Christmas 2007

In the midst of all the clothes, books, toys, tractors, video games, arms, legs and shrieks of pleasure, something caught my eye.

She was quietly going about her business, taking it all in and carefully examining each and every little thing she pulled from her Christmas bag. Lip gloss. No comment. A baby swing & high chair. No smile to speak of. A precious cheetah outfit. No screams of, "LOOK MOM!!!" A sundry other gifts for a girly little girl. Not much reaction at all.

Then she saw it. I suspect she was suspicious when she saw the shiny, pink plastic peaking from behind the wrapping paper. Quickly, like a mother bear rushing to her cub, she devoured the wrapping mess and quickly got to the present, itself, as if it was desperately in need of her rescue.

Her prize. A Barbie laptop computer.

Suddenly, the silent, almost morose little girl became a blubbering, stuttering squealer. "THIS IS JUST WHAT I WANTED!" she said over and over again to whomever was listening as a smile encompassed her sweet face and her eyes lit up like firecrackers. The excitement took over. The joy overflowed. She bounced to her feet and quickly ran about the room showing off her gift, telling everyone along the way, "THIS IS JUST WHAT I WANTED!" Her joy was our gift as we all watched and smiled, knowing and remembering a time when we, too, could get that excited about something so small. I wonder if we can still.

You see... God's gifts are pretty similar. We kind of go through life, not really getting too excited about all the little things He does. Sometimes we notice, and sometimes we don't. Sometimes we giggle and squeal with pleasure, and other times we stomp our feet, throw things and pout because it wasn't exactly what we wanted or someone else got what we'd been seeking for ourselves. Sometimes we remember to say, "Thank you," and other times we forget. Some days a simple "thank you" isn't enough, and we keep showing our appreciation in every thing we do. Other days we shrug our shoulders and turn our backs and simply walk away in disappointment, leaving a trail of disappointment behind.

He, like us, enjoys giving gifts and watching our reactions. I'm guessing He closely & carefully monitors the exact moments we receive His gifts, like an eager aunt awaiting her niece's reaction to a much-desired present. I'm sure that He is often a bit saddened by our ungrateful spirits and severely disappointed in our disappointment. But then I'm sure there are times that He is delighted and inspired by our reactions... just like we become when our little ones get so excited over the gifts they receive on Christmas morning.

Christmas comes but once a year, and the build-up and anticipation probably spawn much of the joy & excitement we enjoy. But God is in the gift-giving business every single day, and He hopes to delight us and bless us and thrill us with a Christmas-morning kind of joy each and every day. If we could only learn to react as children to all the many things He has done for us, can you imagine the joy that would fill our lives and contagiously spread around the world? Can you imagine the delight that would be ours in simply living? Can you imagine...

So maybe a Barbie laptop computer isn't at the top of your list today. Maybe there isn't anything you can buy in a store that will turn your hum-drum ordinary day into a Christmas-morning kind of event. But God can, and He's been working all day & night to make this day a special one for you. You know how I know? He said so...

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it," states Psalm 118:24. The passage is familiar and reminds us of a song we sang as children. But if you read a little further down, you catch a hint of what our responses should be... no matter if we get the Barbie computer or a box full of traffic jams & other yucky stuff.

David reminds us in verses 28 & 29...
"You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Now that's one gift I won't be taking back or exchanging for a different size!

~Holly