Its About The Gifts

I grew up as a middle-row every Sunday kind of Christian.
Like most church kids, I knew the classic Christmas story forward and back.
The virgin birth.
Son of God.
Wisemen.
Shepards
Manger.
And most importantly, it's NOT ABOUT THE GIFTS.

When I became a mom myself, and I started teaching my kids about Christmas, without even really thinking about it, I continued the mantra that Christmas was not about the presents.

But this year as I watched the news turn from political turmoil and celebrity feuds to stories of Christmas Magic, I realized, it is absolutely about the gifts.
And I believe that's the way Jesus wants it.

Sure there's the classic gifts like presents and money --and those can go a long way in bringing Christmas joy -- but there are the far more important gifts that are given this time of year.
There's the gifts of time spent with those who might otherwise be lonely.
The gift of volunteering for those who need a hand.
The random acts of kindness that always seem to find their way to help heal a heart that's hurting.
The gift of love.

"And the greatest of these is love." I know I'm taking 1 Corinthians a little out of context here, but the greatest gift given during this season is LOVE.
Love for our family. Love for our friends. Love for our fellow man.
God's love for us in the gift of his son.

And what better way to celebrate the birth of our savior than a month where believers and nonbelievers alike come together to give and to brighten the lives of those in need.

Guys, it's absolutely about the gifts.

Comments

When Insecuritues Control You

Have you ever thought about the power you give to your insecurities? I remember one day a while back, I was getting dressed for the gym and I realized all of my leggings were still in the washing machine. My only option for the leg-day ahead was compression shorts. I died a little inside thinking about how people might judge the cellulite on my legs or think i was too big to be wearing shorts at all. Why couldn't I have been born during a time period where curves and rolls were attractive? But, then again, booty shorts wouldn't even be a thing in that day and age, and I surely would already be dead from small pox or stoned to death for one sin or another by now. I digress. I closed the drawer and decided I could just skip the gym that day. And then it hit me. I was so insecure about other peoples opinions of MY body, that I would rather stay home than risk someone thinking something negative about me. What kind of life is that? What kind of example was that setting for ...

They're Listening

"Ugh, I suck. I'm the worst. I'm not good at anything." I've gotten on my daughter 100 times for talking to herself like that. "Would you say that to your friends? Then don't say it to yourself." I just could not wrap my head around where my confident daughter was learning to talk to herself like that. And then I heard it. On my last hunting trip, I was lucky enough to have a friend record the hunt. At one point, things weren't going the way I had planned. I remember mumbling to myself how upset I was. I remember jokingly saying I wasn't as good as we thought. I remember calling my husband, still breathing heavy from the hike, and joking that I was too fat for this. When we retrieved the elk, I remember being congratulated for the shot, but wondering if I could have done better. I was hard on myself for needing help with field dressing. I was physically ill that night because I was so worried I might not be strong enough to pack out...

Dealing With Hip Pain (Part 1)

Hands up if you deal with hip pain after having kids 🙋‍♀️ This one is for you. After kid 1 and 2, I really struggled with pain in my hips. Even when I was training 6 days a week (sometimes twice a day), the hip pain was there when I went hiking or snowshoeing. During my pregnancy with kid 3 I started struggling with Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). To sum it up, I felt like my pelvis was going to snap in half. At the recommendation of friends who had been there, I sought out a physical therapist. Hannah Gray with Pelvic Health and Wellness gave me some really simple at-home exercises to strengthen my pelvic floor. I did different variations of 🍑 Glute Bridges 🍑Squats 🧜‍♀️ Slutty Mermaids (I think normal people call these clam shells, but whatever...) People. This was life changing! In May, I hiked a 14er and for the last mile I basically drug my leg and used my walking sticks as crutches. Just 5 months l...

Tales Of The Wild Things

Search This Blog