Gifts

I hear a lot of grumblings about the commercialism of Christmas and how people hate the materialistic gift giving side of things, but I love giving gifts any time of year, and at Christmas, it’s a thrill like no other.  It’s not about commercialism for me, it’s about being thoughtful and giving something that says they’re special.  Gift giving is our tradition here in America – one that stemmed, I’m sure, from the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus, honoring His birth.  That’s part of what feels so good about Christmas gifts – they’re given in His honor.

With that in mind, the most exciting gift we give each year is the one we give to Jesus. After all, it’s His birthday we’re celebrating.  In years past we’ve purchased gifts for the Angel Tree program that provides for kids whose parents are in prison, or we’ve donated money to buy milk and peanut butter for hungry kids in Mexico.  Last year we sponsored a child in Congo, which is a long-term commitment, but well worth it.  Each year we do something different, and this year we decided to donate a few hours at Friendship House in Mount Vernon, serving dinner to the hungry right here in our own community.

I’m not sure what I expected, but I was a little nervous signing up to do such a thing.  Our church provides a meal once a month to this local homeless shelter and many hands make for light work, so several people get involved in the process.  Some cook the food, some do the set up, and last Saturday night, my husband, son, and I did the serving.  It was actually a very joyful experience, as we dished up over 50 plates of food to those who had been standing outside in the rain waiting to get a hot meal. No one is ever turned away.   Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available for anyone, and all that is asked in return is that they wash their hands when they enter the building. 

The atmosphere in their small dining hall seemed more like that of a local coffee shop than a homeless shelter. The variety of customers was also a bit shocking as a father brought in his tiny boy, lots of older folks were there, a backpacker, a young couple - there was no defining attribute that said this person would otherwise not have a hot meal if the doors weren’t open.  They joked around with each other, asked how they’ve been, and even tried to speak a little Norwegian to us once they learned their Swedish meatballs were being served up by Norskies.  As he approached the counter, one young man stated emphatically, “Thank you for taking the time to serve us today.”  

Serving: that was one of the things that Jesus modeled in His days here on earth.  I trust He enjoyed our gift of service.  Besides, giving of our time was way more fun than just writing a check.