Hanukah Day Three 2019 - Christmas Eve
No gifts for me please! Today I learned a new reason why it is more blessed to give than receive.
Thoughts on Giving and Receiving Gifts
I am not a Grinch, nor a Scrooge, in fact most of the year, I am a very giving person. In fact, some might say, generous to a fault - such as the times I've shared my resources with others anticipating funds or food that were due to arrive and then being without myself when the promised resources did not show up! I am just very tired of having a "Merry Sickmas"
Gift Giving Stress
Thousands of years ago, Our Creator and Papa sent a most amazing gift to us - salvation wrapped in a bundle of human frailty. Shortly after that, wisemen arrived bearing worldly gifts that also foreshadowed the path of the life Our Sviour was to take.
Fast forward a few centuries, and we find the Bishop of Myra - Nicholas, saving three girls from being sold into prostitution by throwing a handful of coins down the chimney to provide dowries for them.
Somehow or other, along the way, the spirit of greed came in and the celebration of Peace on Earth, Goodwill to ALL People, got almost totally lost. Now we have an almost totally crass commercial holiday that causes people more stress than happiness.
People stress over:
- Giving THE perfect gift
- Wrapping
- Not having enough money to buy gifts or spending too much and going into debt
Plus tonnes more!
Gift Receiving Stress
Gift Receiving Stress is rarely mentioned , but it is real!
People stress over:
- What to say about not receiving gifts.
- Not having a reciprocal gift to give.
- What to say or do about gifts that are totally - the wrong size, style, or even hazardous to their health.
- Having to store or exchange the gifts they cannot use.
t is written "A gift destroys the spirit."
Yesterday, a huge gift bag packed full of allergens almost destroyed me!
So on the third day of Chanukah, I am thanking God for saving my life again.
Yes, it is true "Those who believe will ingest poison and still live!"
(They will get EXTREMELY ill, but they WILL live!)
Yours in Christ,
Sister Su
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