Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Christmas Gift

As 2013 comes to an end and we welcome 2014, I am amazed at how fast time is flying by. I always found it hard to believe that time would go by quicker as I got older, but as I write this, I've come to realize that it is more true than ever. Leaving behind a year and welcoming another can bring about regrets of the past, what ifs of the present, and resolutions for the future. I think sometimes we get so caught up in going, doing, and being in the holiday season that we forget to just enjoy. Enjoy our families and friends, enjoy the time, enjoy the things we've already been blessed with, and most importantly, enjoy the One who has given us all of those things. It's so much easier to enjoy when we take a minute (or a few hours) to simply take it all in. Sometimes the gift of time is more valuable than the gift of money, the gift of laughter can overshadow a last minute deal, and undivided attention can uplift a spirit far more than a half-hearted attempt at connection via text.

This Christmas, as my family gathered at grandma and grandpa's house, my grandma asked each grandchild to share what God was showing or teaching us in 2013. As revelation made its way around the circle from the mouth of a 7 year old to 27, we all received far more than material gifts could ever give. There wasn't a dry eye in the room of about twenty. My grandparents have raised us into a godly and rich inheritance that is founded in Christ and we were all able to see it first hand as it poured out of the hearts of each one that shared. I am so thankful for that exchange and the presence of God as we gathered on Christmas day. It will be one I remember forever and that is far more precious than the most expensive material gift I could ever receive.

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