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

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

READY... “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

AIM…  Every once in awhile I’ll stumble across a situation that really makes me scratch my head and think.  I must admit, while these scenarios certainly stretch my brain, they also make me snicker or laugh really hard.  See for yourself and let me know if you figure out any of the answers or if they have you wondering hmmmm as well.

·         If nothing ever sticks to Teflon, how do they make Teflon stick to the pan?

·         What do people in China call their good plates?

·         If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent

·         What was the best thing before sliced bread?

·         How come there aren't B batteries?

·         How is it possible to have a “civil” war?

·         If the #2 pencil is so popular, why is it still #2?

·         What happens to an 18 hour bra after 18 hours?

·         Why do tourists go to the tops of tall buildings and then put money into telescopes so they can see things on the ground close-up?

·         What happened to the first 6 "ups"?

·         Why do hot dogs come 10 to a package and hot dog buns only 8?

·         How do you know that honesty is the best policy until you have tried some of the others?

·         Can you buy an entire chess set in a pawn shop?

·         What if someone died in the living room?

·         Where in the nursery rhyme does it say Humpty Dumpty is an egg?

·         Why do people tell you when they are speechless?

·         Why do we have hot water heaters when hot water doesn't need to be heated?

·         Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

·         Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "asteroids"?

·         What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it’s all about?

FIRE!   Admit it, you laughed and actually recited the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme to yourself to make sure there wasn’t any mention of an egg, right?  Great!  At least now I know you enjoyed a laugh or two to start your day.  Feel free to forward and share these scalp-scratching scenarios with your friends so they can laugh with you!

Be Excellent!

Lori