Black Friday will soon be upon us. And I'm not talking about Rebecca Black's Friday, either. And in case you forgot, watch the video so you can get the song stuck in your head for the next week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0. But, getting back on track...
It is my philosophy that we should celebrate one holiday at a time. Now, before you Jesus juke me, hear me out (because I know that we should celebrate the birth of Christ all year round, but I'm specifically talking about the Christmas holiday). I basically took this philosophy from Nordstrom, but I've always believed it. Those of you who are going to Walmart at 10pm on Thanksgiving should be slapped for two reasons: Reason #1 - You should be at home with your family playing Monopoly, Risk, or electronic Clue;
Anyway, enough with my rant about black Friday. It's not the reason I'm posting. But I DO want to talk about Christmas shopping and how difficult it can be.
I personally maintain the principle that I should make it easy on you to do birthday and Christmas shopping for me. I will tell you what I would like for a gift if you ask me. I am not one of those people that say, "I don't know," or "be creative," when asked what they want for Christmas. I find it frustrating and annoying. I think it's mostly because I don't want to walk around Walmart for three hours trying to figure out what to get someone. At least give me an idea. And honestly, I don't care if I don't get a single thing on my list, so don't worry.
If I ask you what you want for Christmas and you give one of the above mentioned reasons, then know this: I am getting you a giftcard. Why? because I'm not going to spend hours trying to find a gift for you only to find out you'll never use it or that you're going to return it for something else. I will save us both the trouble. "But it's the thought that counts." Yes. And I am thinking about both of us and about the trouble we can avoid. On a side note, if you want to get me something for Christmas, a giftcard to Lucille's would be about all that I could ask for.
The one person that I won't get a giftcard for is my wife. For some reason, I am attracted to the idea of being incredibly creative in giving her a gift. She has never really told me what she wants for Christmas so I'm always daunted with the task of getting something good. I admit, I've had some hits and misses. But this year I think I've got a hit. I won't know until December 25th, but I'll give you the results.
In all reality, I'm attracted to being successful in my creativeness. It gives me a thrill to realize that I knew what she would enjoy without her telling me. Sometimes the gifts she enjoys are the ones she probably never even thought of wanting. Those are the best. All of this got me thinking about something:
You know those times when you either don't know what you want in life, or you just refuse to tell God what it is? And somehow He always manages to give you what you need? I don't know about you, but I've been there several times. And sometimes you get the things in life that you never even knew you needed or wanted. It got me to thinking that I'm glad that God didn't just give me a giftcard and say, "Just go get what you want." We all know that sometimes what we want is not good at all.
On the flip side of the coin, how many times do we fail to receive blessings from God because we don't make our needs known? Because we are proud. Too proud to even tell God what is that we want.
What are some of the things that God has blessed you with that you didn't know you needed, but you were glad you got anyway?
Dear Brent, since you insist that I comment, I will tell you about a gift that God gave me that I did not know that I needed. It was in 1983, an unplanned, pregnancy. Unplanned never meant unwanted. Before you were born, I knew that you were a gift from God. Sometimes I am in awe that God chose me to be your mother. I am so proud of you, and your dad was too.
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