Schoolhouse Rock! CD featuring his favorite tunes from childhood. (I'm Just a Bill...)
A few weeks later, when I was still all proud of my considerate self, Jorge and I were out and about when he was admiring a pair of boat shoes and finished his comment by saying, "Babe, this does not mean I want this for Christmas." In actuality, Jorge was so paranoid that he was going to receive everything he pointed out that he literally ended each sentence with the aforementioned phrase. His loss! He could have had a popcorn maker, sleek aluminum wallet, and a hairless Chihuahua.
I promise my feelings are not hurt, and we have laughed a great deal about the "Year of Thoughtful Giving."
The good news is there are other ways we can be thoughtful in our giving, and for this let's consider the words of one of my greatest faith heroes: Joni Eareckson Tada. She was in an accident almost 50 years ago that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down. But that hasn't stopped her from having a ministry that has made an impact on millions of people. (Google her). Whenever she speaks I listen because she is credible. I encourage you to unwrap her words slowly and then take them in and purpose in your heart to follow her example.
She writes:
"Every Christmas I think about what it was like to be on my feet during the holidays. There were parties and plays, decorating, hitting the malls. Then came my accident. That Christmas I spent at a rehab center. Adding to the hurt I was already feeling was that I couldn't buy gifts for anyone. The way I saw it, God was asking too much of me. The use of my body was taken away at Christmas time, but also the joy of giving. On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I felt like a martyr.
"But Christmas morning my heart softened; as I focused on Christmas' meaning, I realized the best gift I could give was myself. My mom didn't want a new dress; she wanted to see me smile. My dad didn't need a new bridle for his horse; he needed to see me laugh. My sister didn't need another sweater; she needed to see my grab hold of hope."
Joni's point is a great one. Jorge doesn't need a tattoo sleeve as much as he needs a wife who appreciates his hard work and doesn't sweat the small stuff. These types of gifts are extremely valuable because they are, as Joni calls them, "gifts from the heart."
Maybe you've been grumpy lately and everyone in your family knows it. Maybe you've been self-absorbed and your spouse feels it. Maybe you're dealing with a big problem and haven't smiled a lot lately. Joni is not saying we don't have good reasons to feel these ways sometimes, but she is saying that everyone can benefit from a gift from the heart - especially those closest to you.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, We already know who could benefit the most from a gift from our heart. We already know who would love to see us stop complaining and smile. Give us the strength to follow through. In Jesus' name, AMEN~
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