Gifts

As seen in the HEARTbeat and the Village Voice

“Gifts”

            Everybody looks forward to Christmas, from the young to the young at heart.  It is a time for excitement, anticipation, and elation, and that’s just the grownups!   We, as grownups get some gifts that are the normal ties, socks, and scarfs, but sometimes our friends and kids come up with some pretty unique ideas that show they put a lot of thought and work into their gift.

            Christmas time can also be a period of depression for some.  Many factors can contribute to this being the case.  There is a syndrome called “Seasonal Affective Disorder.”  It is characterized by a period of depression, anxiety, decreased energy, and an increase in appetite, especially for sweets or carbohydrates.  Doctors believe this syndrome, or even in the more severe cases disorder, is the result of the reduced amount of sunlight during the daylight hours during the summer months (in the northern hemisphere, of course).  Treatment for this condition is as simple as sitting under a sun light or bright light in the evenings to offset the early sunsets of winter.

            Another cause of anxiety during Christmas time is finances.  Many families struggle to make ends meet, and its during this holiday that the struggles increase.  Parents want to have their children to enjoy the holiday, but just don’t have the means or finances to do so.  I can remember, as a poor college student, having one such Christmas.  I pondered how I was going to give gifts when there was very little in the bank account.  As I got home to start the Christmas break, I searched through the wood rack in the barn and located some cedar planks.  That Christmas I carefully constructed a paper towel rack with porcelain handles, as well as a toilet paper rack in the same fashion.  I poured hours into the projects.  They were meticulously sanded and sealed to reveal some beautiful woodwork.  Forty-five years later, those handmade Christmas gifts still hang in my mother’s house. 

            What is the most valuable thing we can give as a gift?  Is it gold or some other precious metal?  Is it maybe diamonds?  Think for a moment.  What is the most valuable thing you possess.  I hope you arrived at your life!  God gave you this gift.  No one else could do this.  What if you came to a point in your life where you might have to give your life to save someone.  John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends".  Soldiers who have served in a combat zone know this verse all too well.  This is why a strong bond develops between these men and women because of the love they have for each other.  But shouldn’t we have the same love for those we see every day?

            We interact with people every day.  What is their opinion of you after the interaction is over?  Is it disgust or is it delight?  You are going to leave them a piece of yourself, so what piece is it?  Love is the greatest gift we can give, and that is of ourselves.  Today, give a piece of yourself away.  Be a sun lamp, or a Son-lamp in someone’s life today.