“Great Gifts to Give Your Family and Friends!” (God card #6 – Christmas)

Sing with me: “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”

With that in mind, I was thinking about this season of giving and some ideas came to mind for you. Christmas is a time for celebration, lifting up the greatest gift ever given to us – Jesus!

Father God broke through the boundaries of heaven and earth and sent his son to walk with us, talk with us, eat with us and ultimately die for us. He was the end to law and a bridge to life. Jesus Christ carried us back to the arms of Father God and gave us the gift of coming home safe in the embrace of our Lord and Creator as it was intended from the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:4-7). Because of this, we celebrate! We carry on the theme of gifts, and we give to others. It is in the gift that we are reminded of the greatest gift that we have been given. So, I just wanted to share with you some great gift ideas for you to give your family this holiday season as you live out his love.

1. Celebrate good choices. Find a jar and some marbles, beads, pennies, or something. Every time your children make a good choice, have them put a marble in the jar. Once the marbles have all been placed in the jar, go out on a family date of their choosing. I know that I have told you guys about this before, but I was just reminded this morning how great of an idea this is! Maya, Ada and Carson had all brushed teeth and picked up the living room before we left for school after I asked only once. AMAZING! As we walked into the kitchen, I had a chance to celebrate them with letting them all put a marble in the jar. It sets such a positive tone and gives us all a reason to anticipate a great family outing!

2. Look your children in the eye. Again, I know that I have shared this one with you before, but it is also so important and something that I easily forget. Give your children moments of your focused attention, kneeling right at their level, eye to eye. I continue to be amazed at how this lifts my kids. I see their expressions illuminate, and the story gets much more descriptive. They are feeling valued and heard, and it is priceless.

3. Make a date with your spouse. We have all heard the statistics of great marriages breeding great kids! But great marriages take work, intentional conversation and once again focused attention. At least once a week, create such a moment with your spouse. It could be over dinner at a restaurant or it could be on the couch with the TV off and feet up. While you are lingering there together, ask each other two questions: What was your greatest challenge this week and what was your greatest celebration? Again, I have been amazed at the benefits that these three things have given to our marriage: focused time and two simple but probing questions. It improves our communication; it creates a meeting ground of understanding and gives us a chance to speak from the deeper places of our heart and mind.

4. Teach your children to say, “I believe in you” to their Daddy. You just have no idea the strength you impart to your spouse as you and your kids look him in the eye and speak these words of encouragement and support before he leaves for a day at his workplace.

5. At dinner, ask more questions like what was the best thing that happened today? What was something funny that you saw today? How were you a good friend today? You can think of many more yourself. And make sure you and your spouse answer as well!

6. Make a list of the people in your life that are gifts to you and then tell them. For a few years, we have actually made ornaments to give to these friends with a note saying: “You have been a gift to the Hagan family this year!” It is a great tradition.

7. Read these great verses about Father God being a generous giver of great gifts! These are verses from the God Card #6, Christmas – John 10:10, 2 Samuel 7:28, 2 Peter 1:3-4, 1 John 3:1, Psalm 16:5-11, Psalm 34:7-8, Mark 6:30-44, Psalm 29:11, Psalm 81:10,16, Psalm 145:16 and Hosea 2:19-20, 23.

Merry Christmas and Merry Gift Giving!