O Grandioso Giving

Christmastime brings a wonderful excitement and atmosphere, twinkling lights, seasonal music, crazy people getting trampled in stores at 3am… This year the Christmas excitement has been different for me. I want to give, like a lot!

So often I fall into the trap of looking out for #1, excited about the latest gadget I want or what fun activities my family will be doing for the holiday. This year I have done my best to avoid that school of thought. In the spring and summertime I read a few books that inspired me to be a more generous person with my finances and time. Looking back my motives may have been somewhat selfish, but either way I was inspired and acted. My wife and I have tried to give more to our church, we have both tried to see needs of those around us and fill them. Just in the past few weeks my family and I have had some fun opportunities to give. It is so fun! So gratifying!

Just today I came out of a work party with a gift (you know those ones from the gift exchange that are nice but you don’t really need) I was excited to get but didn’t really need it. The gift rode by my side in my pickup for a few hours till I went out to meet a guy that would be installing one of our real estate signs. I asked him if he was excited for Christmas and he shrugged and said yes, I then asked if he had gifts all picked out for his little girls when again he answered yes. I then had the thought “What about your wife? Did you get her something?” When he said no the pieces instantly fell together in my little head. I lit up and hurried back to my travel companion, the gift from earlier and pulled it out. “I opened it just this morning, but put some tape over the seal and wrap it up good and she’ll never know.” At this point as you can imagine I was beaming. It is such a wonderful feeling! I saw that gentleman, very polite but not very often to show emotion smile a mile wide as he cleared a spot in his pickup for his wife’s new gift.

At this time of year it seems that there is always a special feeling of generosity and of need. We all see the food drives, the bell dingers from the Salvation Army, Sub for Santa ads and so on. I challenge you to find somewhere to give. The excitement and love you will feel is the best! If you don’t have, give of your time!

There is a secret I have learned with this which you may doubt at first but I promise you it works. The gratifying feelings that come with giving are not the only blessings that come as a result. I promise you that the more you give the more you receive! I call it a blessing from the man upstairs. You can call it whatever you want to but it does work. This holiday season give. But don’t let it end there either. Find opportunities to give all year long and you will start to see where you are being returned upon double. Try it! Only good comes of doing good.