Heading Toward Christmas - Thinking About Gifts Series

INTRO.- ILL.- Herb Forst in Cross River, NY, in Reader’s Digest: What not to Buy Your Wife:

1. Don’t buy anything that plugs in. Anything that requires electricity is seen as too practical.

2. Don’t buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended the other 6999 times. "Do I look like a size 16?" she’ll say. Too small a size doesn’t cut it either: "I haven’t worn a size 8 in 20 years!"

3. Avoid all things useful. The new silver polish advertised to save hundreds of hours is not going to win you any brownie points. WHO USES SILVER ANYWAY?

4. Don’t buy anything that involves weight loss or self-improvement. I WON’T TOUCH THAT ONE!

5. Don’t buy jewelry. The jewelry your wife wants, you can’t afford. And the jewelry you can afford, she doesn’t want.

6. And, guys, do not fall into the traditional trap of buying her frilly underwear. Your idea of the kind your wife should wear and what she actually wears are light years apart.

7. Finally, don’t spend too much. "How do you think we’re going to afford that?" she’ll ask. But don’t spend too little. She won’t say anything, but she’ll think, "Is that all I’m worth?"

We could get into trouble over this. I COULD GET INTO BIG TROUBLE OVER THIS ARTICLE!

Brothers and sisters, when it comes to buying gifts for one another we seldom hit a home run or buy the right gift. The only way I can do well for Elaine is when she tells me what to buy.

Of course, I give my kids money because they’re grown and I don’t have to buy them toys any more. And money always seems to do the trick! However, giving money isn’t as thoughtful probably as buying a gift, which you think they would like.

ILL.- An American Express survey about Christmas gifts found that the fruitcake was chosen most often (31%) from a list of "worst" holiday gifts. It even finished ahead of "no gift at all." When asked how to dispose of a bad gift, 30% would hide it in the closet, 21% would return it, and 19% would give it away. This suggests that the Christmas fruitcake might get recycled as a gift for the host of New Year’s party.

Anyone for a fruit cake? I doubt it.

God does better. God always does better. He gives us every good and perfect gift. James 1:17. Not all of life is good, but God does give us good stuff.

PROP.- Since we’re thinking about Christmas I think we should think about the gifts we’ve been given by God. This is just a simple reminder of how blessed we are.

I. PHYSICAL GIFTS

II Cor. 4:7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Did you know that you were a jar of clay? Basically, made from dirt?

ILL.- Little Girl: “Mother, we learned in Sunday school today that we came from dust and that we are going back to dust. Is that true?” Mother: “Yes, darling, that’s true.”

Little Girl: “Well, I just looked under the bed and someone is either coming or going.”

Genesis 2:7 “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

ILL.- In a school examination paper appeared the question, “Give an account of the creation of man.”

One little girl answer: “First, God created Adam. He looked at him and said, ‘I think if I tried again I could do better.’ Then He created Eve.”

Anyway you look at it, the human body is pretty incredible. It can take a licking and keep right on ticking! We are sometimes very abusive to the body God gave us, but it just keeps right on moving. Maybe not the best, but somewhat.

Psalm 139:13-14 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

As we age, we don’t feel wonderfully and fearfully made, however, we are! And we need to do our best to take care of these bodies that God has given us so we can serve Him!

What about your family? Are you thankful?

ILL.- Our Louise Smith is 92 years old and is now living in the South Wind Heights. She calls me quite often and wants me to come and visit her. Why? I think she’s lonely. Her husband, Tom, passed about 5 years ago and she has little family left.