Ten Coins

Is it too much for us to humble ourselves? 

What does humility look like?  Does it mean weak or poor?  Does it imply that you will be a door-mat for people to walk on? Does it imply passivity?  Can a humble person be successful? 

No!  Discard these illegitimate notions.  Humility is grossly misunderstood.  Jesus performed the greatest act of humility in history:  He left Heaven to be born as a human baby!  Was Jesus weak?  Was He poor?  Was He passive?  Did He succeed at His mission? 

We need a corrected view of humility.  Notice the following verse from Proverbs:  (29:23)  “Pride lands you flat on your face;  humility prepares you for honors.” ™  What?  Read that again:  “Pride lands you flat on your face;  humility prepares you for honors.” ™  

I read a book that defined humility as “an attitude of personal modesty, which recognizes that self’s priorities and preferences should be held in check so that others’ needs can also be addressed.”  Rather than focusing on self’s agenda only, humility causes people to consider their needs in the context of the greater world.  [The Significance Principle, Les Carter and Jim Underwood, p.44]

     Near the end of 1996, Kingston Technology Corporation, a California-based computer memory products maker, made headlines across the country.  Three months earlier Japan’s Softbank Corporation had agreed to pay $1.5 billion dollars for a controlling interest in the company, making its founders, John Tu and David Sun, enormously wealthy.  But as exciting as the buyout was, that is not what made headlines. 

     At that year’s office Christmas party, Tu and Sun announced to their 523 employees that they would be receiving $100 million in bonuses.  Forty million would be paid immediately, with the remaining sixty million set aside for future bonuses.  The average bonus amounted to slightly more than $76,000, while some were slated to receive up to $300,000.

     Employees were thrilled…but not surprised.  One employee explained, “Several times a year David and John make these spontaneous gestures.  There’s an envelope on your desk and you open it and say, ‘Thank God I work for this company.’  Then you put the envelope away and start working twice as hard.” 

     Tu said he could use only so much money for himself and added, “We want to do a lot of things to return to the community, the people who have made this possible.” 

 Humble people see beyond their own needs.  The word balance describes them best since they are neither too selfish nor too deferring.  Unlike people who worry about jockeying for prime assignments or for special treatment, humble people do not take themselves too seriously.  A sense of community, not ego, seems to drive these people. 

In order to have an appropriate measure of humility, one must also have a healthy sense of pride.  Healthy pride realizes that personal significance is never achieved by undercutting others.  Persons with healthy pride want to establish themselves as viable, respectable individuals, and to that end cooperate with the larger community. 

Is there a check-list for keeping humility in balance?  Some starter thoughts:

ü  Do I nurse thoughts of envy or jealousy?

ü  Am I an angry person?  Do I hold a grudge?

ü  Do I notice and affirm the positives in other people?

ü  When something good happens to someone else, do I think, I wish that would happen to me?

ü  Do I get caught up in my own busyness so much that I overlook others’ needs or feelings?

ü  Do I work hard to cover my negatives, not wanting others to know my weaknesses?

ü  Do I withdraw from people, even when I know it may not be the best?

ü  Do I get defensive when someone suggests improvements I could make?

ü  Do I secretly wish others would handle problems with the same common sense that I use?

ü  Is maintaining a proper image so important to me that I deliberately misrepresent myself to others?

ü  Do I interrupt others too easily in mid-sentence?

ü  Do others see me as hard-headed or stubborn?

In all seriousness:  Are you as aware as I am of how far I am from genuine humility?  Is the Holy Spirit as faithful with you as He is with me at pointing out my persistent sense of pride?  Do you lose that sincere experience of humility as quickly as I do?  Suddenly, I’m so humble that I’m proud of my humility!  J  Are you as plagued as I am with the notion that it’s all about me?  Do you have to fight pride and self-centeredness as hard as I do?  Are you occasionally embarrassed at how deft we’ve become at bringing the conversation around to our achievements or interests? 

What’s the cure for this insatiable need/desire for attention?

There was only one Perfect Man!  I’m convinced that all of us will struggle with personal pride and self-centeredness as long as our feet are firmly planted on this earth.  Some of us will make small gains.  I read a wonderful story about Mother Teresa.  When she had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, someone came up to her and asked her if there wasn’t at least a little pride in having received such a noteworthy award.  Her response was golden.  She asked the person:  "When Jesus was coming into Jerusalem for His Triumphal Entry, do you suppose for a moment that the donkey thought all of the fanfare was for him?" 

How many times do we accept the praise, when in reality it should go to others or to God?  The late singer, song-writer, and musician, Larry Norman developed a simple way to direct people’s praise not to him but to his Lord:  the one-way sign (index finger pointing to the heavens)!

I read this week of a woman who begins every day with ten coins in one pocket.  Every time she compliments someone, she takes one of the coins out of that pocket and puts it in the other.  If she slips up and criticizes someone, she moves a coin back to the first pocket.  At the end of the day, the emptying of her pockets is a ritual of evaluation on her humility!

What a wonderful way for us to intentionally gauge our humility. 

Jesus’ humility was purposeful.  He came to show us what God was like.  He came to reveal the Father!  He modeled perfect dependence on God.  He gave us a vivid picture of what it would look like to live full of the Holy Spirit!  He modeled the godly life flawlessly and then beckoned to us saying:  “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

Ken's Faults

[Ken is Kenneth W. Whippo, my father-in-law.]

When Tommy (Whippo) asked me to speak at his father's funeral, he told me that Danny (Whippo) and Marshall (Mahosky) would also be giving tributes.  I realized right away that they would have lots of nice things to say about Ken, so I immediately decided that I would take a different approach and talk about Ken’s faults.  A little advice:  never ask a son-in-law to do a tribute at a funeral for his father-in-law.  I mean, let’s admit it, even the best of us have faults.

Ken – especially in his younger years – was a fearsome man!  He was tough to work with.  He had high expectations and was demanding!  In those early years all of us – at one time or another – worked in the barn!  One day, I was in the pen working with Ken to separate the pigs that were marked and ready to be sold.  This was a challenging job because the pigs didn’t want to leave the familiarity of the pen.  So we wielded large pieces of plywood to separate the pig and force it toward the gate.  At that point Wally or Tommy would pick it up and run it down the aisle to the ramp that led to the truck.  There was always another battle there because the pigs didn’t like the ramp.  It was made of wood and was on an angle, so they would often balk.  But once one of the boys got the pig to the ramp, another boy took over with an electric prodder to get the pig up the ramp and onto the truck.

I’ve lost track now of who was running the pigs down the aisle;  but I do remember how small Tommy and Wally were at this point.  I’m guessing they were 10 and 12.  Whichever one it was got an obstinate pig.  Halfway down the aisle it decided it wanted to go back to the safety of the pen and started to climb the wall in hopes of turning around in the narrow space.  Ken noticed this problem from our work in the pen and hollered loudly and authoritatively:  “Don’t let that pig turn around!” 

It was in that moment – driven by fear of a father more than fear of a 220-pound pig – that a sixty-pound little kid threw himself on that hog and wrested it back into the right direction!  Ken was a tough guy to work with!

I’ve also noted over the years that he could be rather rude.  For instance, I have been with him over many meals at the farm, in our home and even in restaurants.  After the meal, Ken always treasured a sweet dessert.  Since Dolores and her daughters are all excellent pie-makers, we would often have pie for dessert.  Over and over, I have heard him complain about the pie that someone had worked so hard to produce! 

Here’s how it would usually unfold.  He would quickly and completely consume the piece of pie.  When his hostess, or the creator of the pie, would ask him how it was he would rudely respond:  “There’s only one thing wrong with that pie!”  He always had a twinkle in his eye when he said it, but can you believe how rude he was to do this?  [What was his answer?  “It was too small!]  J

He could also be a bit of a complainer.  A group of us were traveling home from Peter and Janie’s a few years ago.  We stopped half-way to spend the night in a hotel to break up the trip.  In the evening, we went to a local restaurant for a meal.  We were assigned a new waitress who served us very poorly.  We had to wait an inordinate time for our drinks.  When they did come, they were wrong.  It took forever for her to write down our orders.  Then it took forever for the food to arrive.  I have to admit that it was the worst service I have ever received in a restaurant.

Her poor service became the topic of our whole conversation at that table as we all marveled at the poor job she was doing.  Ken led the group in complaints.  He was incredulous that she was doing so poorly.  I think we ended up being at the table for two hours that night as she fumbled to serve us unsuccessfully.  At some point, it became so ridiculous that we simply giggled and laughed at her mis-steps.

Finally, the evening came to an end.  Imagine my surprise when Ken insisted on leaving her a very large tip.  As we were leaving the restaurant, he stepped to the side and spoke to her privately.  I wonder what he said to her?

Another fault of Ken’s was that he was openly biased.  Even though it was often directed toward my own wife, Debbie, I still always felt it was wrong of him.  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen him pull her close and tell her that she was his favorite daughter.  Even though I could understand his bias, was it really fair to his other daughters for him to do this?  [For the record:  Ken did this with all his daughters!]

Surely others of you have noticed this next fault I’ll mention.  Ken was impatient!  Debbie tells me that when they were young, he used to get ready for church and then sit in the car and blow the horn!

And this fault especially emerged when it came to food!   At many tables you say ‘grace’ before you eat;  but not at Ken’s table!  He was hungry, so he started to eat the minute the first plate hit the table!  Poor Dolores was still cooking some of the food while Ken was consuming the first thing she put on the table! 

                                                                                                                                          Oh, eventually, when Dolores would get all the food on the table and sit down Ken would call a stop to the eating and pronounce a clear and sincere prayer.

                                                                                                                                          This impatience almost turned into a game for Ken when he attended a wedding.  He had developed a fine-tuned skill at predicting a seating spot that would be served first!  And he not only did this, but he trained his family to do the same!  You watch at the next wedding they’re all at;  they have an uncanny skill at being at the front of the serving line!

Then, last of all, I will mention his most glaring fault:  he talked about others behind their back!  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard him do this.  I’ve heard him go on-and-on about what a good pastor Bob Singleton was.  I’ve heard him talk about Charlie (Mahosky) being the best guitar player around.  About what a good worship leader Jeff (Diddle) is.  About how skilled Peter (Knaus) is at sailing.  About how quickly Jim (Bredl) rose up in his work place and how good he is at what he does.  About how knowledgeable Dave (Bredl) is on so many subjects.  I rather suspect that he’s probably talked about me behind my back, too! 

And it doesn’t end there.  I’ve heard him talk about his work associates, his friends, and even his grandchildren behind their backs.  There just didn’t seem to be any end to this kind of talk. 

 

Well, I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.  We all have faults, right?  Compared to a lot of other people I know, I suppose Ken’s faults weren’t really that bad.   

Mr. Whippo

I was 16 when I entered his world.  I'd known him before that, but not well.  In 1968, I began dating his oldest daughter, Debbie.  That was forty-seven years ago...

He was a formidable man.  Every young man who pursued his daughters feared him!  He was intimidating!  There was no doubt who the dominant force in this family was.  I called him Mr. Whippo for a year or two after Debbie and I were married.  Eventually, though, he became Ken. 

For many years he worked on the wire gang at J&L Steel Company in Aliquippa.  He was respected for his skill and ability in that arena.  He drove a long way to work every day and often had to leave early in the morning - he didn't like that. 

When he came home, he kept busy with the farm.  He had taken a risk in the mid-fifties and bought an 80-acre farm in Enon Valley.  After going several directions with the farm, he eventually settled on raising pigs.  In 1973, the year Debbie and I were married, the barn burned to the ground which was a tragic loss for the family.

But he quickly recovered and built a new barn.  Other buildings were added and the farm grew - especially after he pensioned out of the steel mill.  Eventually, his son, Wally, bought the farm and it continues as a strong enterprise today.

I admired Ken for his ability and fearless approach to large projects.  He used his electrical background to help every one of his kids and many of his friends.  He's done wiring work in all of our homes at one time or another

For a few years he sold log home kits.  During those years he built three log homes from the ground up.  Although these projects stretched him, he persevered and finished each project with pride and satisfaction.

Ken came to faith in Christ when Debbie was thirteen.  She says that everything changed after that.  He led his family to church and became a leader there.  Early in his faith he came under the influence of a wonderful Bible teacher named Thelma and grew significantly in his knowledge of the scriptures.  For many years he sat under the amazing teaching of Pastor Fred Schreffler, which continued to ground him in his faith and theology.

He was a strong leader in the Rochester Free Methodist Church.  He was highly respected there and served for years as the Sunday School superintendent.  He always stood behind his pastor.  He taught classes regularly and excelled in his knowledge of 'End Times' perspectives and 'Creation' studies.  Several of his children continue teaching on the subject of 'End Times' - basing their instruction on the foundations they learned from their father.

He became one of the first laymen to be Camp Director at the Tri-State Camp Association in East Liverpool.  To this day, his family gathers for the ten-day camp every July.  His influence there and the work done over the years is a testimony to his belief in the solidarity of the family! 

Ken was a life-long learner.  I was always intrigued by the books he was reading.  His interests ranged widely and I never knew him to follow any particular author.  He read world history, military books, political history, and biographies.  He could converse on subjects that were beyond many of us.

While raising their family of nine, the dinner table was a center for teaching and open conversation.  Often we stayed around the table for hours discussing subjects from the mundane to serious.  He openly shared what he was learning from the Bible with his children at that table.  In a sense, he discipled his kids by sharing his own faith development with them openly.

Ken and Dolores were excellent dancers.  Debbie remembers pushing the living room furniture back so that the children could watch as their parents danced to the music of Lawrence Welk on the television!  They were mesmerized by the scene.

In his latter years he mellowed.  The strong personality faded a bit and he became more gentle and caring.  The younger grandchildren have known him as a doting grandfather who made late-night 'Santa calls' and expressed open affection for them. 

Since Dolores had a stroke, he has been devoted to her, serving her daily and rarely leaving her side. 

Although his role of active leadership at the church has diminished, he is still highly regarded in the congregation as a stable, grounded influencer whose integrity has remained intact throughout the years.

Last evening - Christmas night - he thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by his children and grandchildren.  Pictures reveal him smiling and reveling in the love of his family.  Late in the evening, when many had left he stretched and had a cardiac arrest.  He never regained consciousness.

Although his family is in deep grief, they will be able to live with a convincing assurance of where Ken is now.  His legacy will continue and his stories will be retold. 

Celebrating the Birth!

Almost every week, I hold a half-hour chapel service at one of three Personal Care Homes here in Kittanning:  Grey's Colonial Gardens, Grey's Colonial Manor and Grey's Colonial Acres.  These three excellent homes are owned and operated by a wonderful family from the Kittanning Free Methodist Church.

Today, I held chapel in two of these homes.  At each I ministered to about ten people.  They seem to look forward to these times and enjoy them.  Some are quite eager to participate by singing, quoting scripture or answering questions.

I showed up today with a large, gift-bag with lettering that read:  MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I told them that I had placed a very special gift in the bag - and then let their curiosity work while we read some scripture.

As I quoted the following verses, many mouthed the words along with me:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us;  and we beheld His glory, 

the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and glory.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign to you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  

Then we sang and read several of the 'story-telling' carols:  "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", and "We Three Kings".  

Next, we talked about the gift-giving mentioned in the last song.  We spoke of the tradition of giving gifts and the joy it brings us.  We also talked of the excessive giving that is often a distraction to the real meaning of Christmas.

Finally, we speculated about what was in my bag:  

• a fruit cake?  
• candy?
• a toy?
• a sweater?

At the peak of curiosity, I reached into the bag and gently pulled out a boy baby doll.  I cradled it in my arms as I spoke of the special gift from God. Again, they quoted along with me:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

As I spoke of the significance of this spotless Lamb and the fact that He would become the Sacrifice for our sins, I passed the baby doll around the table for each one to hold for a moment.

I wish you could have seen the tenderness!  That baby doll was handled with the greatest of care.  Some kissed it.  Many of the women cradled it in their arms.  Some held it longer than others.  It was PRECIOUS!  Even the men took their turn.  

It was an object lesson that took on a life that I had not anticipated!

Have you had that kind of a moment yet this Christmas?  A moment when the spectacular message comes home to your heart?  A personal moment when you acknowledge what it's all really about?

It reminds me of a line from a famous story:

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons.  It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

-  Dr. Seuss,  HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

A few seniors got it today!  This holy day does mean more than gifts and all the other distractions!

Have you gotten it?  Maybe it's time to grab a baby doll and sit for a few minutes...

A Leonard Haire Loom!

My Dad died in July, 1992.  It didn't take but a week for our family to clear his house of just about everything.  At the end of that week, I discovered that I was the executor of the estate.  Along with that office came the responsibility for clearing the final clutter from the house.

As I walked through my Dad's "shop" part of the basement, a cabinet that he had built remained.  It was not an attractive cabinet, it was a functional cabinet.  I assume that he built it.  It was very heavy!  It's 'drawers' were actually old wooden cheese cartons.  The cabinet had been built with pigeon-holes designed perfectly to house these cartons.

The cartons were loaded with screws, bolts, washers, pipe fittings, connectors, chisels, files, and a wide array of other useful-but-rarely-used-paraphernalia.  I felt drawn to it because of my belief that my Dad had made it.  It had been passed over by all the others who had gone through the house.

I labored over my decision;  it would be a giant pain to move it! 

But, sentiment won out!  I hauled it to my home in East Liverpool.  And then to Maryland.  And then to Akron.  And then to New Middletown.  And then to a storage unit for three years.

Today, I brought it to Enon Valley!  Am I sorry?

Oh no!  You cannot imagine how many times I have needed something and found it in one of those cheese cartons! 

"Dad!  Your cabinet is safe and sound in my shed!  I used several things from it today!  Thanks so much for your organizational acumen!  And thanks for giving me just what I needed so many times through the years!  Someday, when I come to see you, this thing will probably find a home in Troy's shed!  Ha ha ha ha ha..."

"I love you, Dad!  Say "Hi" to Mom for me and give her a big hug!"

      



Gift Giving #3

There are at least a couple of good reasons for giving gifts at Christmas time or anytime!

1.    Gift giving is an expression of our love for one another!

Giving and receiving gifts can be part of fulfilling what Paul says about giving in 

II Corinthians 8:7-8, "Since you excel in so many ways—you have so much faith, such gifted speakers, such knowledge, such enthusiasm, and such love for us now I want you to excel also in this gracious ministry of giving. I am not saying you must do it, even though the other churches are eager to do it. This is one way to prove your love is real."

2.    The Bible gives us the wonderful story about the gift God gave us - Christ. 

Does giving gifts have to take away from the true meaning of Christmas?  No, it does not.  If we focus on the wonderful gift of salvation the Lord has given us (Isaiah 9:6),

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

it is a natural expression of that gratefulness for us to give to others.  The key is on our focus.  Is your focus on the gift, or the ultimate gift-giver - our gracious Heavenly Father? 

 

Back around 1998, MasterCard sponsored a variety of "Priceless" commercials. Each ad began with a list of stuff (or services) and a matching set of prices. Then came a phrase identifying some intangible that can't be purchased. And finally, there's the single word "Priceless," followed by the assertion that "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard." They were great commercials, and were popular, according to the Harris ad tracking service. The ad executive who services the "Priceless" account at the McCann-Erickson ad agency explained that "what really hit home with consumers was that a company that is fundamentally all about money and paying for things would actually declare that the things that really count can't be bought."

New iPads, iPhones, androids, video games, power tools, appliances, clothes, jewelry, and all the other things that will be given and received the 25th – all pale in comparison with the gift that is truly priceless!  There is a peace that comes from accepting the Gift of Christ into your life that cannot be attained any other way in this world!  The joy of being forgiven for our sins and of gaining a hope of eternal life is truly priceless.

 

There was another advertising campaign quite a few years ago that said it even better.  I went to the Hallmark store for a card that year and saved the bag because it said it so well:  “When you care enough to send the very best”!  That’s exactly what God did when He sent His one and only Son into the world to save us!  He cared enough to send the VERY BEST!

Gift Giving #2

Let’s consider the gifts that Jesus received:

v GOLD

     If diamonds are a woman’s best friend – then gold can’t be far behind!  Almost any adult would appreciate a gift of gold.  To give a gift of gold is equal to giving a gift of money!  Who would turn that down?  Money is good!  Right? 

     In this case, the gold was probably used to finance Joseph and Mary’s escape to Egypt.  There is no evidence to indicate that Joseph was a wealthy man.  He obviously had a trade and was capable of producing income;  however, he had just financed a costly trip to Bethlehem and was facing the transition from caring only for his own needs to caring for the needs of himself, his wife, and a newborn son!  The gift of gold given to Jesus was probably viewed as a gift from God  to enable them to be obedient to His guidance!         

v FRANKINCENSE

     Remarkably, giving gifts of fragrance is not uncommon in our day!  Many of us will either buy or receive gifts of cologne or perfume.  Others may receive gifts of potpourri, scented candles, or even incense!  Something capable of eliminating harsh or unwanted odors must have been a welcomed gift in the days of Mary and Joseph.  Who knows?  If there really were animals present at Jesus’ birth, some of that incense might have been handy right on the spot! 

     But this was not just any incense!  It was a specific incense that was rare and probably expensive.  It was almost exclusively used in the Temple and was associated with the burning of sacrifices before God.  It had to have been perceived as an odd gift to give to a newborn baby or its parents!  Its purpose was clearly symbolic.  It was a divinely inspired gift to indicate that Jesus would become the unique sacrifice for our sins.  His ultimate death on the cross would be a pleasing sacrifice to God and would satisfy the death penalty that comes on all of us as a result of our sin.

     For the record:  the frankincense was probably sold or surrendered to the Temple with the possibility of either gaining a profit for Mary and Joseph or of being a gift from them to God!

v MYRRH

     Myrrh is another perfume, but this one would have been a source of mystery to Joseph and Mary.  It was a specific perfume used almost exclusively for embalming the dead!  This would be the equivalent of buying a newborn baby a subscription to AARP magazine.  It was obviously another symbolic gift.  It was a foreshadowing of the death of Jesus.  Is it any wonder that we find Mary repeatedly pondering these things and treasuring them up in her heart? 

     Let’s remember, she was probably a young, Jewish girl.  She had been visited by an angel who told her that she would miraculously give birth to God’s Son.  A baby was conceived in her womb without the involvement of a man.  Hardship followed.  A census is called for at the critical time of her delivery.  The baby is born in a stable and His first bed is a manger.  Shepherds come, unexpectedly to worship Him.  Finally, wealthy wise men come reporting the appearance of a new star in the sky and delivering these odd gifts!  What is Mary to make of all this?

 

     When we lived in Maryland, we took training to become foster parents.  While doing so, we ran into a couple where the woman was from a large family in my hometown, New Brighton.  As we shared with this couple they told us that they only buy their children three gifts for Christmas every year.  In doing so they  control the commercial aspects of their Christmas by making a clear statement that if three gifts were good enough for Jesus – then it’s good enough for us too. 

 

     We might wonder:  Why do we exchange gifts at Christmas anyway?  Is it because the wise men brought gifts to Jesus?   Historically, the practice of gift-giving around Christmas only roots back about 200 years.  Some think that our gift-giving springs from the example of St. Nicholas who was a bishop in Asia Minor from whom many legends have arisen.  These legends all have to do with the fact that he was a man who knew how to give “so that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”  Legends report several practices of this church leader:

o   He baked cookies and distributed them to poor children

o   Having come from a wealthy home, he left three bags of gold hanging on the doorknob of a poor family that had three daughters with no dowry.  Without this gift, they would have been forced into prostitution.

o   The miracle that is recorded to his credit comes from him begging grain for his starving people from passing merchant ships, promising them that at the end of their trip, not an ounce would be missing.

     The memory of this saint has been embellished and changed significantly over the centuries till he is almost unrecognizable to us now.  Is that why we give gifts at Christmas?   No!  The emphasis on St. Nicholas and gift-giving actually has hazards for us. 

 

We must be careful that gift giving doesn’t become the focus of Christmas instead of thanking the Lord for the gift of His Son (John 3:16).

Gift Giving #1

     I was in Wal-Mart and noticed a line of about 30 people waiting to exchange items.  On the days immediately following Christmas that single line will turn into multiple lines as people bring back carefully selected gifts and exchange them for the right size, another color, or something completely different. 

     I watched a report on the news that indicated that the increase in giving ‘gift cards’ is phenomenal!  In 2003, consumers purchased 45 billion dollars worth of gift certificates or gift cards;  that number is expected to escalate to over 124 billion dollars this year!  The message of this increase is obvious:  What better gift can I give you than the resources to buy the gift that you really want for yourself! 

     We all have traditions that we maintain in our various homes and families.  I have chosen to continue a tradition that originated two generations before my arrival.  My father was raised in a very common home with a caring, loving mother, five sisters, and a drunken father.  Grandma Haire had very meager resources to use to provide a nice Christmas for her family.  She was raising her children through the years of the ‘Great Depression’, which made it all-the-more difficult.  She would splurge every Christmas and place in her six children’s stockings an apple, an orange, and some walnuts.  Consequently, when I was growing up, [and by-the-way, my Christmases were not meager;  my parents used Christmas to buy me almost everything I would need to get me through the next year] my stocking also included an apple, an orange, and some walnuts.  To maintain a tradition, I faithfully placed these items in my kids’ stockings every year (along with lots of other goodies)!  Today, Tracie does the same with her children - that's four generations!  Now the further this practice gets away from its source in the depression, the less meaning it has – however, the intent is to remind us that there was a time in our family’s history when the receiving of an apple, an orange, and some walnuts was a noteworthy and even exciting thing!

     Gift-giving is an interesting thing.  For younger, and even many older folks, receiving gifts is a big deal.  We all probably look forward to Christmas Day with some anticipation of what we might receive.  However, the greater joy is really when you’re on the gift-giving side.   Almost all of us have purchased or made something special for someone.  The excitement and anticipation of seeing their joy is almost more than we can take!  That joy was magnified in my growing-up-home by having to go on a search for gifts that might be hidden almost anywhere in the house! 

     The concept of gift-giving comes under intense pressure, however, at this time of year.  We are occasionally put into circumstances that make us feel that we have to give gifts to others.  Obligatory gift exchanges take the joy and surprise out of gift-giving.  There’s an episode of Seinfeld where George is required to exchange gifts with his co-workers,  In his typically unscrupulous way, George gives out gift cards falsely indicating that he has made a contribution in the name of his co-workers to the ‘Human Fund’.  Most of us have received gifts along the way that left us confused or even unimpressed!  

So, how do we go about giving good gifts this year for Christmas?

How would you describe a good gift?

·      Something that uniquely suits me

·      Something that will save me time or make my work easier

·      Something that is home-made

·      Something that is expensive

·      Something I wouldn’t buy myself

·      Something I can really use or that I really need or want

·      Something that someone sacrificed to give

·      Something that has special meaning behind it

·      Something that was difficult to find, make, or get

·      Something that is an expression of someone’s creativity

How can we give gifts this year that will keep our friends and loved ones out of those long exchange lines?  Maybe the above list is a starting point...