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Recognizing the True Gifts of Christmas |
2007-11-27 |
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On my side of the family, we have, in the last few years, exchanged names of the grandchildren. The kids exchange names and we set a dollar amount. We have set other parameters, too, like the adults don’t buy for each other. We did all this to stop the “over giving” that seemed to creep up on us every year. What actually happens is that the Moms ask their kids what they want and we email back and forth to each other our children’s “wish list”. The teenage cousins, who all three happen to be girls, were having a discussion about their “lists” and what they wanted for Christmas. They all had trouble thinking of things they wanted. At one point my neice said, “You know, I can’t think of one thing I need. I can’t even think of anything I want for Christmas”.
I began to wonder if this is an indication of contentment or a sign of our “overstuffed” culture. We have too much. When we want something we get it. Often times, we get something right away, but sometimes we have to save our money and wait a bit. But we eventually get just about everything we want.
Christmas has gotten out of hand. It is the season of giving, but perhaps it has gone too far. There are times when I am just buying what the other person asked for, when I am exchanging money only, or when I have to sort through stuff to make room for new Christmas stuff, I get to wondering if I have lost my heart to a material world.
How do we lift our eyes to something greater than the THINGS of this world? How is it that we can regain our center in Jesus, God in flesh come to us?
It is the season of giving, but maybe we need to rethink what it is we are exchanging.
How about “changing it up this Christmas” with giving the gift of time? How about dedicating TIME to your children or a family member? How about a coupon that is a promise to not DO or GO somewhere, but to just be? To play a board game, do a craft project, to bake or cook a favorite recipe together. Maybe even daily devotions with your family? How about making a commitment to regular attention to our family’s and our own spiritual lives...daily Bible reading and disciplined prayer each day?
How about reaching out to someone who is in need of a visit, some company, some time. Perhaps you and your family members could do the visiting or helping together? What about commiting some time to your spouse to nurture your marriage? Some time alone together even at your own dinner table can do wonders for your relationship.
Our notion these days of getting away involves a lot of doing. Shopping, activities, events are all fun and great, but aren’t necessarily nurturing our relationships. We can do lots of activities together and never really connect.
How about considering giving of a different kind this season? Nurturing the gifts of family, friends, and community that we have already been given can be life giving and rewarding.
The possibilities are endless.
The reason we can doing any giving to one another in the first place is because of what God has given us first. “We love because He first loved us,” (1 John 4:19). All we have and are comes from God. Before we get too busy doing and giving, let’s not lose sight of the gifts of real and lasting value that are ours in Jesus—-who was God’s Christmas gift to us! Focusing on that gift can enrich the season in a way that can lift us out of the Christmas frenzy! May you be blessed with eternal gifts this Christmas!
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Milbank SD 57252
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