It’s A Wrap (12/152024)

Yesterday, my granddaughter came for a visit and brought her gifts to wrap. My island countertop is large and spacious, offering the perfect set up for wrapping gifts. I got out the tape, the ribbon and the scissors. She brought her own paper. And as she wrapped, we talked, catching up on the latest in each other’s lives and planning for her upcoming wedding in May. As she wrapped, I watched her place her item on the paper and then tumble it once to the left and four times upward. Then she’d cut her paper, always to perfection. I asked her where she learned to do that. She smiled and answered, “You taught me.” And I smiled.

We try to share what we have learned with those we love. We hope that they find value in our offerings. It warms our hearts when we see them using it or when they quote us. I recall a family gathering a couple of years back when my grandsons in their 20s spoke to my youngest grandsons about their behavior on the family room furniture, “Always use things for the purpose for which they were created; sofas are for sitting” they said. And I smiled. I knew where they’d heard that before.

As I plan for our family gathering, I am planning for my usual Christmas story. It’s how I share my faith with the family. The youngest and the oldest grandchildren all join in with the answers. And when it is time to eat, we give thanks to the LORD first for the blessings of family and of life and the food we will share. I pray that they not only remember the story behind the celebration but my sincere faith in telling it and my joy in believing it. And I pray that they will always feel the need and desire to lift their voices in prayer to the LORD.

During this season of preparations and celebrations, may we take the time while we are together to share our faith, our hope and our love. Sometimes it will be with actions. But let us not shy away from sharing it out loud, speaking of our faith with our family and loved ones. Remember Paul’s words in Romans 10:14-15: But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And can they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news.’”

Let us be people of deep faith, of resilient hope, of sincere love this day and all days and let us share what we have been blessed to receive with others. The Good News was never meant to be a secret.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.