Saturday, December 9, 2023
“Get ‘Er Done!”
Look! It’s the second of the four Saturdays before Christmas! I’m assuming that those of us who are employed or schooled in Monday through Friday gigs are preparing for extreme adventures in the streets, shops, and stores. It’s gonna be a madhouse today and we better pack the necessities before leaving the house. We could wait and do it next week, but we all know that next Saturday is going to be much worse. It’s now or never. Put on the helmet, buckle the chinstrap, and drop your head and bull forward. It’s time to get ‘er done.
I vividly remember the terrible anxiety of Holiday shopping years ago. In some ways, I still experience it. Trying to figure out what to give someone isn’t easy. It seems that the closer the relationship the more difficult it is to make a choice. Additionally, having more discretionary money to spend on the Holidays makes it even harder to obtain the perfect gift!
Choosing the correct gift for someone is difficult because we care. If we didn’t care, it would be easy. The anxiety that we experience actually comes from a good place, deep within our hearts and minds, as we contemplate our relationship with another person. However, during our shopping frenzies, we often forget that the best gift we can give someone is the gift of ourselves. Even if we don’t think we’re very special, the other person does.
I think that’s one reason we always love the pictures our young ‘uns make with their own hands. They engaged their time and effort to help us smile and they used their onhand supplies to complete it. Making the gift took time away from their play and activities. Even though it may be illegible (or undiscernable), they gave their best effort and that’s what we loved. The gift may not be what other people call “Priceless”, but we know differently. That’s why we proudly display it on the most important, prominent piece of furniture in the house: refrigerator.
As we shop this year, keep in mind that the best gifts are not the most expensive ones. Sometimes, the simplest of gifts can make a bigger impression because they represent more time and effort while thinking about our special person, whomever that may be.
Yeah, yeah… I know some folks have already ignored this little post because their special person demands something big and outlandish. Before you minimize your screen, entertain me for one more moment and consider something different: If your special person requires something big and expensive, consider something completely different this year and give them something from your heart. Don’t drop a bunch of cash or credit on something that makes them happy. Give them something that generates true joy that they’ll remember for many years to come. Remember: God’s greatest gift didn’t come with shiny bling or extravagant accessories; the eternal, lasting Gift of the LORD came from the heart as God’s love for you!
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT)