"Do you have any gifts to exchange?"

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Three sons were discussing their Christmas gifts for their mother. The first said, "I built a big house for our mother." The second son said, "I sent her a luxury automobile with a driver." The third son said, "You remember how our mother enjoys reading the Good Book and now she can’t see very well. I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites every chapter and verse. It took the elders twelve years to teach him. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot recites it."

When the mother wrote her thank you notes, she wrote to the first son, "The house you built is too big. I live in one room, but have to clean them all." To the second son she wrote, "I’m too old to travel and the driver is rude." To the third son she wrote, "Thank you so much! The chicken was delicious!"

So do you have any gifts to exchange? Whatever you exchange, make sure you keep at least one gift—God with us.

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"So what presents did you open this morning?"

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Designer pants from a name-brand store? Another pair of blue socks and a white shirt? A green lamp?
Really, what did you get? Did you find any peace on earth, good will to all people as you tore open your presents? As you carefully saved that gift bag, did you pull out a single candle to light in the curse of darkness?
As you shook that big package to see what it was, did you hear any songs to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony?

Or, was it just another pair of designer pants from a name-brand store, pair of blue socks, a white shirt, and this year’s big novelty toy in a pear tree?

May I give a gift to you right now? May God bless you with peace and good will, joy and harmony today and for the rest of your life.

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"Are you ready for the big night tonight?"

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Do you remember when you were a child how excited you got getting ready for Santa Claus? You made your wish list of toys and treasures and impatiently waited until the night that lasts longer than any other night—Christmas Eve.

Our daughter, when she was a preschooler, anticipated the longest night of the year and dictated her Christmas wish list to her mother. When she knelt by her bed to pray with me, she said, "Daddy, I want to pray to Santa Claus." Surprised by her remark, I said, "Why?" And she said, "Because you won’t let me ask God for toys so I want to ask Santa Claus."

As you prepare for the longest night of the year and the visit of a jolly ole elf, remember to say your prayers and ask God to visit you, too. For it’s God who brings the greatest gifts of all. Listen to life tonight for what God has to say.

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"Are you more negative or positive?"

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I saw a guy on a television morning show recently talking about how to save money around your home so you can buy more presents. Some of his suggestions were pretty good, but one was…well, you tell me. He said to take your toilet paper roll, squash it, and then hang it. That would make it more difficult for your family members to pull paper off. They would use less. You save money. Talk about dwelling on the negative…I can just see me doing this with my wife and two daughters.

I thought more about his suggestion and focused on something positive. When our older daughter was small, we saved the cardboard roll for her from toilet paper and paper towels. She called them "dooters" and put them up to her mouth, making a "dooting" noise like a kazoo and marching around our home. Then I showed her how to decorate them with crayons and pipe cleaners and Styrofoam balls, making little puppets which we used to put on shows.

So which sounds like more fun, more of a gift to you—the negative or the positive? Be positive and give the gift of your creativity as you make a life.

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"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. Our younger daughter is experiencing this version of "season’s greetings" for the first time this year. It’s interesting…

If the store’s owner waits on you, 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. 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; a person who’s a daughter or son trying to earn a little extra money this year, someone like you who’s doing the best she can to listen to life and make a life and a living.

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