"Who waits on you?"

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‘Tis the season, isn’t it? ‘Tis the season to shop for the perfect gift, to crowd the shopping centers and superstores and malls in pursuit of the prize—a personal, just-right gift for someone special.

Well, as you’re pushing and perusing and pursuing, look up and see the person you’re paying. That person is most likely working a lot of long hours right now, standing on her feet day after day, trying to help you and thousands of others find the perfect gift. He’s probably been moving boxes of merchandise and unloading trucks until late at night.

If she owns the store, she’s praying that she’ll do well this season, knowing that she needs to do up to 50% or more of her annual business in about eight weeks. And he’s still expected to have season’s greetings for every customer. That’s a lot of pressure for anybody to be under.

So as you shop, look up and see the person you’re paying as a person, someone like you who’s doing the best she can to listen to life and make a life and a living…and smile and wish him Merry Christmas.

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"What will you give this holiday season?"

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Sue and Tom had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a great dog, but he had one character flaw—he was a thief. He was constantly taking stuff—clothing, shoes, and anything else he could get his mouth around—downstairs to his toy box in the basement and hiding it.

Sue discovered that she had breast cancer. And she didn’t handle the diagnosis very well, even convinced that she would die from the illness. She even worried about leaving Lucky, who was her dog more than Tom’s.
The double mastectomy presented more complications for Sue than the doctors anticipated. When she came home, she couldn’t even make it to the bedroom upstairs. She just fell on the sofa and went to sleep.

She woke up later feeling very hot, like she was smothering. She realized that she was covered with something. Lucky had brought all of his favorite toys from the basement and piled them on top of her. He covered her with his love. Sue is still cancer-free today.

Choose to cover others with the gift of God’s love this holiday season.

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"Do you share?"

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A little girl received a birthday present in the mail. She ripped open the box with all of the enthusiasm a four-year-old has and quickly pulled out her gifts. She found a movie that she had told her Mommy she really, really wanted and a digital camera of her very own that she could take pictures of all of her friends with. She was so excited!

Well, during all of her opening of her gifts, her six-year-old brother watched with patient anticipation, to see if his aunt and uncle had included a gift for him. No, it wasn’t his birthday, but they must have sent something to him, too. But there was nothing in the box with his name on it. Still he really wanted that digital camera so he told his sister, "I’m sure they meant for me to have that camera. They just forget to put my name on it."

Of course, his sister replied, "No, it’s mine!" Then she added, "But I’ll share it with you."

So much of what we have came to as gifts from others. And someone else will probably want it at some point. Will you at least share it with them?

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"Where's your focus?"

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A young man was talking with his grandfather recently. The young man had knee surgery a couple of months ago and his grandfather asked how his recovery was progressing. "Well," the young man said, "the doctor told me I won’t be able to run, play basketball or baseball, ski or anything like that again. My first thought was that I won’t be able to teach my child—if I have one—how to dive for a baseball or play defense on basketball."

His grandfather was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Well son, pull out a piece of paper and on the left side, write down all the things that you could do with and teach your child. And then on the right side, write down all of the things that you won’t be able to do with your child. And when you’re done, you’ll see that the left side far outweighs the right."

The young man said, "You’re right," made his list, and decided to focus on what he could do instead of what he couldn’t.

Today, when you’re focusing on what you can’t do, ask God to show you what you can. Make your list. Then listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

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"Do you ever get lost?"

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I traveled to a speaking engagement out of town. I printed out my directions from the group’s website, provided by one of those map websites. I made it to the city just fine, but quickly discovered that the mileage on the map was way off; so off in fact, that I pretty soon had no idea where I was.

So I just followed my nose a bit and then did what we men find incredibly challenging—stopped and asked directions. And to top it off—asked directions from a woman. And not just a woman. A car full of women.

They were so kind. "Oh sir, you’re not that far off," one of them said. And the driver gave me most excellent directions, which I repeated back to her to make sure I understood. I got them correct and she said, "You’re handsome and smart." "And very grateful for your help, ladies," I replied.

Some time during this month, you may get lost. You know, forget where you are in the midst of all the busyness. Or, why you’re buying presents or going to parties. When you do, just stop and ask God for directions to the meaning in this season. You may not be that far off, as you listen to life and make a life.

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