PERFECT GIFT!

Gift Giving can be a little intimidating for some of us. I, being one of them. Too often, I wrap with guilt. All the other females in the family have a knack for just the right gift for each person. But God in His love and mercy reminded me from my Anne B. calendar on our fridge....

...Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17)

We see it through every pine tree, black-capped chickadee or believer's heart, who share acts of kindness with others! 

Those are all good gifts......but, the perfect gift came from God the Father of lights when He sent His Son as our substitutionary atonement. Therefore we believers have eternal life through His death, burial, and resurrection. His righteousness became ours! 

God's perfect gift to each of us is wrapped in love! His love!

PERFECT GIFTS!

It's hard to believe---December will be here in just a few hours! 

That will mean there's just 24 days until Christmas. Ads on TV are already calculating the number of shopping days left to spur the buying frenzy!

Having trouble with your shopping list?

This past week, ABC's Reading List had us reading in the book of James---right where I found the perfect answer. Tonight as I changed the calendar on the kitchen table. I was affirmed in that answer.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, (James 1:17a)

Share Jesus, a true and perfect gift from the heart!

CHRISTMAS DAY : HOLYDAY

Auto-correct doesn't want to accept holyday! Probably because it is not "politically correct".

Earlier this month I came across the term in a Carol Mead devotional. Her reference was to the "gift of peace" from Psalm 122:6-8. The passage resonated with me as I often pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

But God....in His love and mercy showed me how easily it is for the holidays to become crazy busy with worries about perfection....aka all about me. Will others appreciate my gifts or see them as hokey? Will my food at the Sunday School party be a hit? Will it look festive? Will no one even taste it? 

Conviction---the holidays are not about me. God showed me in a very clear way. 

In order to "de-sensitive" (a Mead word) transitory things, I need to take the I out of holiday.

H o l I d a y. My focus has been on myself. A substitution is needed.

If one exchanges the I for a Y, the focus changes & the substitution is worthy.

H o l Y d a y

Y is the Hebrew word for Yeshua or Jesus the One whose death was our substitutionary atonement and whose birth Christians celebrate at Christmas! My Jewish friends might substitute their Y as for Yahweh but they would not say it aloud.

One of my greatest joys is to see family, friends & others seek God's perfect 's gift of Jesus......

and to rejoice when they find Him. I know no greater joy! (3 John 1:4)

Today to my family friends and blog readers, I pray that there will be peace within you---a deep, abiding peace from Jehovah, the One True God.

Happy Holyday!

THE PERFECT GIFT

Addendum---after posting this entry, 2 different folks said (directly to me)----don't let your tinsel get in a tangle! Then ,I "uncovered" this gift from a friend.........."I get it! I get it!"

Some people are "naturals" at gift giving---thoughtful, creative, pragmatic, & within budget all rolled into one. Many folks I know do this. However....
I  would not be one of those. It's not that I don't try. I even try to keep notes on who likes what so I don't give milk chocolate treats to the dark chocolate diehards, or "forget to delete nuts" in non-nut folks' recipes---actually, I usually err on the side of extra nuts so I just eat it all extras myself!

I have really struggled this season, trying for perfection in all my shopping. Though son Buddy's recent sermon, reminded me that joy is re-findable, even in holiday chaos, when folks tend to lose their way. A reminder to slow down and "savor the season" (and the Savior) and not "over shop it." So....I pulled out some gifts I've received to try to replicate similar ideas of thoughtfulness for others---these "small" gifts were "perfect" for someone like me.

 "My" favorite Christmas carol highlighted on a super-sharp pencil (and it has a great eraser!!)

Fresh gathered eggs from Full Circle Ranch for me to share with family. Grandson could not believe there were pink ones, white ones, along with light and dark brown ones. But, all tasted delish!
Just ask, Owen.

So many but don't want to list for fear of leaving someone out!! But what I see in each is that relationships are real between the giver and the receiver----I'm just blessed to be on the receiving end!

I do keep trying so hard to make all (12) stockings personalized and yet fair---don't want to hurt someone's feelings. Then, I read an Ann Voscamp quote. "Stop holding onto a standard of perfection instead of being held by the arms of grace." I had already written an AV observation, that began to ring true as I wandered distractedly here, there and yon (in my own house, no less. Voskamp said anxiety can give you God Alzheimer's." I might forget where I've hidden hubby's gift or M's tea but I don't want to forget God or move Him to the back room. So, I stopped, refocused and 5 folks walked in unexpectedly. Yahoo!

Of course, the only true perfect gift arrived centuries ago in a manger in Bethlehem. A gift from our heavenly Father who keeps on giving....
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights... (James 1:17)

"PERFECT GIFT"

All perfect gifts come from God. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Crickett's Christmas table says it  well!

Thanks be to God for giving His Son, who is the "Perfect" Gift for all mankind.