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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"Tonight’s the big night—are you ready?"

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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 this 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 gift of all—love. Listen to life tonight for what God has to say.

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"What’s your perfect gift?"

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We’re all searching for the perfect holiday gift, the perfect something for someone who has everything and needs nothing, right? Sure there’s lots of stuff to buy, but that just right something is elusive at times.

My parents gave me a gift recently that you definitely would not want. My wife didn’t want it and my daughters think it’s ridiculous, but it’s the perfect gift for me. My parents gave me the ugliest green lamp you’ve ever seen, with a matching green, metal shade. The lamp is shaped like a ship with gold painting on the front and the sails have a tiny light bulb with a separate switch that you turn on and it lights up the color slides behind the sails. Trust me, it’s even uglier than it sounds.

But this lamp belonged to my grandmother and every time I went to her house, I sneaked into her bedroom to play with it, lighting up the sails, and pretending to sail the Seven Seas. So it has lots of special memories for me and that’s why it’s in my office.

Sometimes the perfect gift doesn’t cost a lot or is even pretty, but sent by God.

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"What will you give?"

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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 as you make a life, not just a living.

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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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