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The Devotional Diva - Inside Christmas Presents
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The Devotional Diva - Inside Christmas Presents
By Barbara Gobbs
Executive Assistant and Ministry Partner - Pocket Full of Change Ministries
“. . . but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23(NAS95)
I thought I’d introduce you to our new cat: Kitty Kat. We brought her home in June. She came with the name and we were too concerned with causing her an identity crisis to change it. She is a dainty little female Calico as you can see. This week she displayed a few quirks that were both unexpected and amusing.
Last week, I broke out the Christmas decorations and merrily began to, well – decorate! My offerings to our home are slim this year as I cleaned out the old, ragged and broken items before we moved.
It satisfied my soul to retrieve my Nativity and placed in plain view. It brightened my smile to place seasonal snowmen on the plant ledges across the living room. They are more winter decoration than Christmas, a happy reminder of a few white Christmases in Denver – not too mention a white Halloween, Thanksgiving and even one White Easter!
Bob hung strands of lights outside on our freshly painted house. The icicle lights complimented the new Victorian green color on the exposed wood siding. The one thing yet to complete is to put up our tree with a plethora of multi-colored, twinkling lights for the inside. I hope to accomplish this tomorrow. Meanwhile, I was able to locate and place near where the tree will stand, two lighted present cubes. They are just a square frame of lights with a bow on top. Not solid, you can put your hand through them.
Within hours of placing these square objects of de-light, we noticed Kitty snooping around them. That of itself wasn’t too unusual, given the curious nature of cats. A few moments later, our cat presented us with the perfect Kodak opportunity. That rascal had climbed inside the cube and claimed it as her own personal tanning bed!
I ran for the camera and got off several shots before she decided to ignore me and move to another location. In the last few days, we’ve caught the cat napping with her head enclosed in this lighted square or cutely curled up behind it. I figure she is attracted to the heat emitted by the lights.
Whatever my feline friend’s reason for being so fascinated with this decoration, it isn’t unlike the nature of a child at Christmas. On Christmas morning, the first thing every boy and girl desires is to get into the Christmas presents.
As I opened those thoughts in my heart, Jesus opened another. Shouldn’t our first desires revolve around letting the Christmas Presence into us!
Several of us on Sunday couldn’t help be rehash the news of a retail employee’s death on “Black Friday.” We had to wonder what kind of Christmas presence was present when people trampled this person down to save 20% on a television set or whatever item was on their list.
You know, I like shopping just as much as the next woman does. I like to give gifts and I’d be lying to say I didn’t like getting them. But not like that!
I believe we all need to go into this sacred season with a heart already filled with the sanctity of the season and not the commercial chaos. Why be part of the madness when we can be part of the sanity?
The most treasured gift we’ll ever receive is one already given. While it was free, it didn’t come cheap. It’s yours for the unwrapping and you can re-gift all you want! In fact, I think that re-gifting to others would put a smile on the Giver’s Holy face, if you catch my meaning!
It’s Christmas Presence inside me getting out onto others. What a simple thought Jesus reminded me of, but one worthy of the repeating. I hope He keeps repeating it until I get it right! Let me encourage you with the same advice. Before you start to worry about getting into the presents, let the Presence get into you!
Remember the Reason for this season!
Barbara
Barbara Gobbs is a ministry partner with and the Executive Assistant of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information, to schedule a speaker for an event, or to request a newsletter, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden, Publicist at 904 316-5462. This ministry is supported by donations. If this ministry helps you or others, and God calls you to help support this work, you can make a donation to Pocket Full of Change Ministry at POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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