Gifts of the Season

As we proceed with the festivities and celebrations of the Christmas(Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa) season, we are sort of forced to reflect on many things. For me, I reflect on the goodness and mercy of Christ, as well as God's love toward me and my family. As the year closes, I have renewed hope and faith for the year to come.


Family is important to me. I love my family immensely even when they get on my nerves, which I might add, is often. My family is scattered in various parts of the States which I actually hate. I've missed so much of my nephew's and niece's lives. This year my sister and I wasted six months because we were too stubborn to get past a misunderstanding. I know my dad would be disappointed with both of us. Family matters. It is with those people, with whom you should be able to let go of all of your inhibitions, and just do you.

Peace is important to me. If God is all that I profess Him to be, I should let each day take care of itself. (ref. Matthew 6:34) I could stop right there but in case you are reading this and you don't know the peace which surpasses all understanding(ref. Philippians 4:7), let me say this.....We only get 24 hours in each day, no more, no less. Everyday you have a chance to make a fresh start. Our bodies require a minimum of 7 hours of sleep to heal itself, more would be better. Nothing that causes you anxiety can be changed in your sleep. Some stress is natural but worrying about things which might happen is a waste of time and energy. If you have faith, then trust that God will utilize the situations to your good. Be a peacemaker and don't let anyone disturb your peace.

Hope is vital to everyone. You have to have dreams. Dreams sustain you and carry you through the rough patches. Things can always change even when they seem impossible. I try to maintain a positive attitude because optimism works for me. No doom and gloom in this camp. My life has many valleys but I have always known that something better would eventually come along. God has not failed me yet. It is true, you will have disappointments and people will not live up to your expectations but if you have hope, you will be able to take the next step.

Love is the final gift that I am addressing. Love covers a multitude of sins. Jesus came to earth in the form of man to save each and everyone of us from the destruction of our sin. He was sinless, yet He bore the weight of every one's sins on the cross so that we could have eternal life. Now that is a real present. It doesn't get any better than that. That is what the true gift of the season is really all about. God loves us unconditionally and NOTHING that we do can separate us from Him if we believe in Him.

God has called us to be in relationship with others. Every relationship is symbolic of His love for the the Church. I Corinthians 13 is the "Love Chapter." Nowhere else is love defined so sacrificially. This is best evidenced when we look at a newborn. Babies don't thrive if they aren't loved(or touched). Adults don't either, they just might cope better. Today my neice asked me to define love for her via text. What a loaded question! I told her that it was complicated and that the defination varied from person to person. That will be another blog for another day!

Whatever you celebrate this season, I certainly pray that you have love, hope, and peace as well as a family to support you through the good times and the bad. If you are missing any of those things, my prayer for you is that you find it in the New Year. If you are at odds with your family, mend fences and be genuine about it. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. If you are burdened with anxiety and stressed out, turn it over to God and move on. The best gift you could give yourself is a good night's sleep and good health, both of which you are missing, if you are suffering from anxiety. Peace of mind is simply priceless! Then, there is always hope. You gotta have something to believe in and hold on to. Love is not elusive, it can be found in the strangest places. To get love, you might just have to show love. Really, if you have the Love of God in your heart, most things will fall into place. Do you have the gifts of the season? If you don't take time to reflect and try to attain them. We all deserve these presents more than any other. Till next time, may the gifts of the season be yours now and forever. Blessings!

Copyright December 22, 2009 by Pamela Cole Thorpe