The Joy of Giving a Gift

Nick came home recently and the first thing I said to him was, “I think you should open one of your Christmas presents.” His response was something like this, “I just walked in the door. Can it wait until I take my shoes off and change out of my suit?” I wanted to say no, but I responded “of course” and the gift opening ended up later. The longer I waited, my heart beat faster until I suggested again that he should open one present early. As Nick went for the wrong package, I smiled and pointed to the one I really, really wanted him to open. His reaction was everything I hoped it would be! He was surprised and excited that I had gotten him the pea coat he had mentioned in passing that he wanted. We both were grinning ear to ear. Nick got his new coat and I got to see the sparkle in his eye of being surprised with something he wanted and needed!

It’s clear to me now that I am not the only person who gets so incredibly excited about giving a gift. Others have told me that they, too, love and encourage early present opening for exactly the same reason. As we dive deep into Advent and are almost to Christmas, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that God would have as we are readying to receive the gift of the Christ child.

What was it like for God on that first Christmas night? Was God giggling with excitement? Were the angels pacing back and forth wondering how the shepherds would react? What level of anticipation was heaven swimming in as the Word became flesh? All the excitement of giving a gift must still be there each time someone celebrates that God has reached them through the life-changing love of Jesus. God, the angels, and all of heaven smile from ear to ear.

At this Christmas, remember your baptism, your confirmation, or accepting Christ, and imagine a giggling God, overflowing with joy. Imagine angels singing and heaven filled with celebration. Each one of us, as we accept the gift of Christ, have given God another reason to ask the angels to sing!

Give and Take.

First, I feel the need to make an obvious statement: if the federal government had spent the same type of effort and money on all their projects as they have this DTV transition, the state of our economy (among other things) would be much different. The countdown to the change is ridiculous. Alert people, get the word out, but is it really necessary to use up so many resources on telling people. If someone has watched even an hour of tv in the past 30 days, they should know. Now, on to the regular God/Jesus/Love/Hope stuff I'd rather occupy my time writing about.

This Christmas Santa stuffed my stocking well. It was filled with well-spent time and hugs and warm conversation. We made it to Shreveport (my home town) and Tulsa (my hubby's hometown) and back to KC. We saw friends and family. It was wonderful and the most meaningful Christmas I've had in a long time. One of the tangible things that Santa put in my stocking was some cash. It was given with the expectation that it would be spent on me. (Not the hundred other things I really want to use it for like the electricity bill or groceries or...) I considered boots. I've recently been on a hunt for wide-calf boots. (That doesn't describe the baby cow that was used to make them. Rather, my wide calves after years of ballet.) But, my attention soon turned to the lack of music in my workout routine, and I purchased an Ipod Nano. (For those of you who know me, and know I LOVE a good deal...I found someone on craigslist selling an unopened Christmas present for $50 off its list price.) I was, and still am super excited about it.

Without much waiting, I started loading my cd's onto my computer. The Beatles Let It Be was last and the song that stuck out as I carefully pushed it into my cd drive was "I ME MINE." Immediately, I felt pointed at for such a lavish expensive item when I am currently/technically unemployed (church planting doesn't exactly pay well-but that's not why I do it!). And, after I had my moment of guilt, I started thinking about the stories from the Holidays Season about people giving from the little, or a lot, they had to help one another. Craigslist was flooded with ads to share dinner, a free turkey, a free Christmas tree, gently used toys, and on and on. A Jewish friend of mine told me how her synagogue takes over the local Ronald McDonald House on Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, and the day after so that the staff can spend it with their families. Volunteers run the place for 3 whole days so that Christians (and people who want to be with family) can do so. Then there is the Kansas City Santa who gave away $100 bills to strangers every year for decades. He passed away last year, but people continue the legacy and give.

This year -2008- brought a great deal of hardship to many people. Many talk about how we are in a cycle and the economy has to go down since it went so far up, and it will go up again. My hope is that while the economy may be in a cycle that the efforts of giving do not dry up. Whether it is our own neighbor, ourselves, or someone across the world, the needs exist always. But, it doesn't have to exist always.

When Jesus said the poor (and those in need) will always be with you, he was only talking to the actual disciples with him. He was telling them to learn as much as they can from him while he was there. Many Christians have used this phrase to resign themselves to doing very little to help others. We seem happier to judge someone's circumstance and send a bag of used clothes than to engage that person in conversation and discover the world from a different point of view. If we would find ways to experience life in new ways, perhaps we could do something more to widdle away at the percentage of the world's population that are hungry when they go to sleep at night and lack proper safety from the night as they sleep. In 2009 I look forward to expanding my horizon and find new ways to help make this world as great as its potential. Every step we take to make a difference matters. Every penny given to help matters. Every chance taken to spread the news about a cause you are passionate about matters. Every moment can matter, if we are so bold to do so.

So, here is a chance to share with you a cause about which I am passionate. The Grand Avenue Temple United Methodist Church in downtown Kansas City serves lunch on Saturday and Sundays to the homeless and/or hungry. They also house a cold weather shelter for single women.

Blessings upon blessings,

Kelli