A Different Kind of Gift for Christmas



My daughter busting a move with
my husband at a family wedding.
She's a gifted dancer!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." James 1:17

I have three siblings and all of us are married with children. When we get together for Christmas there are twenty-one people just in our immediate little circle. A few years ago we decided to stop buying gifts for one another, instead we spend Christmas visiting, playing games and watching the grandchildren perform their annual Nativity Play.

In lieu of material gifts this year, I suggested we do something a little different. Instead of buying something from the store, I thought it would be fun to share the gift that God has given us.

I firmly believe that God has placed inside each of us special talents, skills and abilities that we're supposed to share with the world.

My husband is an amazing singer. It's so much fun to listen to him sing praise and worship in church. But, it's even more fulfilling when others come up and tell him how much his singing blesses them.

My sister is gifted in designing. It can be a room or a wardrobe. She's always the first person I call when I'm picking out wall colors or trying to put together the perfect outfit.

My mom is gifted in encouraging and propelling people to action. It's no wonder that she's serving in her second term as mayor of our town.

My dad is gifted in spacial concepts. He has built four of my parents' homes (while maintaining a day job that has nothing to do with building) and the way he can take lines on a blueprint and make it into a structure astounds me.

I realize my family can't share some of these gifts in my parents' living room, but thankfully God doesn't stop with one gift. There are so many to choose from.

My oldest daughter loves to tell jokes, so she's been practicing her best jokes for Christmas Eve. My second daughter loves to dance, so she and a cousin have been choreographing a dance for us and another cousin will sing the song they're dancing to. My brother-in-law has a top-secret gift he's planning on sharing, but none of us know what it is!

As for me, I haven't quite figured out what gift I'll share. I have a few ideas in the back of my head, but I think I'll also keep it a secret until Christmas Eve.

It's so much fun watching the grandchildren, who range in age from nine months to eleven years old, get more excited for this talent show than anything else this Christmas Season. But the best part is knowing we'll make memories together that will far outlast any toy we could ever give.

What about you? Do you have any unique ideas for Christmas this year? What is your favorite memory from a childhood Christmas?

Two Sides to a Coin

I have four very different children. Each child comes with a set of strengths and weaknesses, and I've found that those things can be one in the same.

My oldest is very creative and intelligent, but those gifts tend to make her self focused and a bit proud.

My second child is very caring and thoughtful, but her servant's heart leads her to being a martyr and she often feels sorry for herself.

My oldest twin is very gentle and kind, but he gets walked all over by his siblings.

My youngest is very independent and focused, but that gets him into trouble - a lot - and usually makes more work for me.

As parents, my husband and I face a challenge. We must discover the gifts in our children and then show them how to use their gifts to help them and not hurt them.

For me, I have a great imagination and sometimes it can get me into trouble. I tend to worry about all the "what-ifs" in life. I've always loved telling a good story and as a young woman I worked at a historic site where I told stories all day long and I loved it. Then, I began to stay home full time with my children, and without a creative outlet for my imagination, it went wild with all the "what-ifs" of parenting. I knew I needed to figure out how to use my gift to benefit myself, and those around me, because if I didn't, it would work against me.

That's when I decided to get busy with my writing. Instead of sitting around and letting all the "what-ifs" get me down, I switch those thoughts toward crafting my stories. It's been a breath of fresh air into my life.

As my husband and I parent our children, we've decided to become very purposeful about identifying their gifts and then guiding them down a road to using them. Of course, as they grow, we'll watch to see their interests and desires, but, for now, it's fun to imagine what they could do with their gifts.

For our oldest, I could easily see her writing, or event planning, or even teaching - but we have to constantly remind her that her intelligence comes from God and He deserves the glory and honor for it. My second child could be a nurse, or a day care provider, or a mother of MANY children. :) But we have to remind her that God asks her to give without receiving and to thank Him for her servant's heart. It's a little too soon for us to see what the boys could do, but, for now, we're showing our oldest twin how to stand up for himself and we're diligently teaching our younger twin how to listen and obey - for his safety and others.

Each coin has two sides and so does each gift. Have you discovered some of your gifts and the strengths and weaknesses they entail?

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