The Perfect Gift

Have you ever seen the movie "The Christmas Box"? I love this movie. It puts things in perspective. Richard Thomas's character is working hard to provide a better life for his family. Great! Every woman wants a man who will be a good provider for his family. It builds trust and security, peace of mind. It's not just accepting responsibility, but embracing it! But the harder he works the more time he's away from his family. He's so intent on their future that he sacrifices the present.

Our world (not just the United States) begins planning for Christmas in October. We're already past Thanksgiving before it even arrives. I hear families bickering and complaining about having to spend so much time together as the holidays approach because THERE'S A SALE AND I'M GOING TO MISS IT! What???!!! Time out, folks! Why is a bigger, brighter, TV, or newest Kindle or Iphone or Ipad so important? Those are things and they don't love you back. They don't even care if they get used or not. They are tools, and if they are making your life more complicated, they are not doing their job.

Our gods have become today's technological wonders and tomorrow's old and inferior products. Wake up and see the stark whiteness behind the words! My favorite part of the movie is when Maureen O'Hara asks Richard Thomas if he knows what the first Christmas gift was. He's baffled by the question and says sort of half-sarcastically, "A tie?" She just looks at him. He says he'll think about it some more. Finally, at the end of the movie, he gets it. The very first Christmas gift was--can you guess? It was LOVE.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

I will send a custom made bookmark to everyone who responds to this page beginning Dec. 13, 2012. Just send me an e-mail to aletak60@gmail.com with "bookmark" in the subject line. I'll be using snail mail so leave your mailing address. I will not share it with anyone else.