A Christmas Virtue: Receiving a Gift

Did you know that receiving a gift is in itself a gift that we give to our gift giver? I know it sounds complicated but take a second to read that statement over. Simply put, the way we embrace the gift someone has given us is a gift that we are able to give the giver as they enjoy our smile, our sincere expression of joy, and our words of gratitude.

I am proud to say that this year I graciously accepted every single gift I received with love and thankfulness. It wasn't always this way. However this year I did things a little differently and made a concerted effort to thank the gift giver and enjoy the thoughtfulness whether I liked the gift or not. What helped me was the prompting I received from the Holy Spirit to pray before opening my gifts. This enabled me to be thankful for everything I received simply because someone took the time to think of me, spend their time at a store, invest their energy wrapping a gift for me, and selflessly share with me a portion of their resources that perhaps they could've used on themselves. That sounds like more than enough to give thanks.

My gifts this year were all amazing. I thank God for the generosity my mom demonstrates year after year in that her joy comes from giving to us. I hope to someday be that kind of a giver. My husband also gave me some pretty wonderful presents. However my favorite gift was not an actual gift at all. Instead it was how he listened to my cues and went for the things that I really wanted like the work-out attire he carefully picked out for me and the time he spent in finding gifts that he knew would be just right for me.

On a scale of 1 - 10 how do you fair you did in receiving your gifts? Maybe there was a major disappointment, maybe someone lost a job this year and was not able to financially give you what they would've liked or perhaps you feel like what they got it all wrong and gave you a gift that doesn't suit you. May I suggest that you thank them publicly and when the time is right consider speaking to them privately to reach a resolution. However keep in mind that the most important thing is not that we receive everything that was on our wish list this year but rather that we were able to make those that took their time and invested in us feel like it was well worth it. It's not so much about the actual gift as it is about the attitude of our heart that makes all the difference.

Here I am receiving one of the gifts my husband lovingly picked out for me.

My husband's smile after receiving his new guitar pedal from his Secret Santa, Vito.

Here is one of my favorite expressions this Christmas: the face of shock Danielle had when she unwrapped her new camera.

Once reality set in, she couldn't help but cry tears of joy.

Here is our new photographer enjoying her new gift.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Saudades

Today when we got home we found a lovely surprise from The Trindade Family.

They really didn't have to but I do appreciate their thoughtfulness. I especially loved the handwritten notes our nieces wrote for us.


And although Serenata de Amor is oh, "muito gostoso", I'd trade in that box of chocolate any day for these faces.


Quantas saudades!!!

Some thoughts about this week...

This week I went back to school and I had a new companion with me. I took my very own ACER Aspire One Mini Laptop to class. I'm actually blogging from what my hubby so accurately and lovingly named "Indy's Blogging Machine" right now. It was a Christmas gift from my husband which at first I didn't think I need but I have really come to find not only very practical but one of the most thoughtful gifts I have received from my husband (eventhough I didn't see that at first....he knew better what I needed than I did). Thank you so much my love.


This week I also commited to participating in the 40 day Love Dare challenge with Focus on the Family. I can't tell you what a blessing it has been for our marriage so far. Initially it was a secret (I didn't want to tell my husband I was doing it, I wanted him to see it from my actions) but I had to reveal to him the motive for last night's Love Dare question. He said he noticed and that the way I have been treating him has motivated him to act the same way in return. This is only the beginning of a what I am hoping to turn into a habit. Check it out over at focusonthefamily.org or www.bhpublishinggroup.com/lovedare/.

Today we had a great day with a beautiful family, "The Sanchez's" doing one of our favorite things: talking and eating a good BBQ. It was wonderful sharing with them. There are few things in life that are more important than spending time with good friends. Some say they are hard to come across but God has graciously placed many in our path.

Tomorrow is a big day for us. Sundays always are. It's so awesome to see how God is working through Lucas at Doral Baptist Church. I never imagined being where we are at today and I am convinced that it's only going to get better. Thank you my love for leading me. All I can do is look forward to following you to places I have never dreamed of nor imagined. It is a privilege, an honor, a blessing, and a great joy to be your wife.

The Gift

So yesterday was the last day of class and although most of the students I teach come from very low socio economic statuses I saw how they made an effort to give their teacher a gift. It wasn't so much about the value of the gift but about the thought they put into it.

One of my students made me a robot mask out of a napkin. I was so tempted to throw it in the trash (if I were to keep everything they gave me I would need to rent a storage room just to store everything). I told him, "I really like what you made for me but I'm not really going to use it...would you like it back?" His response was, "Put it on your refrigerator." That really touched me because this is one of the three boys in my classroom that did not get to participate in the McDonald's party (first year I've ever excluded anyone) because of misbehavior. I am tough on him and eventhough I discipline him he still loves me. As a matter of fact, I think he loves me more because of it.

It's funny isn't it because I relate it to our God. He loves us so much that when we make wrong choices we pay the consequences, yet he never stops loving us. And the more we have messed up in the past, the more we will love him simply because the more he has rescued us.

You see, I am not perfect and I did not make all the right choices in life. I know what it feels like to mess up but I also know God's forgiveness. I am so glad that I am forgiven (past, present and future). What an awesome gift God has given us.

I encourage you this Christmas to remember the real meaning behind Christmas. I know how hard it can be as we get bombarded with invitations to family gatherings, fight traffic and lines at the malls to find the perfect gift for that special someone and consume more sweets in one week than we have all year long (at least it feels that way for me) but take some time to think about the real gift, Jesus. He didn't come into this world as he deserved to come, as the King but he came as an innocent baby, pure and blameless and took our sins upon himself so that we would have salvation.

Jesus is the real gift this Christmas.

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Luke 2:9-12