Like a lot of families when our four kids were little, we always gave them one present on Christmas Eve. Most of the time this gift would be socks or pajamas. Something practical that nobody wants.
Nowadays it is typically just the Blonde and I and the two youngest kids at our house at Christmas time. Sometimes we will have a stray boyfriend or girlfriend tagging along with the kids but for the most part it’s just the four musketeers. This year we are breaking in a new son in law from Israel so an American Christmas for him will be interesting. Because it’s just a few of us we started playing a White Elephant game on Christmas Eve to make the night a little more fun for the kids.
Our White Elephant gift game is a little different because I buy all the gifts. I figure this is a winwin for me because I like everything I buy.
Last year we had beach towels from Howler Brothers, surf wax candles, a Filson thermos, something from Sid Mashburn, a camouflage Orvis tote bag (believe it or not it was the biggest hit) and a Yeti cup. No White Elephants for sure.
I can’t tell you what I bought this year because we a re hav ing some friends over and they read this column every week and I want it to be a surprise.
I shared with the people I do church with last week that Christmas is not about us. That sounds good on a Sunday morning but somehow it does not look like real life, does it?
There’s a funny story about a kid that was a sked, “Did you ge t everything you wanted for Christmas?” The kid replied, “No, but it’s not my birthday.” That’s funny and that’s truth but again, not reality. Out of all the gifts under our skinny tree in our house not one says, “To Jesus, From Ken and Jennifer.”
How do we fix that? I’m sitting in some green wicker chairs in our living room this afternoon drinking a cold Topo while preparing for a men’s discipleship group (it’s probably the best men’s group I have ever been a part of (and you are welcome to become a part of it, just hit me up) and I‘m thinking about how do we live these Christ-centered lives that are measurable? How do we move the needle and accomplish the goals set in Scripture, like making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-29) and taking the Good News of Jesus to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)?
I get a new car bug about every two years. I started car shopping a month ago, looking for something that can carry six or seven people. We ended up at the Volvo dealership.
I like those XC90s but I’m still thinking we might end up needing to air drop the Jeep out of the back of a C-130 if I am going to share Jesus in Syria one day. I’m certain God has asked me to do that (short term missions is what we call this in the Baptist world, so don’t freak out. We are not moving to Syria) and the reason we might have to parachute into Syria is that’s about the only way into this wartorn country right now.
My point is this; I better keep the Jeep for now and skip the Volvo.
That’s one way, isn’t it? Purchase or keep vehicles based on our mission and purpose in life and not to satisfy ourselves. Drive something that serves the King? You know that baby they found in the manger about this time of the year? That’s one way we can make sure this is not about us. Happy New Year!
He told me to tell you that.
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