GIFTS

I decided to write a post concerning gift-giving each week during the month of December. Most of us have our minds on giving or receiving the perfect gift during the Christmas season. Many are stressed and exhausted with shopping for those gifts, decorating the house, food planning and preparation, parties and such like. This got me to thinking about the importance of giving.

First off, let me say that we didn’t/couldn’t go overboard with gifts nor could our parents. Perhaps had we only had one or two children instead of ending up with nine, we would have indulged them more. Funny though, they don’t seem any worse for not getting the abundance of things that some family get today.

I know several parents and grandparents who give, give, give. Not small things, but the very best. I’m not being critical, just stating a fact. I’ve been in homes where there was a room designated as "The toy room" and it was FULL. Before anyone gets on their high-horse about this, I must say we had a "toy room" in one of our houses. We bought an old house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that actually had been cut in half and one portion sold and moved. Needless to say the half we had was ill arranged in many ways. Off our bedroom were two rooms . One looked as though it had been an original porch and the one adjoining that was a small sun porch. So Allen got the sun porch as his bedroom and the walk-through room that probably was once a porch was "the toy room." It was also my sewing room. ALL of the children’s toys were kept in a large toy box that Doyal had built and most days the box was tipped over and all those little toys were all over the floor! There were little cars, little dolls, little everything! Why do we buy little things! They are so much trouble to pick up! So, you see, I’m not opposed to toys or toy rooms. But I think there is something so much more we can give our children and grandchildren and that is what my post is about this first week in December.

I asked permission from both of the people involved in this story and they are fine with my posting it. I hope it makes all my followers think about their gifts this year.

Our daughter, Claudia, told me this story when she was here recently. Her almost sixteen-year-old granddaughter was a bit "down." It seems some of her friends that she used to talk with about God and his word  are not as interested as Allison. They are growing up and getting more interested in boys and such like. I’m sure Allison is also interested in boys, cheerleading and things like that but from an early age she has been focused on spiritual things. So, with this in mind MeeMaw stepped in and saved the day as all good grandmothers do. I asked her to write about it and the following is what she sent me.

Allison and I started off our "Strengthen Our Soul Saturday" with this prayer:



Heavenly Father,

I pray that you will give me clarity of mind and a pure heart to plan and commit this Soul Revival Saturday to You. Let Your plan become our plan to draw Allison and me closer to you. Let our walk be restored and our hearts awakened to love you with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Let us feel Jesus’ companionship and true presence 24 hours a day. Show us your way. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

Then we ‘lit’ the candle you gave me on our Opelika weekend to symbolize Jesus’ true presence and had it with us in whatever room of the house we were in, and then took it with us the next day when we were out and about, and when we went to Monte Sano. While we were up there we looked over the valley and enjoyed God’s Awesomeness. The fall colors were beautiful! We found some heart shaped rocks and some pretty leaves that we brought back to the house. We are drying the leaves and will make a garland for next year.

 

I gave my best friend, Nancy, her daughter, Nanette and Claudia's best friend, and Claudia these $1.00 candles to remind us that our friendship has shown brightly for 60 years and I pray will shine many more.  I'm happy to learn this one is being used in many other important ways.

We shared our favorite scriptures and talked about how they have helped us in our down times and how they help us in the good times. And how amazing it is when a verse you’re reading is JUST what you needed to read at that particular time, how God truly speaks to us at just the right time!

We decided to do something helpful for someone else (Angel and family) and went to the store and got some fruit and cheese and crackers and some flowers. Then we went over to Angel’s and spent a little time there.

I hope it encouraged Allison and created a good memory as much as it did me.

Our beautiful daughter, Claudia and her equally beautiful granddaughter, Allison taken on top of Monte Sano during their "Strengthen Our Soul Saturday" outing.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV / For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart,

Proverbs 8:17 ESV / I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

I pray this story inspired you as much as it did me.

Until next week......reach out to others and have a fantastic week.

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.