Category Archives: Christmas

In Secret

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All of us have had experience with Secret Santa gifts. Maybe it was in elementary school or Girl Scouts or even in an office setting, but we’re familiar with the inexpensive gift-giving done anonymously to someone assigned to us.

Keeping secrets is always fun, at Christmas or any time. Last week, for example, I received something that was given in secret. While Birgitta, Emerald, and I were away from home, someone came to our door and left an envelope on the front mat.

I didn’t recognize the writing, and when I opened it, I expected to see a “from who.” Instead of a signature there was a lavish gift card and a short message: “Go get some donuts, diapers or dog treats – whatever you need. Wishing you God Speed. Your friend.” Tucked inside was a gift card for $100!

Birgitta and I studied the handwriting, trying to determine if we’d seen it before. Was it a woman’s writing? A man’s? Was it a young person? Someone older? I began asking around, but no one would claim responsibility. I wish I could say thanks, but anonymous gift-givers usually aren’t looking for that.

Giving gifts in secret is practically a lost art these days. When wealthy people donate to an institution, they’re happy to have a building named after them. When philanthropic organizations give, they make sure the source and its purpose is announced publically. When I give a present, I hope the recipient will feel my love behind the choice of gift, so I sign my name. And when I put something in the church offering, the envelope I use has my name on it.

It’s reasonable to want credit for our gifts. Giving anonymously is done only with careful intention, and very few do it. But when Jesus said, “It’s more blessed to give than receive,” he meant it for non-credited givers as well as those hoping for credit. Maybe those whose gifts are given in secret somehow enjoy their giving even more than the rest of us.

What kind of person gives anonymously? Maybe it’s someone who simply loves keeping secrets. Or it might be a person who doesn’t want a relationship to be tipped one way or another by the size or type of gift. It’s also possible the anonymous giver just wants to be sure the gift can’t be given back, in case the receiver considers it too generous.

God is all for secretive giving. Using an interesting metaphor, he says in Scripture that we shouldn’t even let one of our hands know what the other is giving. The Bible also says that if no credit is sought on earth, the giver will be credited in heaven. (And if I know God at all, it’ll probably significantly magnified.)

So, dear anonymous friend, thank you for your very generous gift. God watched you leave it at my house and is personally planning something very special for you!

“When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will himself reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:3-4)

P&Q

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When my younger brother was 7 years old, he was helping Mom wrap Christmas gifts when he said, “What can I get for Dad?”

“What he really wants,” Mom said, “is a little peace and quiet. Too bad you can’t give him some of that,” and she laughed.

But on Christmas morning, that’s what Tommy gave, and Dad opened a basketball-sized square box with a scrap of paper in the bottom that said, “In this box is peace and quiet.” It was a huge hit.

Most of us need a bit of P&Q every so often and suffer if we don’t get it. I marveled at my kids when they were in high school, simultaneously managing homework, music, snacking, and instant messaging. Maybe I’m using old age as an excuse, but lately I’m with Dad, appreciating peace and quiet.

Sometimes I worry about the years ahead. What about the physical chaos of old age that seems to keep peace and quiet at bay? Will I be able to think straight, much less produce anything during those years?

When I was a child of about 10, I had a dress made from fabric imprinted with artwork by a woman affectionately known as Grandma Moses. This hard-working farm wife bore 10 children and then began a painting career in her late 70’s, doing her best work in her 90’s. (Recently one of her paintings sold for $1.2 million.) She died at 101. When I worry about losing my powers of concentration, I think of her and hope I can do as well. Scripture tells me I can.

Anna, a temple prophetess, had a thriving ministry of prayer and fasting well into her 90’s (Luke 2), and Sarah, Abraham’s wife, delivered a baby and breastfed him at 91 (Genesis 21). Joshua and Caleb of Old Testament fame were as strong and energetic in their 80’s as in their 30’s (Joshua 14), and Moses retained good vision and high energy up until he died at 120 (Deuteronomy 34). I wonder if any of them said, “Lord, I can’t continue on without an environment of peace and quiet.”

These examples and others are included in the Bible for an important reason: to remind us that God is the one who empowers us to complete whatever task he assigns us to do, regardless of age or of having the perfect atmosphere of peace and quiet. When we’re physically spent or overwhelmed by a must-do job, we’re instructed to “trust in the Lord” for the energy we need (Isaiah 40).

But what about a little peace and quiet along the way? Would that be too much to ask? The truth is, God is more interested in the P&Q of our inner lives than what’s going on around us. Even when turmoil is swirling, he can provide peaceful quietness in the midst of it (at any age) and enough oomph to do whatever needs doing.  According to the Bible, old-age success is sure to come if we do one thing first: obey God. And he says if we do that, then we’ll “flourish in old age, remaining vital and green.” (Psalm 92)

“My flesh and my heart may fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26)

 

Furry Friend… or Foe?

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Our nation has experienced record-breaking warmth this spring. Experts are confident wintery weather won’t return but that we’ll slide through a balmy spring right into a hot summer. Although I’d been keeping my winter clothes handy, today I gave up and swapped my cold weather wardrobe for the summer stuff.

One winter clothing item has always caused problems, though, even threatening to come between Nate and me years ago. I remember the Christmas he handed me a heavy gift box the size of a suitcase, nearly bouncing up and down in anticipation of me opening it.

He gathered the children to watch as I slowly untied the big red bow, and I just hoped my response to whatever was in the box would measure up to his expectation.

Inside was a full length black mink coat. I was completely taken by surprise, never having asked for a fur coat (or having wanted one). The best I could do was, “Wow! I sure never expected this!”

Nate’s thrill over giving me what he thought every girl always wanted was so strong, he missed my tepid response. Instead he pulled me out of the chair and helped me put it on, dancing me around the room to show the kids what a magnificent gift it was.

They took turns trying it on, bending under its weight, oooing and ahhhing approval. Lest I seem like an ingrate, my surprise at receiving the coat did translate into love and gratitude toward a thoughtful husband who chose his gift because he wanted to please me.

Falling in love with the coat, however, was another matter.

As the weeks went by, the mink became a thorn between us. When it was cold he’d say, “Aren’t you going to wear it?”

I’d say, “Oh sure. Ok.” But he sensed reluctance. My problem with the coat was four-fold. It wouldn’t move with me, it was too warm, too heavy, and worst of all, it made me look fat. It also bothered me that when we went to public places, Nate didn’t want to leave it on a coat rack, concerned for its safety. Instead we took it to our restaurant table or into the church pew. We also had to rent cold storage during the summer, a bill I resented paying.

Thirty years later I still have the coat, and it’s still beautiful, probably because it didn’t get much use. I regret not wearing it more, if for no other reason than to please Nate, and my unappreciative attitude was the perfect example of putting myself ahead of him, the man I loved. It was selfishness to the core. Now, every time I put the coat away for the summer, I feel guilty and wish I could have a re-do.

Sometimes I wonder how many re-do’s I’ll wish I could have when I eventually stand in front of Jesus. It’ll be hundreds. Probably thousands, if wasted and wrong thoughts count, which they will. Although I can’t change my fur coat history, I’m glad I still have time to work on everything else.

As for my mink, the proper thing to do is give it away. Either that, or when winter comes ‘round again, start wearing it.

“The sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)