23 December 2019

Carrying Christmas in my Heart ~ Wrapping Gifts


Happy Christmas Dear Reader,

Some years ago, a friend gave me perhaps the most beautifully wrapped gift I have ever seen.  The paper was heavy foil wrapping with wreaths made of roses and small trees to accent.  The ribbon and bow were the same gold as the trim on the wreaths and trees.  The present looked more like a catalog entry than a real thing.  My words do not do justice to the effort put into creating such a beautiful package.

It was not lost on me that this beauty was created for the purpose of being destroyed.  It was a moment in time captured by someone with skill in wrapping gifts far beyond mine.  I heard this person express that she takes so much effort to wrap gifts because it shows that she cares.  Obviously, the effort was not wasted as I was very impressed.

Still, it makes me wonder about how much effort we put into things.  As much as I loved the wrapping and the gift it contained, I later in the day overheard that same person say something very unkind about me to someone else.  It began a practice for me that I wish to pass on so that I may help in carrying Christmas in our hearts.

As I alluded before, I am terrible at wrapping gifts.  It is a skill that I have never mastered.  What I do instead is seriously ponder the person as I wrap the gift.  I search my mind for anything that I may hold against him or her to assure that I have forgiven anything that may be between us.  I pray for that person specifically as I cut paper with no hope of a straight line, fold irregular corners, and apply miles of tape.  I ponder the things I love about that person that caused me to choose the gift.

You may wonder how this translates into carrying Christmas the entire year.  If we put into practice intentional forgiveness, awareness of the value others to the Father, and needs that person may have, we can begin to do this in every endeavor.  I spent some hours wrapping gifts yesterday.  I found thoughts about the people for whom I prepared the gifts pleasant and exciting.  Many of us will be trying to get those last items wrapped and ready today and tomorrow.  Perhaps being intentional about our thoughts for others during this time will bring us more peace Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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