There are 75 days between now and Christmas. On Monday in Kentucky, it was nearly 90 degrees, and the trees have hardly started changing. Whoa.
Are you an early shopper? I always intend to be, but hardly ever am.
One fall, while a student at Murray State, I ended up having three night classes and three morning classes. What did I do during the hours between morning class and night class? I did my Christmas shopping! I am serious when I say I think I enjoyed that Christmas season more than most. I had it all done by Thanksgiving.
It was amazing.
Every year, it’s the same question – what do you BUY people for Christmas?
We live in a society where we have what we need, and most of what we want. It’s crazy, isn’t it, to think about the amount of money we spend on our family members to get them something, anything that will make their eyes light up and put a smile on their face. It’s getting harder and harder to achieve that.
Last Sunday we had a speaker at church sharing about a shoebox Christmas ministry (similar to Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child, but more local) where several churches in our area put together the boxes to distribute to children on an Indian Reservation in Arizona where we’ve gone for several mission trips. I hear this type of message every day, but seeing the faces of these children, and knowing the circumstances of their economy, it breaks my heart.
I know how important it is, to a parent, to get children that perfect gift. How would it feel to be a parent who had no means to give their child any kind of gift? What would it be like to have your child excited over a new toothbrush? Their own hand towel? Or maybe one Hot wheels car?
If you have a community Christmas charity, I encourage you to be involved. Look for an Angel Tree in a discount store. Find a family your church needs to minister to. Anonymously send some money to someone who is having a hard time during the holidays. There are so many ways to serve at Christmas, and all through the year.
And in the meantime, what’s on YOUR Christmas list, or have you even thought about it? Maybe someone on your list would like some lovely books . . .
Happy Fall, Y’all.
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