Simple

So, what was your favorite Christmas present?

It’s probably an unfair question.

If you answer, “My new iPhone, or computer, or coat, or car, or socks”, it sounds a bit materialistic.  But if you answer “My time with my family,” it sounds a bit like an answer you are supposed to give in Sunday School.

I got some nice material presents…a sweater, socks, and a clock to keep track of how much time I spend watching NCAA basketball in the basement! 

But we did enjoy our time with our families were the best presents we received.  We celebrated Christmas with just our children on Sunday night.  Our oldest son from Ohio couldn’t join us, but our daughter was in from Traverse City and we gathered at our son and daughter-in-law’s house in Glenview.  It was beautiful in its simplicity.  We baked pizza, shared gifts and caught up with one another.  Everyone appreciated the gifts they were given, but more importantly we enjoyed being with one another.  Because of the distance we don’t all get together very often and when we do it often seems rushed.  This was simple.

We took a 24-hour break from one another on Christmas Eve.  After our worship services, Becky and I shared a simple dinner with our daughter in the quiet of our townhouse.

On Christmas Day we gathered with Becky’s family at her mom’s for our traditional Christmas gathering.  There were 23 of us!  Nieces and nephews who were once little kids are now married and some are parents themselves.  We don’t buy everyone presents.  We do a sock exchange; simple.

 

Our unintentional theme was “new”…a new baby for a nephew and his wife, a new first time teaching job for a niece, a new experience as a college freshman for another nephew, a new start for a niece who is home from South Africa where she was doing mission work, new plans for others, as well as some hopes and dreams.  It was simple.

We capped off our Christmas celebration by seeing the movie Lincoln with Becky’s mom and our son and daughter-in-law.  Great movie.  Going to see it together was simple, but meaningful.

In a day and age when bigger seems to be better, where material possessions seem to connote human value, and where we being entertained is more important than just being together, sometimes simple can touch us in the deepest places.

              

God’s gift to us at Christmas came through simple people, in a humble setting, with little acknowledgement.  That simple gift changed the history of the world!

              

I wonder what our simple moments can do?