To Gift Or Not To Gift

READY… “The spirit in which a thing is given determined that in which the debt is acknowledged; it’s the intention, not the face-value of the gift; that’s weighed.”  ~ Seneca (5BC – 65AD), Letters to Lucilius, 100A.D.

AIM…  Gift giving at Christmas is all about the thought and love behind the purchase, right?  Apparently that concept is wrong.  Today’s statistics show that it actually IS the gift that counts.  How sad that our society has become so wrapped up in materialism that a simple gift or a handmade creation is underappreciated, if not completely unappreciated. The pressure of giving the perfect gift has caused some folks to resort to gift cards, cash or eliminating gift exchanges altogether.  The following Christmas story is a great illustration of this concept…not to mention a funny situation.

Buy Your Own Present

 

Last Christmas, grandpa was feeling his age, and found that shopping for Christmas gifts had become too difficult. So he decided to send checks to everyone instead.

In each card he wrote, "Buy your own present!" and mailed them early.

 He enjoyed the usual flurry of family festivities, and it was only after the holiday that he noticed that he had received very few cards in return. Puzzled over this, he went into his study, intending to write a couple of his relatives and ask what had happened. It was then, as he cleared off his cluttered desk that he got his answer. Under a stack of papers, he was horrified to find the gift checks which he had forgotten to enclose with the cards.

After a horrified chuckle, Grandpa realized that many of his family members didn’t even send a card to wish him well. Was this because they didn’t receive a gift? Was Christmas really just a time to exchange “thank you” cards for the gifts his family expected?  Let’s all take away a lesson from this story; be intentional about being grateful this Christmas.  No matter what gift you receive, be thankful that someone thought enough to give you a special treat, purchased with you in mind.  And if you find yourself in a situation where you do not receive a gift you might be expecting, don’t be ungrateful, simply redirect your thoughts and enjoy spending time together and making memories.  After all, gifts come and go and eventually get donated or sold in garage sales; fond memories, however, last in our hearts and minds forever.

FIRE!   Get crazy this Christmas and give an unsuspecting person a special gift.  You can simply bake cookies or you can give a gift card for an ice cream shop.  Whatever you do, give from your heart and enjoy the happy moment shared with your recipient.

Be Excellent!

Lori

Freedom Isn't Always Free

READY… “We have enjoyed so much freedom for so long that we are perhaps in danger of forgetting how much blood it cost to establish the Bill of Rights.”  ~Felix Frankfurter

AIM… In celebration and respect of Independence Day for the United States of America, I’ve been thinking about how we, as Americans, pay homage to our freedom.  Yep, you guessed it…barbeque and fireworks!  Nothing says thank you for our freedom like baked beans, grilled burgers and the vibrant sight of sparklers at dusk.  Now you know I’m being a little sarcastic here.  However, I had you thinking for a moment, didn’t I?  I would venture to guess the majority of us never served in the military so we cannot possibly appreciate giving up our personal freedoms to serve and fight for everyone else’s.  There’s no way we could ever really know what it’s like to stand guard on a sandy desert in 100+ degree heat or to wade through murky jungle swamps or to help millions of victims from a terrorist attack.  No, for most of us, those scenarios are simply scenes from action movies and television dramas made for us ordinary folks who love and enjoy our freedom to live life the way we want to live.  And so, to each and every one of our American heroes who have served in any way to protect and retain the freedoms we love and take for granted, I salute you.  Thank you seems so insignificant in comparison to your ultimate sacrifice.  However, for now, at least some of us are able to recognize and acknowledge your extreme loyalty and fierce commitment to a cause much larger than yourself.  So this Fourth of July, raise those hot dogs, watermelon slices and ice cold beers in a toast to the men and women who have fought to keep our country free so we can celebrate year after year with a day off work to picnic with friends and family and to be grateful for the other 364 days when we can do most anything we want with our lives.  God Bless the USA and all the fighting men and women who serve our country! 

FIRE!   Happy 4^th of July!  If you know someone who is serving in the US military, please take a moment to send him or her an email, Facebook message or a card acknowledging the extreme gratitude you have for your freedom.  Chances are he isn’t enjoying a lip-smacking BBQ rib; he is probably suited up, awaiting orders from the commanding officer.

Be Excellent!

Lori