Three Gifts

 Hi Ladies,

I hope you are enjoying your Christmas preparations and that they are filled with big doses of Joy and Peace. People have been asking me to write about the gift giving plan that Cam mentioned in his sermon focused on three gifts. This idea is by no means original with, me but it is a way to help our children and families think about Jesus and the three gifts He received in the Christmas story. 

I have been praying about getting a balance in our gift giving since last Christmas when I heard of using the number three in reference to Jesus’ gifts. I began to think about what each gift He received would represent in my life or my family’s lives. So let me just share with you what we did with our sweet kids and Grandkids this year as we celebrated the Birth of Jesus during Thanksgiving. (As we would not be together for Christmas…we jumped the gun.)

The first gift I gave out was Frankincense: We started our Christmas celebration talking about how we want our lives to be a sweet aroma to God. Above everything else, that would mean this Christmas could not be “all about us”! Every person from Granny to the babies got a pair of TOMs shoes, so when we got our pair…a child somewhere in the world also got a pair. Everyone loved their TOMs! They were a complete surprise to all…and I was very surprised that this turned out to be one of our favorite gifts.

The second gift Cam and I gave our family was Myrrh: We wanted to give them something that would be a healing balm…something that would ease some need for them. So we just asked them what they needed and tried to find that thing that was a real need. So everyone received something they wanted or needed.

The third gift we gave was Gold: We wanted to give everyone something they would value. Each person received something they did not ask for, that hopefully was a treasure. We are finding that our sons treasure our traditions most. One of the things in our house that had to happen  when they were growing up, is that you must be surprised by something. Keeping this tradition with our Gold gift made it truly a treasure for us all. It’s been said many times before, but it really is the thought that counts.  Planning something special that takes a little thought will always be a blessing to the ones you love.

Let me encourage all of you to make your own new traditions starting with this year. I love watching my sons and their wives work together to mix old traditions from each family and add new ones…precious things that will be just for their sweet growing family to enjoy.  Our heavenly Father is the Master giver. Families that give look an awful lot like Him. Enjoy His best gift this year.