Christmas gifts for her children

Eileen Button, a weekly column writer for The Flint Journal in Michigan, wrote a column that was in a December issue of The Journal about things that her children wanted for Christmas. Let me share her article with you this week.

Ms. Button says that three Christmas wish lists decorate the front of her fridge, which is evidence of her children’s material hearts’ desires. One peek at the list will tell you that her kids are growing up.

Her oldest son, the one who once upon a time wished for a remote control dinosaur, was now asking for an upper-ear piercing, something that she would call a gateway piercing; a go-cart in which to ride the streets of their subdivision and a trampoline, because one tramp-induced broken leg in her family was not enough.

Her daughter, who once wished for “ice skates” and a few forbidden video games, now wanted something that would blow away friends and a tanning membership.

Her youngest son was taking lessons from his teenage siblings. He was asking for a slushy machine, a video camera for a 10-year-old and something called floating balls, whatever those are.

There were other items on her children’s list and some were almost reasonable, but the things they wanted were either completely out of her limited price range or completely out of her value system.

Eileen had been seeking the counsel of friends who also manage their children’s outlandish expectations. Some advised her to buy gift certificates or to just say no. Her friend Kelly joked that she should give her kids gold, frankincense and myrrh, but gold is expensive and it is mighty tough to find frankincense and myrrh.

Meanwhile, time ticked away as the front of the fridge screamed “Christmas Is Coming” and that she needed to do something fast. Like most parents, Ms. Button wanted to give her children good gifts because she loved them, so in the spirit of the season she wrestled with what exactly made a good gift.

During this time Matthew 7:11 had been rattling around in her brain. “If you then know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.”

She had never written an official “wish list” to be posted on God’s fridge, but she has prayed for some huge things over the years. The gifts she eventually received were not always what she thought she was asking for.

For instance, she wished for financial assistance, and was given the gift of learning to live within her means. She wished for strength, and was given the gift of weakness, which reminded her that her strength came from God. She wished for answers, and was given the gift of silence, teaching her to pray, listen and wait. She wished for patience, and was given the gift of teenagers, which confirmed her belief that God had a fabulous sense of humor.

On Christmas morning, her children will open their gifts from parents who adore them. For the most part, they will not receive the things they asked for, and as they unwrap their gifts they may be surprised, but they will know that they are being given from the hearts of loving parents who know what is best for them.

HHJ News