Christmas...and gifts

Christmas is somewhat of a struggle for me.  I love the decorations, the songs, the smells, the lights, and the parties. However, I often feel overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of buying, buying, buying.  Each year, my heart's desire is to continually teach my chlidren that this holiday is about the birth of Christ.  But the tug of wish-lists often overshadows everything. 

Because Christmas represents the birth of the ultimate gift from God - Jesus - who came in the form of a baby, I am all for giving gifts in His honor. I allow my children to think about what they might want from grandparents and aunts and uncles for just a few days, and then by the first of December, I encourage them to concentrate on how they might be givers.  So as the holiday approaches, my children often make lists of things they would like.  They understand that each of their grandparents has a budget and so do we as their parents.  They also understand that they won't get everything on the list.  

This year my daughter asked for a camera.  She has been thinking about this camera for several months.  We've been to several stores and listened as many salespersons gave us their "pitch" for the camera of choice.  She asked for very little else this year as her heart was completely set on nothing but this camera.  I've remained very flippant about whether she would truly get it because I still enjoy the surprise and excitement on Christmas morning.  I don't lie to her either way, but I do my best to keep her guessing.  As it turns out, one of the sets of grandparents has the camera safely wrapped and under the tree.  It's been there for several weeks already. 

This past week, my daughter and I were at a local retail store and, once again, she wanted to go look in the camera section.  She loves holding the one she wants in her hands and envisioning all the wonderful pictures she'll take with it.  As we passed by the other night, I obviously didn't give her the answer she wanted when she asked about possibly getting the camera.  I played it up that I wasn't exactly sure which one she wanted saying that they all look the same to me....and then I moved on.  She followed me around while we gathered the rest of our shopping list and I noticed that she had become very pouty.  I teased with her for a few minutes, but then realized she REALLY was pouty - so I then became a bit perturbed.  Seriously?  I realized that she was pouting over a gift that she truly didn't know if she was going to get or not.  Christmas was only ten days away and I certainly wasn't going to reveal it now.  She was trying to put me in a spot where I would hint one way or the other.  I didn't, and she became even more pouty. 

By the time we reached the car, I'd had my fill of the pouting.  I gathered myself and everything that wanted to let her know how very ungrateful she was acting about something that she was actually going to get.  Instead, I shared with her that I knew how much she wanted the camera and how much it meant to her.  I also shared that I would not be telling her one way or the other whether or not she would get it, but that she'd be expected to wait until Christmas.  Then, I looked straight at her and gently asked her to trust me...that I knew her better than she knew herself and I ultimately knew if she needed the camera or not.  I told her that her dad and I wanted the best for her and we would do our best to see that she had everything she needed....hadn't she realized that by now?  She tearfully nodded her head and began to cry.  She then apologized for her attitude and her selfishness.  All was well.  

As I was speaking to her, I began to gently hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me.  No, not in an audible voice, of course, yet almost that clear....  "That's how I feel about you, my daughter.  Trust Me.  I know you better than you know yourself.   I long to give you good gifts.  When you ask Me for something, trust me that I sometimes already have it  for you, but you must wait.  Trust Me and wait. It's all in my timing."

Christ gave the ultimate gift...Himself on the cross for our sins.  Jesus' death on the cross covers our sins.  The proof of our receiving that gift is the Holy Spirit....the gift that He left with us until He returns.