Christmas gifts by Deb Siers
December 16, 2009
by Pastor Jeremiah
How many of you have finished Christmas shopping? Well, I only have four gifts left on my list…..both sets of parents. My mom wants leather gloves, I am getting my dad and Jay’s dad musical ties (not really, but they may be reading this so hush, hush), but what to get my mother in law? Buying Christmas gifts is really bothersome to me because it is so expected. It makes me feel like it is not from the heart.
I started to think back on all the Christmas gifts I have given or received. The funny thing is, as hard as I tried, I could not remember more than a handful of gifts. I am sure others have better memories than I do. What is the best gift you have ever received or given?
I remember one year in high school trying to be really creative with a gift for my sister. I think she was in 8th grade at the time. I bought her a goldfish bowl and three goldfish. When it was my turn to give her a gift, I brought it in from the other room. She looked at it for a minute and then ran out of the room crying. I had no idea that the thought of something alive in her room was a huge phobia for her. She was so sorry that she hated my gift and felt terrible. I was sorry as well and felt terrible.
Last year my brother asked my mom for some glasses. Now this made perfect sense because he is a bachelor and had just moved into a new apartment. So, on Christmas day as we all watched him open his very cool new glasses we were surprised at his reaction. He said, “oh glasses, what am I going to do with these?” My mom said, "that’s what you asked for isn’t it?" He was puzzled for a moment until he remembered, “No mom, I need new eye glasses!” We all erupted in laughter at the confusion.
I was reading an article that said that there are five different types of gift givers...
1. The creative gift giver - something made art, music
2. The intellectual gift giver - give books or educational toys
3. The wise gift giver - savings bonds or college funds
4. The experiential gift giver - gives experiences, tickets to concerts, dinners out, movie tickets
5. The green gift giver - is mindful of mother earth and buys local ect.
As I read this I realized that I am number 4 all the way. I like to buy and receive experiences. I am wondering if you know what kind of gift giver you are? The sad part regarding gifts, for me, is that they come and go. Unless it was an experience that you can etch in your memory your gifts this year will most likely end up in the trash or at the goodwill next Christmas. This is my struggle with gifts.
Don’t you wish that you could buy a gift or make a gift that would change someone’s life? That was so impactful that it would be remembered forever? As I was thinking about all this I was reminded of that one gift that did those things. I was reminded of the day God gave Jesus to the world. That's what the gift giving tradition of Christmas is all about. I was only five years old and I still remember it. The Bible says, God so love the world that he gave his only son as a gift to us, and if we choose to receive that gift it will continue to change us and guide us for eternity. The amazing thing about God's gift giving is that it has all the components of all the gift givers in one.
God is creative - he gives gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, hope and much more. He is intellectual and wise - not only did he change the world more than any other man on earth with his teachings but he promises to give us wisdom for all situations. He is experiential - literally changing hearts and lives. He is the author of Green gifts - he created this planet and everything on it and desires that we do the same.
God is the ultimate gift giver.
*If you are in Seattle this Christmas, join us at Westside church for one of two candlelight services 5 and 6:30pm.
Sun, 12/20/2009 - 10:56pm
Lillian Cawdrey says:
Wed, 12/23/2009 - 4:11pm
Rachel says:
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