Friday, December 02, 2005

Several things

Hey guys, for any of y'all that tried to go to the State By State abortion ranking site and the url didn't work. I fixed it so it works like a charm. As does the one on this post. Sorry about the error.
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So, how are things going? Have you done your Christmas decorating yet? Have you considered gifts yet? This is going to be a little mini rant because I started thinking about it today. But, if you haven't started thinking about what you're going to give people yet it seems like you'll end up just wandering aimlessly closer to Christmas trying to figure out what you're going to get someone because you're running out of time. Does that sound right? The main thing that sticks in my mind is the 'because you're running out of time' part. I think everyone ends up feeling that way. Worried about time and how to make time to do everything.
That's not what Christmas is about.
If you wait until the day before Christmas to buy something, are you buying it because you truly wanted to buy something for someone and give them a gift, or are you buying it because tomorrow is Christmas and you have to put something under the tree for that person? Granted, if you don't put something under the tree for them then you might possibly get in trouble! but, either way, the other person still gets something so they win. The only person that lost out was YOU. The joy of searching to find something that someone will truly enjoy. Do you realize what an unselfish moment that is? You're in no rush, you're just sitting down thinking "what would this person really enjoy?" It's entirely unselfish. And then, once you've figured out what they might enjoy, the joy of watching it being opened is doubled for you. Because you remember picking it out for them (Hopefully not just remembering how crowded it was in the store they day you got it, how expensive it was, or - worse yet - wishing you remembered what it was you actually got them because you've since forgotten).
God's gift to us wasn't hurried. He knew exactly what we needed and He provided it. He knew we wouldn't look at the gift with awe and amazement right away. He knew some people would reject the gift. But He gave us what He knew we needed.
So, I'm going to end this strangely, but... the greatest gift we can give to someone is to help them open the gift God gave them so many years ago. So, if you know someone that doesn't know God, and you know if you give them a bible, or a devotional book or something with Christian significance, that they'll not appreciate it then maybe you'll just understand how God felt in a very small way. But don't discount the gift entirely. Because maybe by doing that you would of actually given God a gift too. Being willing to sacrifice the joy of giving what someone wants, for something they need...
Just think about it.

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