With nineteen shopping days left until Christmas (sixteen if
you don’t shop on Sunday), the window to purchase or make things for everyone on
your list is rapidly closing. I spent several days in the last week with my
Dad, helping him select and wrap some very special gifts for his children. With
Mom’s death just eleven months ago, this first Christmas without her will be
one that merits extra care and love in how our family celebrates Christmas
together this year.
With gift giving a nearly universal theme at this time of
year, there is also a great opportunity to hone personal attitudes or
philosophies about things. I’ve been mulling over the word “things” the last
couple of days as a back-study to another writing project. Like savoring a good
cup of coffee with Dad on the front porch on a 70-degree afternoon in December,
I have enjoyed this time to reflect at a very deep and satisfying level.
How many more things do we really need? Depending on our age
and life circumstance, the answer might be nothing at all (we need to downsize
instead), to needing basics for supplying a well ordered home. For gift-givers,
answering that question helps in selecting a gift that will be meaningful, a
true expression of love and care.
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| Christmas Angel from My Mom |
Here are a few questions to ask before adding physical things
to our lives or foisting things on others: How will this thing add to our enjoyment of
life? To our character? To the smooth running of our home? Is beauty, utility,
helpfulness, enjoyment, or fun the real thing that this particular thing gives?
Will this thing increase opportunities for community, resourcefulness, sharing,
or other wider circles in my life? Will this thing help me celebrate special occasions with good memories of someone dearly loved?
What are things anyway? Things
is one of those handy, catchall words that has a wide net to its meaning: physical items; an object of thought;
matters; a fact; circumstance(s) or state of affairs.
I was intrigued to find in a Bible search for the word
“things” that it occurs between 500 and 1200 times (depending on the
translation). It’s right up there among the high-hitters in terms of number of
occurrences, far more than even love,
money, or faith. I guess God has
a lot to say about things!
Things in the
Bible always has some kind of adjective or modifier: all things, these things, those things, such things, a few things. It’s interesting to note
that all things and these things very often are in reference
to something about God; what He has done or said. Those things and such things often
refer to actions or ideas that are anti-God.
The four lists that follow all come from passages in the Bible.
Things are often
presented in contrasting pairs:
Holy things / Accursed things
Good things / Evil things
Pleasant things / Monstrous things
Earthly things / Heavenly things
Useless things / Necessary things
Spiritual things / Material things
Weak things / Mighty things
Former things / New things
Sacred things / Wicked things
Things which are not / Things which are
Things of the Lord / Things of the world
Colorful, strong modifiers accompany things we should run
away from:
Abominable things
Worthless things
Unprofitable things
Empty things
Disgraceful things
Detestable things
Evil things
Perverse things
Wicked things
Harsh things
We celebrate the many things
to embrace:
Great things
Mighty things
Pleasant things
Marvelous things
Precious things
Consecrated things
Sacred things
Excellent things
Right things
Generous things
Marvelous things
Wonderful things
Better things
Other kinds of things to
consider:
Secret things
Small things
Dedicated things
My own things
Whatever things
Strange things
Substance of things
Evidence of things
What things?
There you have it. A comprehensive list to get us started
thinking about things that really matter as we wade through the Christmas gift
gauntlet. I pray that this is the kind
of thing that will guide not only my
Christmas shopping and giving, but how I spend my time and what I think about this
month.
During this preparatory season of Advent, the liturgy of the church
leads us to celebrate Christ’s first and second coming with seriousness, love,
and prayer.
The apostle Peter puts it this way:
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious
and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one
another, for “love will cover a multitude of
sins.” I Peter 4:7-8
I’ve probably given gifts that weren’t so thoughtful over
the years, but I’m glad Peter reminds us that fervent love can cover even
gift-giving gaffes. Remember that as you smile while unwrapping that bright
pea-green sweater your loving aunt knitted especially for you.
~~~~~
MUSIC LINK
Think on These Things - Choir at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cary, NC. A setting of text from Philippians 4:
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
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| Nativity Glove - Gift from Mom when my kids were little |
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| Tree Topper This Year - a Silk Rose from My Mom |
