I’m sure most of us have a “gift list” for December. It has the names of those we hold dear and want to do a little something special for. The love of our life is probably at the top followed by family and friends; somewhere, a little ways down the list could be the names of the neighbors, the kids teacher, the mailman, the garage collectors, the white elephant gift for the office and the secret sister gift.
Now that we’re thinking about the “gift list” let’s redirect our focus just a bit.
In November, I asked you all to join me in making a daily gratitude list. Each day I wrote down at least three things in my journal that I was grateful for from the day before. Yesterday I took time for go back and read those pages. You know what? It made me smile and my day was just that much better.
Since today is December 1st I’m going to ask that you join me in making a new list, the gift list.
Every day we receive small gifts from family, co-workers, even strangers but many times they pass unnoticed. I’m going to make a conscious effort this month to list the gifts I receive.
Those gifts could include a plate of cookies, a cheery phone call, a lunch date or a helping hand, a kind word or a gentle smile. It may be hearing your favorite song on the radio or in a store – just the thing you need to brighten your day. If we look, we will find little gifts everywhere.
“Loving-favor has been given to each one of us. We can see how great it is by the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:7 NLV
The most wonderful gift of all, of course, is God’s gift of His Son. Through the life and death of Jesus we have been given mercy, grace and love. Those should be the first gifts we recognize and put on our gift list.
“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV
“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” James 1:17 ERV
As we go through this month and make our gift list let me encourage you to share what you receive with others. If you receive an act of kindness, share kindness. If someone gives you the gift of patience then share that patience with others. If you receive a box of chocolates or a plate of cookies, share those too. (Said with a smile on my face.)
When we give freely, our gifts may have a life long impact.