THE gift

Well it's Christmas night and the day is drawing to a close. Gifts and dinner with family and friends is done. Tomorrow I go back to work and in a few days Christmas will be a distant memory. It seems like I am so busy moving forward I often forget to look back even a day or two and let the memories linger awhile.



Here are a few things I want to remember:



-how my wife Chris decorates the house and cooks an awesome Christmas meal.



-my son getting me a gift card to the best fast food restaurant on the planet: Chipotle.



-my daughter giving me a journal with a picture of Alison from Hogar de Ninos orphanage and my blog title description on the cover. That made me get a little teary eyed. Don't ever do that again Sara. Okay go ahead.



But here's the best memory and gift this year. My church, RiverTree Christian, has a tradition of sending the special Christmas offering outside our walls. All of it. This year we hope (there's that beautiful word again) to raise $70,000.00 to fund cottages in Tanzania, Africa for children orphaned by the Aids pandemic. And last night I watched the three most beautiful people in the world reflect the heart of God by giving. My wife wrote a check and put it in the basket. My full-time college student daughter and my full-time high school student son also responded. They both opened their wallets, of their own accord, and gave. I really can not put into words what my heart feels when the three most important people in my life do something like that.



Thank you family for the best Christmas yet.