Christmas gift

My Long-Lost Wallet!

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Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:10 ESV

It was a Christmas Eve snowstorm, and after eight long hours shoveling off my customers’ sidewalks, I came home, took a hot shower, changed into warm clothes, and lay down for a nap on the sofa. After a little snooze, I awoke remembering that I needed to pick up more sidewalk melt for the following day, but realized to my dismay, that my wallet was missing. I searched the truck, my coat pockets (three times) and even returned to the job site, shoveling through the snow on both sides of the sidewalks in my frenzied attempts. I wasn’t concerned about the seven dollars in my billfold, but replacing my driver’s license, social security card and charge cards was a problem. But after a year passed, I eventually forgot all about that wallet.

The following Christmas, our son, his wife, and our grandchildren came to visit. We had a great time reminiscing over dinner and then after pie and coffee, we moved into the living room to exchange gifts. As always, it was heartwarming seeing the kiddos tearing off the wrapping paper and one by one, brandishing their treasures aloft. After everyone was done, and I headed towards the kitchen to see if there was any pie left, my son called out:

“Hey Dad. There is one more gift here for you.”

“Really?” I asked. “I thought I pulled everything out this morning.” A bit puzzled, I sat down in my recliner while they put a small box on my lap. I noticed everyone smiling strangely and watching me with eager anticipation, but I just shrugged it off and unwrapped the gift paper. After popping open the box, I found that whatever was inside was wrapped in tons of tissue paper. Finally, after pulling off the last layer, I was astonished to see that what fell into my hands was my long-lost wallet! “What!” I shouted as peals of laughter filled the room. “Where in the world did you find it?”

“We found it under the couch cushions this morning.” Our son answered with a huge grin. “Merry Christmas Dad!”

Sometimes we lose things far more valuable than an old wallet. But the apostle Paul, urges us to focus, not on our past losses and failures, but on present restoration. Often that means discovering that we need others to help us find what we have lost and then seeing that they rejoice with us as we unwrap the long-lost treasures of God’s restoring love!

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The Value of Pennies

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And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. Mark 12:42-43 ESV

Last year after we finished our Christmas caroling at a nursing home, we began to pass out large print Christmas devotional books as our gift to the residents. Most of them lit up with smiles and thanked us for the books as our volunteers handed them out. But as they got to the back of the room, one lady gently reached out and slipped three one-dollar bills into their hand. Despite urging her that she didn’t need to pay for our gift, the woman insisted, “No please take it! I want to give something!”

In that dear lady I suddenly saw the widow in today’s verse. She showed us that the longing to give is a basic desire of every Christian heart. Though some of us, have had that desire dampened by people who have taken unfair advantage of us, Jesus never mentioned anything about how well the two little coins the widow contributed, were spent. What made her gift precious was the love that she gave it with. None of the rich guys who went ahead of her had impressed Jesus. But the small sacrifice that that woman eagerly gave was a treasure to Him. Her two pennies and our lady’s three dollars remind us that whether we offer gold, frankincense, and myrrh or just two pennies, God sees more than pennies. He is watching our hearts today!

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Lentil Soup And a Wise Man’s Gift

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 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
Matthew 2:11 ESV

“What’s for dinner honey?” I said with a laugh knowing that it would be lentil soup for its third and final performance. During those first years of marriage, our food shopping was a low-cost adventure. So, with Christmas not far away; even putting up a tree with decorations was something we couldn’t afford. That year, Christmas Eve was pay day and at four thirty I waited in line for my check. “Merry Christmas” My boss said winking as he handed me my envelope. “There’s something extra in there for you tonight.”  

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I peeked inside and drew a quick breath in astonishment. “Wow thanks Joe! Merry Christmas to you too” I said amazed at seeing a fifty-dollar bill tucked inside! I drove home through the heavy traffic getting there just before five. “Come on Nancy! Let’s go buy a tree!” I shouted as I ran up the stairs to show her my bonus. Five minutes later we bundled up and drove to a Christmas tree lot where the owner was delighted to sell us a tree for five dollars, just before he closed. Then we raced over to the Woolworth store, where for ten cents each we bought some colored glass bulbs and a string of lights with tinsel. God didn’t have to send the wise men with gifts to make it Christmas; but He did. That Christmas our wise man was named Joe and he left us a special gift on that Silent and Holy Night!