The Greatest Gift You Can Give

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn! 3 days left until Christmas... :)

You know what my favorite Christmas memory as a child is? I was 5 or 6 years old. My Nano & Grandpa came over to stay the night at our house on Christmas Eve. My Grandpa slept in my room with me on a lawn chair. When we went to bed we laid there talking. I can still see the glow of the Christmas lights shining through my bedroom window. I can still hear his voice & his laugh. I can still feel his presence that night more than 40 years ago...and my heart smiles.

Last week we celebrated Christmas with my work family. I asked the same question sitting at the table - "What is your favorite Christmas memory as a child?" - and we all went around and answered. Every single person talked about family, friends and all being together. Nobody talked about the latest, greatest toy or some gift that they had hoped for all year long. No, what every single person talked about was the gifts around the tree, not those under the tree.

Friends, the greatest gift you can give anyone this Christmas is you. The authentic, fully present you! Yes, I know...the kids want [fill in the blank] and they just have to have it. I mean, they really "need" it. Ya, I hear the same stuff...and so did my parents...and in fact parents have heard it for generations. The reality is what everyone really wants, and needs, is you & me. To have conversations (not texts, snap chats, tweets, etc.), to really get to know one another, to really connect with each other...yes, this is the greatest gift you or I can give anyone. 

So please, set down the phone, focus on today and the people you are blessed to be with today...and then make the same choice tomorrow. If you will string several of these days together as you gather with family & friends over the next week I promise you that you will be the answer to the question, "What is your favorite Christmas memory?" in 40 years! :)

I also feel a conviction to say this; some will jump up and down saying the greatest gift you can give is Jesus. Or the salvation that comes from accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. Here is the thing; Jesus is not yours to give and neither is salvation - those both belong to God. You and I are not called to do the saving but to do the loving, the caring, the serving. And how do we show we love, we care and how do we serve? By being fully present! :) We can preach & preach at people or we can live the sermon. Guess which one will have the greater success rate?!?!

Merry Christmas to you & your families Friends!

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev