Give Gifts That Always Fit

So what is the worst Christmas gift you have ever given? Some of you will balk at such a question. Some of us know immediately the gift that was just not what it should have been or was meant to be.

I think there is a game that some workers play in the retail stores. It is when the worker knowingly helps a customer (usually of the male species) buy something that is really gonna make him/her look stupid. Or maybe the information they were given was not clear. Maybe it was just a mistake—an honest mistake.

One Christmas I go into the women's clothing store. I describe my petite wife to the clerk and even point out a woman that is almost the same size as my lovely wife. "I am looking for a coat to fit that size person." It seemed like a pretty good description to me. So she shows me a coat that looks really nice. I like it so I ask her to give me the correct size. Unfortunately for me, I did not ask the person the same size of my wife to try it on. I took the coat given to me, wrapped it and thought I was safe. Wrong!

Christmas Day my wife opens her package and loves the coat---for a while. The coat was large enough that BOTH of us could have gotten into it. Now for some strange reason, unknown to me to this day, you can give a woman something that is too small and still be loved. However if you go the other way you lose body parts! I STILL hear of this gift on a regular basis.

So what are some gifts we can give that always fit?

Here's a list for you: cards that are filled with goodies( i.e. good for one backrub, a night out, or "let me clean the kitchen!"), playing checkers at the local nursing home for an hour or so, an evening of babysitting for a young couple, a car wash for someone who is handicapped or elderly, cupcakes for neighborhood children, a vacuum the house or mow the lawn card, a gift card for a restaurant or show, or let me teach you how to use your computer, etc. The list goes on.

These gifts are not going to have to be returned. These gifts are gifts of the heart and soul. These gifts are timeless. These gifts are gifts about relationships.

The Christian faith teaches us during this holiday time that God does not want stuff—God wants relationships. God invites us to experience the relationship of love that God began with the birth of Jesus. Emmanuel means "God with us". Give gifts of presence to those you love. They always fit!

Pray for me as I pray for you.