The Best Gift of All

The Christmas season means many different things to people.  For us we strive to keep Jesus the center of all our festivities.  With the bombardment of retailers, this can be difficult at times.  We made a not so popular and not so favorable decision at the beginning of 2014.  No gifts for Christmas. We even decided to expand this "no gift giving" campaign to birthdays as well.  So for the entire year we gave no purchased gifts for any birthdays and Christmas shopping was not a consideration.

I can hear the gasps.  I can feel the bewilderment you may have.  But you haven't seen how our kids have responded.  Sure we have the moans and groans from time to time when they see the latest and greatest toy or gadget.  But we have also seen each kid encourage and remind another when they ask for something.

Reminders of how blessed we are to have what we have.

Encouraged to remember how much more we have than others.

Reminded that we have the best things we could ever want.

So in between the bickering and arguing, the mounds of laundry, and sink of dishes, I hear and see that our message is sinking in.  The message that we have more than what we need.  That maybe what we want needs to be re-evaluated or adjusted.  Thankful for what we have NOW and not worrying about what we can get.  That we should be content with what we are given.

Isn't as Christians that is what we are supposed to do?  Trust in the Lord that he will provide everything we need in HIS timing and not our own.  Thankful for what we do have and not the things we don't.  To live joyfully in our current situation instead of pining away for a different one.

So our crazy idea maybe isn't that crazy after all.  Maybe just maybe we are teaching our kids a life lesson that can impact them for years.

So although we have no gifts under our tree, the gift of our Savior is the only gift we truly ever need Growing Up on Dublin Lane.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[d] his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called[e]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6