True Joy in Gift Giving

As soon as Thanksgiving arrives, thoughts of gift giving begins to be in my thoughts. This season is so very joyful. However, once December 1 arrives, the days begin to zoom for me. What about you?  This year, I felt so ahead of the season on that first day of December. I actually had the Christmas cards ordered, the Christmas family photo taken, and gifts for several of the grandchildren already purchased. In an earlier post, I mentioned finding the incredibly helpful app for my Christmas Giving budget, Santa’s Bag. This might be a treasure for you too. Actually,  my budget still has just a little breathing room for more gift giving;  and this is a wonderful feeling. Without the Santa’s Bag free app, I am sure my Christmas Giving budget would think it was stressed and stretched too much.

The Pace Multiplied

The pace multiplied as Christmas events began, the calendar became filled with places to go and I began to think of more and more gifts I wanted to add to my Christmas giving list.. In all sincerity, I am enjoying every minute of these weeks leading up to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Master himself gave us the truth about giving and receiving.

The Message

³⁵ I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 20:35 NKJV

Jesus gave us some wonderful thoughts to remember, especially at Christmastime.  You will see from my favorite Christmas Gift Giving Story below that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. He was God’s Gift to us more than 2,000 years ago — the greatest Gift mankind ever received. Jesus continues to give to us today; because through Him, we are adopted into God’s family and able to receive all the blessings and benefits given to us an heir of God. Realizing the immensity of God’s love for you and for me is  huge.

I received a Christmas story in the mail three years ago that is hard to forget. I would like to share it with you again this year.

The Christmas Gift

A man named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. When Paul came out of his office on Christmas Eve, a ragged looking little boy was walking around the shiny car as he admired it.

Is This Your Car?

“Is this your car, Mister?” he asked. Paul nodded. “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.”

The boy was astounded. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it cost you nothing? Boy, I wish……”….he hesitated. Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.

I Wish I Could Be a Brother Like That

“I wish,” the boy went on, “I could be a brother like that.”

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively, he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?”

“Oh yes, I’d love that.”

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?” Paul smiled a little, he thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

“Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked. He ran up the steps and in a little while Paul saw him coming back, but he was coming very slowly because he was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. “There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. Some day I”m goinna give you one just like it. Then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows I’ve been trying to tell you about.”

Paul Learned What Jesus Meant

Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when He said, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”  ~Author Unknown

Giving brings great joy. God brought great joy to mankind when He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Best Christmas Gift Giving Tool

Don’t miss the Santa’s Bag Free Gift Giving Budget Tool.

 

 

 

John and I pray that you have a most Blessed Christmas this year.