Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
If you ask my kids what their most memorable Christmas was, you may be surprised by their answer. It was the year they only got three gifts apiece. And these were not big gifts either. Money has always been tight around here. We were usually able to make ends meet with just a little left over for the fun, nonessential things, but this one Christmas—we were broke.
I don’t remember what I got them that year. I did the best I could but when I looked at the small pile of gifts, I felt horrible. I explained the situation to the kids. They seemed to understand. There had been hard times before. The closer to Christmas, the worse I felt. It wasn’t until Christmas Eve night after the kids went to bed that a plan hit me, one that might make things seem a little better.
I went outside in my PJ’s with a flashlight and hid all of the gifts. I stayed up late drawing up maps and giving clues that would lead them all over the house and yard before finally leading them to their gifts. I didn’t sleep well. I still felt sick when we all got up the next morning. There was a shocked look on their faces when they searched beneath the tree for the three measly gifts I had told them to expect and found nothing. I wondered if I had made a huge mistake. They were teenagers after all. They might have thought it was the stupidest idea ever.
I handed them each a page and explained that we were having a treasure hunt and their faces lit up. We all ended up outside. My husband and I watched as they went off in different directions. One would find a gift and the others would come running to see what they had gotten. They went back to searching for their own gifts with more excitement than they felt before.
At first I thought they were just acting excited to make me feel better, but it lasted for the rest of that day—long after the gifts were forgotten. They told the story of the treasure hunt over and over as we visited with family that day. As a matter of fact, they still talk about it and remember it as the best Christmas they ever had.
That Christmas gave proof to the thing we all know deep in our hearts, even when we forget at times. It is not about the gifts. Yes, it is first and foremost a time of celebrating the ultimate Gift of Jesus Christ. But it is also about love shared with family and friends. It is a time for joy and fellowship.
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Andrea Boyd has always been a dreamer. Once her most awesome job of raising her wonderful children was over, she decided to take up the challenge of putting these dreams into words and sharing them with the rest of the world.
Besides writing, she loves spending time with her family, quilting, going to car shows, and driving around in her 1968 Barracuda convertible.
Andrea lives with her husband, Tommy, and at least a couple of cats in York County, SC. You can find her on the web: www.andreaboyd11.wix.com/author.
Securing Aisling
Queen Brianna of Aisling must find a husband or risk losing the right to rule her kingdom. She decides to marry the son of her nemesis, King Coman of Gilvary, but her selection is not pleasing to everyone.
King Coman has been plotting to take control of Aisling for years. Queen Brianna’s choice causes him to have to come up with a new plan—one that could prove deadly for the newly wedded couple.
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