The Church Mouse: Gifts, Lists, and God
The Church Mouse: Gifts, Lists, and God
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear.” (Matthew 10:30-31)
What do you want for Christmas?
Do you have your list made?
Do you? Do you?
Well, hurry up! Get it done!
How will I know what to get you if you do not make a list?
This is a conversation I have had with my children. Now I have it with my grandsons. I love the answers I get, they range from: “Oh I don’t know or I don’t care what you get me.” To a long list that often include items that the author of the list knows they have no chance of receiving from me.
When my oldest son was teenager he was always asking for a Ford pickup-truck. So one year I purchased him a nice bright shiny red Ford Ranger pickup. After receiving the gift he looked at me and said. “Thanks Mom!”
“But this is not what I meant, when I ask for a truck!” You guessed it I got him a toy truck. LOL
My youngest grandson is pretty easy to buy for he will take one of every toy or game in the store. The older one on the other hand never has a list and if you should get a list it will likely have only 1 or 2 items on it! I have no idea what they are or where to purchase them from. Plus he likes to wait until 2 or 3 days before Christmas before giving me the list!!
The last few years I have stop requesting the list from the older ones and started listening to them as they talk. I can usually get an idea of what they might like.
I have seriously considering just giving them gift cards and letting them pick it out for themselves. Last year I said that I would just go to Walmart and buy some stuff, leave it in the bags with the receipts, put it under the tree. They could each pick a bag or two. If it was not something they wanted or could use, well they could take it back to the store and exchange it. But daughter says that is not an option.
I was thinking of all the time it would save plus no wrapping. (I do not like to wrap even though the very first paying job I had was wrapping Christmas gifts.) Ok, enough of my acting like Scrooge and being mean!
God does not like for me to be mean-spirited or angry about anything, even if I do not like parts of whatever I am doing. He wants me to be nice, loving, kind and joyful all of the time. In fact he wants us all to act that way. Just think if we were to spread cheer, goodwill, love, and peace like we do with meanness, anger and evil, what a different world it would be!
Did you know that the Creator of the Universe cares about us and that he is waiting to talk with us? Did you know that he loves us more than we can ever imagine? How awesome is that, that God would love someone like me.
We have a living, loving God who wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. And the very best part is that when we talk things over with God our lives run much smoother and therefore we are happier. So make a list of things to ask God to help you with, He is right there waiting for you.
Prayer—Father, we thank you for loving us. We thank you that you are always there is guide and direct our ways. Help us to listen to you and to put you first in all that we say and do. Help us to tell others about you and your love for us. Amen.
the Church Mouse
Work hard; pray Harder!
