As Promised - My Theory on Christmas Gifts

So here's the article I wrote for December's issue of Women with Hope - the newsletter that we put together for Women's Minsitries at what is now Hope Community Church of the Nazarene. (www.onaz.org or www.oncwomensministries.blogspot.com)

Some may call me crazy, but as we are coming into this Christmas season, I have made the decision to not give my children or myself any gifts this year. The Lord has been laying this on my heart for several years and I have not listened. This is going to be the year that I do.
In our Bible study, Daniel by Beth Moore, we are learning that we are living in a world of self-indulgences, a world that the theme could be “It’s all about me.” I, myself, have fallen into this trap many times. We are bombarded with this “all about me” mindset every second of our lives. Our world is programming us to believe that we can always have it our way. That we can get what we want when we want it.
This is the year that I’ve decided to just do what God has been telling me (John 2:5) and to find out what it truly means to give of ourselves. Jesus Christ came as a baby. But the true gift wasn’t the baby in the manger, it was the man on the cross, who died, was buried and lives again. He gave us His life (John 3:16), so that we might grow to be like Him and give of ourselves to others. The best way that I can think of to celebrate His birth is to respond to the grace that He offers me, to follow His example by giving to others (James 2:14-26). Jesus didn’t stop the scourging that tore his flesh or the nails that pierced His hands. He definitely didn’t have the “it’s all about me” attitude, He had the “It’s all about you” attitude.
It’s the time of year that we are trained to expect, expect again and then expect more from others. We are mailed catalog after catalog and we see commercial after commercial telling us about the latest greatest thing that we just absolutely need. I’m not giving in this year. This year we are going to give out to others instead of giving into ourselves. It is my prayer that my family will learn to be like Christ by leaving the “It’s all about me” attitude behind this Christmas.