I wish
for you a very happy Friday evening. Yesterday we completed our “50 States in
50 days” of praying for our children. I hope you were as blessed as I was
praying each day. I had a wonderful experience, even just becoming familiar
with the names of the various States alphabetically was awesome. Well in case
you missed this experience, do not despair as I mentioned before, starting in
January we will continue our prayers for children of various nations. Please
stay tuned for more information.
In 4
more days it will be Christmas, one of the most important days for Christians
as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately this has become much
commercialized and most people spend hundreds of dollars and a lot of time
shopping for gifts. Credit cards will be maxed out in trying to make sure we
get everyone that very special gift. There is nothing wrong with giving people
gifts, but we should never make it the reason for Christmas. Most of these gifts that you buy will be
taken back to the stores or re-gifted or will be left in the box untouched, and
then there are those gifts that will get broken by the end of the first day.
Some of us who will receive gifts may be disappointed with it, because it does
not meet with our expectations. In other words these gifts are not lasting.
Let me
suggest that this year we do things a little differently. Let us resolve not to
use our credit cards to shop. If you cannot pay for it in cash leave it alone.
Do not be stuck with a bill to start the New Year. Next, you do not have to get
every gift your child has on their Christmas list. How about choosing two of the most important
ones and reward them throughout the year with the rest you were not able to get
for Christmas. They may be temporarily upset on Christmas day, but can you
imagine their delight throughout the year receiving these gifts they may have
forgotten about.
I suggest that we give gifts that are needed
and lasting such as the gift of forgiveness that you have held up for so many years
from that friend or relative that badly needs it. How about giving the gifts of
love, mercy, kindness and joy? You may not have thought about it but these are
very valuable and lasting gifts that bring a smile each time they are given. If
you think about it Christmas time can get very lonely for a lot of people. Some
are depressed, others are sad, let us bring to them the message of hope, and remind them
that Jesus Christ the Savior is born. Remind them: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son
is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace.(Isaiah 9:6). One good thing is that this won’t cost you
anything monetary and if it does it will not be an arm and a leg.
God
gave us the greatest gift that any person could ever give or receive. He wants
us to pattern our giving as He did by giving something that will last. So as you
gather around your Christmas tree and open your gifts and see the joy on your
loved ones faces, remind them of the real reason for the season.
In His
service,
Vilma
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