About 10 years ago Jane and I went to Maui. On the third day she got very sick. I rushed her to the hospital where they told us that she had an infection that, unless they could identify the microbe in time, would certainly take her life. It was literally a race to save her life. I got out of the expensive, resort hotel room and found a “dive” near the hospital so I could walk back and forth every day. It was touch and go for about 7 days. On day two I went into a mall that I was walking by and bought her an expensive necklace. It was something I wanted to do. It had great meaning for me. About a year later, Jane told me how much the gift meant to her in that it said to her, “we’re going to beat this thing and get on with our lives. I mean, why would I be buying her an expensive necklace if I thought she was going to die?”
Giving good gifts. It is so powerful, a source of great satisfaction and joy, both for the one giving it and the one receiving it. How have you experienced this in your life? In the next few weeks this will be our focus as we live our lives in relationship with Jesus, in the blessing and lifestyle of “giving good gifts.”
In connection with our focus, we would like to give every family what we think is a very good gift; the book “Plastic Donuts.” The writer looks at this question of “Giving Good Gifts” from a unique perspective that I know has already been a blessing in my life and I am sure will be a blessing in your life as well as he looks at the power of gifts, the way we give, and to whom we give. Because finally, “Giving Good Gifts” is a wonderful, life-giving and life-enriching gift in our lives!
Sunday, March 1st The Heart of the Matter
Plastic Donuts? What’s that all about? It’s what we talk about today. It’s the heart of everything. It’s about our relationship with God. This honestly is from a perspective you perhaps have never thought of before. It’s worth taking a look.
Sunday, March 8th Does The Gift Matter?
People like to say, “it’s the heart that counts” when it comes to gift giving. But is this true? Doesn’t the gift reveal the heart? It’s what we talk about today.
Rule #1: There Are No Rules
Ok. What are the rules? Have you noticed that whenever we make relationships about rules we lose something? When it comes to Giving Good Gifts, there honestly are no rules. But where does that leave us? It’s what we talk about today.
Because You Can
So, if there are no rules, why do we give?...And are there any insights to help us? This is our focus today.
The Heart Matters
Bottom line. The opposite Bookend of week one. The heart is what matters. It’s about relationship. Why? Because that is what life is about!