The Gift Of Giving

We returned from our candlelight service and the kids raced to slide into jammies. Tonight, we would open our gifts as tomorrow would be a little rushed with the extended family. The fire crackling, Christmas tree lights twinkling and the final song, Silent Night, still playing through my mind, created just the right setting for our little family time.

One by one, the very full tree skirt that donned those kid-wrapped presents, began to empty as my children excitedly passed around their bedroom-found treasures to one another.

It's those faces that light up when they receive an unexpected offering of love that I'll cherish and I'm so grateful for a camera during these moments.

When those starry-eyed children finally headed off to bed, my husband and I sat and assessed how things played out. Even though our children know it's not all about the gifts and they recognize this is a celebration of Jesus' birthday, we desire that our kids grow to love the receiving less and less and gain giving hearts more and more. Remembering the night, we smiled together as we agreed that these kids do take joy in giving to one another and they're oh so gracious when being given something odd like a hair barrette or a cardboard paper towel tube from a younger sibling. We also found that sacrificial giving was going on too. As our six year-old opened up a much-loved and full Polly Pocket case that belonged to her big sister, that big sister smiled while I gasped. But it wasn't a few minutes later, that big girl opened a gift from us: a large box of second-hand Polly Pockets, passed on from an older friend. Unexpected blessings for her sacrifice, I believe.

So, while we have thoughts of possibly doing what this family does (click on the text), we are aware of how God has blessed us abundantly with children who are grateful and very loving to each other.

May you sense how His good gifts make us better givers also.