Giving With Attitude. And Some.

We know that December is known as the season of giving. And as much as we would love to give, we need to really understand and be mindful of the things that make the gifts worth giving.

1. What is my attitude?

I have never been a fan of gift giving, especially when it comes to Kris Kringle and when I pick out a name whose name is longer than the amount of time I have ever spent with him or her.

Of course, I can always drag myself to the store and buy the first affordable thing I saw at the store and get it over and done with. Or, I can really put the right attitude into it and take my time to find out what that person really wants or needs, bearing in mind it might probably cost more than what it was agreed.

I know that some of you are Rule Nazis and would not go over even a single cent from the preset amount, but if I learned anything from the Kris Kringle I had at my old office, they really did not care about the rules. One even got the Limited Edition Collectors DVD Box Set worth hundreds of dollars that the person actually liked, even when it was supposed to only be a $30 Kris Kringle. They were willing to extend the rules and gave extravagantly just to make a person happy.

 

2. What is my motivation?

In December, a lot of us would probably give to people whom we would not normally give. Many would even go and donate to charity organisations and to others who we do not personally know but are less fortunate than us.

So we give them presents. We give them money. But do we really give them our hearts?

Those who are blessed with resources will find it easy to spend in order to give others. But do not let this privilege voids us into giving with the right motivation: love and compassion.

I often question myself whenever I give to someone I do not know: do I do this just to satisfy my obligation as a sensible person? Or is it only to make me feel better about myself? Have I, knowingly or unknowingly, severed the emotional connection that is critical in the process of giving?

Also, sometimes it is a lot easier to give someone we don't know or will never going to meet again. We do not have to pay the emotional price implied in the cost of gift giving. But then to not pay this proce would be such a shame.

December is a time to give. It is also a time to celebrate. So let us celebrate by giving with the right motive and attitude. Let our mind rest, knowing the fact that our gifts produce something real and meaningful. And with that, let us carry on this lesson further beyond December and into every single giving opportunity we have in the future.

Enjoy giving!

When He Speaks

It is quite rare that things just seem to align together with me being fully aware of it.

Last night I had a dream of meeting my previous employer and his business partner. Just so you know, I had hard feelings towards them in the way they treated their employees, and when I saw them I was going through a big transition in my life, so it felt like a very big let down.

I could still feel my sense of anger in that dream, but to my surprise we were having conversation about work and it felt like everything was OK -- and I left that room thinking that everything was fine.

When I woke up, I saw a message from an old friend of mine. We were friends for a long time before things got really heated as I hopelessly made him my punch bag during my depression days and he just couldn't take it anymore so he decided to call it quits and so I agreed.

I did say sorry numerous times to him, but deep down in my life I could still feel the scars of rejection and also the failures for treating my friend with such disrespect.

I opened the message. It was sent at 5:29am in the morning. He wishes that things are OK with me, and he took a picture of a mug that has been used for soup. That was the very mug I gave him on our last Christmas together.

I can't help but thanking the Lord at that second as I really took it as an apology received since I haven't heard from him for months after I last texted him.

During my morning devotion, the bible struck me with this verse:

"You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake."(Deuteronomy 15:10 ESV)

I was very grateful that at the very moment He classified these things I have been feeling as "grudges", He also gave me the strengths and the avenue to make it all better.

It really made my day and I once more understand that "nothing is wasted --- (that He makes) all things for good." (Nothing is Wasted - Elevation Worship)

The art of hurting

Today, for the first time after a long time, I have finally received a parking ticket. I am usually very anal when it comes to parking, and have always tried to follow the rules of the trade. But somehow, today seemed like an exception.

What makes me more irritated was the fact that the parking ranger was 10 steps away from my car, literally seconds after he put the infringement notice on my windshield.

I am only human. Once in a while I get tired, and when I do, I put my guard down and things happen. And when things happen, we feel powerless and all we can do is appeal for grace to make them all go away.

A lot of times we try to make sense of things right then and there to cheer ourselves up into thinking that there should be a silver lining into this thing that happens to us and we must figure it out now. Although sometimes it can be true, other times that is not simply the simple case.

Things take time to mature. It might take a week or a month for things to make sense, or it might take a year or a decade or even a lifetime (or a generation) before realising that things work out together for good.

I think we can only trust our faith and say to ourselves that even though we might not make sense of things now, it will make sense later, eventually. I believe there is no other option, because without faith it is impossible to please Him.