The Most Meaningful Gift I Received this Christmas-It’s Not What You Think

Last Sunday, I attended my family’s annual All-Day-Christmas celebration, and something happened that blessed me so much I wanted to share it with you in hopes that you can use the idea for your own family.

Matt and I arrived at my parents’ house with presents, donuts, and three kids bursting with excitement at the prospect of an entire day with grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles, and cousins galore. Hugs were given, donuts consumed, my dad’s mountain of bacon devoured and rebuilt with emergency bacon found in the freezer. My sister-in-law’s cinnamon rolls were exclaimed over and compared to my grandmother’s legendary rolls. Faces were wiped, jokes told, and bodies assembled in front of the tree for pictures.

Finally, we all gathered around for my Dad’s annual reading of the Christmas story from the Bible. The grandsons sat closest of all, ready to spring with correction when my dad inevitably substituted parts of the scripture with outlandish “mistakes.” Did I mention my dad also had a supply of dollars to give grandkids who could find his mistakes and make sure the story was told correctly? 😉

Only this year, he didn’t start with the Christmas story. With my mom by his side, and all of us gathered, he first told us the history of faith in our family:

*About my great-grandpa whose parents did not believe much in God when he was a baby.

*But when my great-grandpa was very ill at about a year old, his mother took him to a church meeting because the doctors told her that he was going to die. He had medicine, but it wasn’t working. So she took him to church, and they prayed for him, asking God to heal him.

*My great-grandpa’s parents threw out his medicine because they felt like God wanted them to, and my great-grandpa was healed.

***That was the beginning of faith in God for our family. My great-grandpa never went to the doctor after that except once when he broke his leg and the doctor set the bone. He lived to be 92 years old. If God hadn’t healed him, none of my family would be here.

The family line continued, and soon my dad shared the highlights of his own story:

*Dad came home from college for the summer and taught Sunday school class. One of the students was a gooooooood-lookin’ girl. 😉 😉 He married her. =) (My mom!)

*They had a son.

*They had a daughter. (Me!)

And here is the neatest part. I’ve included the video clip for you here. In the video, my dad shares how God spoke to him audibly:

***He was in the shower on his day off from the fire department in Kansas, when God spoke to him out loud, where he could hear with his ears, asking him if he’d be willing to live and work wherever he said.

*My dad said yes. Two days later, he got invited to move to Texas to help start a church.

*He gave up his good job and the home he loved, and my parents moved to Texas.

*In Texas, God blessed him and my mom with a DOUBLE blessing. Twins!! =) =)!!

*He got another fire department job in Texas and other work later on, and through everything, God was with him and blessed him.

I am so thankful for the Lord’s presence in my life. And I am so thankful that my dad shared the spiritual heritage and history of what the Lord has done in our family. It is important.

What has the Lord done for your family? If you have a spiritual heritage, pass it on to your children. They need it. Tell of the good things the Lord has done.

If you don’t have a spiritual heritage, start one today. The Lord is willing, waiting, and wanting to come into your life and lead you and make you one of his own.

Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

I love how God will not only save us from Hell and our sins, but he also will eat with us and live with us, and have a relationship with us. What a wonderful thing it is to know the Lord.

I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know a little of my family history. I encourage you to share your own with your children. Or if you are the child, ask your parents to tell the family story. We never know how long we have on this earth. Let’s not allow God’s amazing deeds to go unknown.

Is there something particularly amazing? Share it in the comments! I would love to know it.

Merry Christmas!!!