My life a gift, yeah right!

Growing up Jehovah's Witness wasn't all bad.

Now I know for many that statement sounds crazy. Why would anyone think it was not the most horrible thing to not celebrate birthdays or Christmas. I mean what else is there in life?!?! Or what about all that self effort and works junk? Or even the fact that the bible says we wont know when the Lord returns?

Okay, so that's why I said it wasn't all bad... :)

Take for instance the fact that both my sister and I have found ourselves grateful that our parents didn't have to wait for a special "holiday" to lavish luxurious gifts on us. I remember as a little girl every Friday my dad would scoop me up in his arms and with a huge smile proclaim that it was time to go and get all fancied up. I knew instantly that it was time to go put on one of my hundreds of dresses and head over to get my hair done and nails (if I had not bit them all off by then) painted at the Asian ladies place. We'd spend hours together and every once in a while he'd pull out a little boxed gift. Always telling me that gifts were meant to be given all the time from a heart of generosity and not out of obligation.

When I became a Christian, I remember how strange it was that although we had received the best gift of all, our salvation from sin, very few were as generous as my parents. Christmas came first and I made my list of presents to get and give. Super excited to celebrate the birth of my Lord with my brothers and sisters at church, but sadly as I gave each gift away I didn't experience the thrill that I could see in my dad's face as he gave my sister and I our gifts. It was as if my new friends expected me to get them something and because I had given them something they now had to get me something in return.

Second was my birthday. Now, I can't complain about my first birthday celebration or my second birthday surprise party. I loved them both so much and for those that were a part of making them so memorable I am tremendously grateful. Celebrating my birthday for the first time on a boat heading towards Catalina Island will always be one of my favorite memories. Dan, Zach, Caitlyn, Kaitlynn, Heidi and Stephen, and a bunch of others from my youth group made sure that this day was special. Even included a birthday necklace made out of plates and pink boa! My second birthday was even more elaborate. Kaitlynn I am still blown away by how you actually pulled off a surprise party for me and o man Cold Weather Rescue singing me happy birthday was just what any 16 year old girl would call marvelous.

As the hype of my own birthday's wore off and Christmas slowly became more and more about what I was going to get others and what they were going to get me, my heart was town. Throughout the year I would come up with tons of gift ideas for others and give them to my friends but because it wasn't the except-able time and place to give gifts my friends would give me strange looks. I'm not sure if "gifts" is one of my love languages but it sure was my dads and because that was modeled to me at a young age, I am more inclined to want to give them to others. It was sad to think that not everyone understood the power of giving a gift to someone else and the joy that one gets when they think back on gifts given them that were "just cause" gifts.

So, why all this rambling on gift giving? Well because isn't that what our Heavenly Father has done for us. Each day we receive gifts from Him "just cause". We aren't at all worthy to receive these gifts and there is not some looming holiday that forces Him to be generous to us. It's His very nature to want to lavish upon us. Now these gifts may not always be tangible or monetary; however, if we look closely we can see that each gift is a representation of His, "redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us." (Eph. 1: 7-8)

In fact, throughout scripture we see gifts being given for no apparent "holiday". Magi brought gifts to Jesus to celebrate His birth, Kings gave gifts as  their guests parted, and we are reminded in Psalms 127:3 that children really are gifts from the Lord, no matter how much parents would like to send them back. But it's in Romans that I feel like we find the description of the best gifts of all.

"For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine." (Romans 1:11)

Have you ever thought that your very presence in another's life could be a gift to them. Choosing to invest and say that you are "all in" could be worth a million dollars to a someone that has never known love or friendship. It's our lives that Christ has given us and as we live each day investing into others it means more than just passing time.

Paul also points out the ultimate gift in Romans 6:23.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

King David speaks of this gift in Psalm 32 and as you read through it I pray that you too would recognize the gift that you have been given and how your life given to bring Glory to Christ could at the same time be a gift to others around you.

Psalm 32

"How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

I acknowledge my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD";
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart. 

Brandy