I give you many gifts

The children had put the tree up and that was it. There were no gifts under the tree, mainly because I just hadn't found the time to wrap them. My children came to me on Saturday night and asked if I loved them enough to get them anything for Christmas. I told them that I had gifts for them and that I just needed to wrap them. My 16 year old daughter said that she would just love to wake up and there would be gifts under the tree. I normally just do it the week of Christmas (since I'm off work) and let them hover over them in anticipation. Well Sunday morning, I woke up 40 minutes earlier just so I could get their gifts wrapped so that when they did wake up, there would be gifts under the tree. It was pressure doing this on a Sunday morning and getting up for 8:00 service but I did accomplish my goal. When I woke the children up at 6:30, their joy was shown all over their face.

Children, regardless of their age, still want to feel special by getting something. Even though they know the true story of Jesus' birth, they want something physical to hold in their hands. But what children also fail to realize that all gifts are not physical gifts. When my children cried because they were teething, I gave them time to see if I could comfort their little mouths in order for them to get to playing once again. When they fell, I gave them comfort telling them that everything would be ok. When they thought they couldn't learn their alphabet, I gave them encouragement telling them they could do this. When they thought the monster was under their bed, I gave them security knowing they could sleep better at night. I could go on and on. Even though these may be unknowingly to them, I still gave and is still giving. Not because I am the parent and it's my job but because I care and love them. I've read about parents who just couldn't take it anymore and put their babies in trash cans, drowned them, and left them alone.

My gift doesn't have to come in a big package or even cost an arm or a leg. My time is a gift, my listening and trying to understand is a gift. My concern is a gift. My love is a gift. So when I sat down on that floor at 5 something in the morning to wrap these gifts, it was the smile on their faces that made it worthwhile. I know that when they get older, they will look back and say that they may not have had everything they wanted, but they sure as heck got plenty of love and time. These are the gifts that are worth unwrapping time and time again.

Lovingly yours,