NO GIFTS!?
Tonight at church (during choir practice) I asked the lady beside me if she had finished her Christmas shopping. "I don't Christmas shop," she said "It's too stressful, we buy things just to buy them and it just drains me. I just don't shop for Christmas gifts."
Well, you can imagine my reaction. "Oh! Okay!" I said.
She could tell I was at a loss so she kindly explained that their family decided about 3 years ago to not buy each other gifts. She said that it got too hard, and they really do not need anything. They decided that instead of buying gifts they would use that time to be together more around the holidays and that would be their gift to one another... time!
She said it is wonderful!! No one stresses over not being able to afford things if it has been a hard year. No one has to get in the hussle of the mall and all of the traffic. No one waits in lines. They spend that time together!! The time they would have spent waiting with complete strangers is now spent with those that they love.
Isn't that interesting? I think that when we take a stand... go against the flow... it makes QUITE a statement about what is most important to us. I have to say.. she's got me thinkin'! I don't know if we will stop buying gifts because I enjoy giving them, but I must say I might rethink some of the time that I spend shopping, waiting, spending money, etc. and consider calling my family more or inviting friends over more.
Just food for thought... and I hope this season... this wonderful season of Christ's birth will make all of us think about things a little differently. He came for us. He came for relationship with us and as a gift to us. He didn't do things the way others did and He continues to surprise me everyday with His gifts. Gifts are not always the things that we unwrap on a certain day. What gifts can you give that might help you take a stand?
Well, you can imagine my reaction. "Oh! Okay!" I said.
She could tell I was at a loss so she kindly explained that their family decided about 3 years ago to not buy each other gifts. She said that it got too hard, and they really do not need anything. They decided that instead of buying gifts they would use that time to be together more around the holidays and that would be their gift to one another... time!
She said it is wonderful!! No one stresses over not being able to afford things if it has been a hard year. No one has to get in the hussle of the mall and all of the traffic. No one waits in lines. They spend that time together!! The time they would have spent waiting with complete strangers is now spent with those that they love.
Isn't that interesting? I think that when we take a stand... go against the flow... it makes QUITE a statement about what is most important to us. I have to say.. she's got me thinkin'! I don't know if we will stop buying gifts because I enjoy giving them, but I must say I might rethink some of the time that I spend shopping, waiting, spending money, etc. and consider calling my family more or inviting friends over more.
Just food for thought... and I hope this season... this wonderful season of Christ's birth will make all of us think about things a little differently. He came for us. He came for relationship with us and as a gift to us. He didn't do things the way others did and He continues to surprise me everyday with His gifts. Gifts are not always the things that we unwrap on a certain day. What gifts can you give that might help you take a stand?
Comments
I saw Ms.Caroline the other day she says......"Are your kids gonna come to this here school?" =) I said, "Yes, they are." She said, "Oh good." She cracks me up!! =)
Oh, Caroline! I NEVER know what that kid will say!!