As she sat on Santa’s lap and whispered to him, it seemed there was only one gift on her mind. Of course it didn’t seem to be anything popular that other kids were dying to get so her mother didn’t rush right out to purchase it. After a few days when she had crossed a few more things off her “to do list” mom went looking for that one coveted gift. After leaving the fourth final store in town, she took to the internet but to her dismay that gift was no longer available anywhere and she had been going through heck to find it. So she spent extra money buying several other items in hopes of filling this child’s desire thus leaving her with the guilt of overspending and the shame of not being able to deliver on the gift.

When I listen to the stories of our older generation about past Christmases and the one gift they received my heart is warmed yet compared to the gift giving practices now these stories are unimaginable to me. One lady mentioned with a twinkle in her eye that as a child she received a handful of nuts inside a small piece of cloth tied with a colored yarn, and this gift to her was more than she could ask for, and it was as if she had gotten three gifts. I wonder what emotions her parents experienced as they provided this gift.

I hope you’re not going through heck right now trying to find that one coveted gift for your child or grandchild. If you are my prayer for you is that you will not be fooled into thinking that a large amount of replacement gifts will fill that void. If you have already made these purchases I ask you to go easy on yourself, and just enjoy being the gift giver.

Join me as we give and receive, leaving all negative emotions behind. Realizing that we cannot always fill the desires of another persons heart, not just at Christmas but throughout the year.

“Lord we thank you for our blessings. We thank you for the opportunity to serve others and to give them gifts. May we not go overboard but just simply give and receive with grateful hearts. In Jesus name Amen.”