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She Gave Me
China and A Special Quilt After we lost most of our household goods in a robbery, Jerri (who I've never even met!) sent me a lovely set of china and a treasured quilt her grandmother had made for her. She thought I needed a hug from Jesus and that when I was sad I could wrap up in that quilt and feel the Savior's arms around me and know he understands and cares... I do and He does. When I protested that the quilt should have gone to her daughter, here's what Jerri wrote: "Yes, I gave you part of my children's inheritance from their earthly great-grandmother. I could have kept that and they could have learned to hoard things that will one day pass away, or I could tell Anna how my grandmother made it for me and how it kept me warm, and then I could tell her about you and how sad you were at the cruel things those people did. I could then let her help me tape the box as I explained that we were giving you a loving hug, long distance style. By doing that, I am also giving her an inheritance. I am giving her an inheritance of love, selflessness, and compassion. Those are eternal, and if she receives that inheritance in full, imagine the hearts and lives she will touch as she demonstrates boldly, and without thought, the character of our Father. So, it boils down to this: I can give her my grandmother or my Father. I will gladly and lovingly give to you the quilt and to my daughter, my Father's heart. And you know what was really wonderful? I knew that even though it was stained and so not perfect like the ones you can find in stores or on sewing shows today, it would be special to you. It is really nice to know you so well. That hugs me back. Give Me What You
Got The Christmas presents are going to be a little different around our house this year. For Anna, I am painting her school desk pink. For Rob's present, a friend of ours came over and put up a ceiling fan that I bought Rob for his birthday - back in August. For me, well, I am hoping for a gallon of blue paint and some time to work in the bedroom. We don't know about Robert. Maybe we'll just go find him a really cool box somewhere and let him rip the paper before joyously exploring the many options a box holds. Not the typical Christmas list, I suppose, but that's okay. We're tired of the typical Christmas. Granted, our gift selection may not be socially impressive, but they are chosen with great love and care. In this house, that alone is more important than how much money we spend. Just so we understand each other, this is not a rage against the system situation. We are not on a mission to wrestle back the true meaning of Christmas from the miserly fists of the money-grubbing corporates. In fact, in some cases, I think expensive gifts are appropriate. For instance, I read about a young man who adopted his five nieces and nephews after his sister and brother-in-law were killed in car wreck. He had no house, only a two-bedroom apartment. He had a very old car that would not hold all the children. He had been attending college but dropped out to get a second job to meet the financial needs. After the story was in the newspaper, people came forward. This new family was given a Suburban and a house was made available, among other things. People gave generously, and needs were met. Yes, my friend, there are times when expensive gifts are quite appropriate. However, too often we feel that inexpensive gifts are not worth giving, and that simply is not true. Sometimes gifts of our time or energy are more appreciated than something with a large price tag wrapped in a pretty box. For instance, there is a woman in our church who organizes meals for a member of our congregation who is undergoing chemotherapy. For several days after each treatment, members of the church and community drop food by for the family. One woman doesn't have a lot of time to cook, but she tries to supply some form of meat for sandwiches for lunch. Another woman periodically drops in to clean house. Are those expensive gifts? Hardly. But they are treasured gifts when you are in need. I recently had a small open house for some lady friends, and one of them was sharing that she met a woman who makes huge pots of soup each Monday and takes it around to cancer patients because they can often eat soup when nothing else will stay down. My husband gives me the gift of "thinking of you" daily. He sends me e-cards each day, and while it may seem like a very small thing, I always look forward to them. He always tells me that he is looking forward to seeing me in the evening and that he loves me. Who doesn't need to hear that, and who wouldn't appreciate it from their best friend? My aunt crochets quite a bit and sells some of the things she makes. However, she gives quite a bit to people in nursing homes too. Those precious people are often cold, and a nice lap afghan is a true blessing. When I was pregnant with Robert, we made a number of emergency trips to the doctor's office. We were blessed by a number of people who would let us drop Anna off at a moment's notice so we wouldn't have to take her with us. I could mention the woman who made me Jell-O when I had the flu and drove nearly thirty minutes to bring it to me because she didn't want me to dehydrate. There was my pastor, Marshall Stewart, who drove a bunch of camp children nearly 200 miles to Abilene, Texas, early in the morning and then turned around and drove nearly 200 miles back to Denton, Texas, as soon as he could just so he could be with me when I had knee surgery. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Each instance I've mentioned came without a bow. No tags or tape were included, and yet, these are all valuable, and sometimes priceless gifts. In most cases, they were appreciated more than anything from Neiman's or Dillard's. You know why? Because it met a need, often a need of the heart. These gifts squelched fears, brought a smile, and conveyed love. Those are the gifts that most people want anyway, and they will be remembered long after Christmas, birthdays, or anniversaries are past. Now, you may be thinking that you just don't have any of those gifts to give. I don't buy that for one moment. It says in Genesis that we are created in the image of God, and one of the most mind-blowing things God does is give. Therefore, it should be something we do simply because we are His children. You may also argue, as some I know, that you just never think about it. What you are really saying is that it never occurs to you spontaneously. Not a problem. Buying for Christmas doesn't happen spontaneously for most people either. Buying for anniversaries and birthdays, even less so. Don't let that stop you. Do what most people do, make a list. Yes, make a list. Put it on your calendar Make it part of your daily or weekly schedule so you remember easier. A simple way to start is look in your church bulletin. Who is on the prayer list? Give one of them (preferably the least known because they are the ones more likely to need help and least likely to receive it) a call and ask how you can minister to them. Ask what they need. A trip to the drugstore for medicine maybe? Dinner? If you can't cook, don't let that stop you. There are restaurants all over the place that you can choose from. Just tell them to pick what they want; you'll do the delivery. One of the most moving things that anyone has done for me was when a friend came over and asked what I wanted for lunch. Completely to my surprise. I was so tired and stressed from Anna having been sick for several days while Rob was out of town that I didn't know, so Buddy went on his own to find something. He returned with take out from one of my favorite restaurants. Inside my container was my favorite chicken dish from that particular place. Coincidence? I don't think so. The Lord has a way of directing a loving heart. And if you let Him, He can direct you, too. Sometimes we equate great gifts with large amounts of money, and that is truly sad because that often leaves basic human needs, like the needs for kindness, reassurance, and love, unmet. In 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, Paul talks about the gifts of the spirit, and he gives a discourse on each one, and when he is done, he says, "But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you the more excellent way." And then he begins what is often referred to as the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. He concludes that simply with the sentence, "The greatest of these is love." As I said, there are times when expensive gifts are appropriate, but what gives them value is not the money with which they were purchased but rather the love with which there were given. As long as we allow love to direct us, our gifts, whether purchased at a great price or simply given with great heart, will be treasured blessings for a long time to come. I never cease to be amazed by the mass rush to shop and buy presents at Christmas. It really seems rather senseless to me, not that I am humbug on Christmas, but why should such opportunity for giving be centered on only one day? If indeed we want to embody the true meaning of Christmas, shouldn 't we do it like Christ did, in big ways and small ways, every day of the year? Not sure what to give? Just give them what you've got and wrap it in love. It'll be all their hearts desire, and it will truly be an excellent thing.
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