My earliest Christmas memories are of going to Grampy Beiler’s house on Christmas day to exchange gifts and eat smoked ham that Grampy had smoked in his own smoke house. We lived just down the road from him so it wasn’t a long journey.
Interestingly, I don’t remember any of the gifts I received there, but I will never forget the first year Mama and 
Daddy gave me money to buy gifts for others. It wasn’t much money because we weren’t wealthy, but I stretched every penny so I could buy gifts for my parents, Grampy and the aunties. I wasn’t at all bothered by the fact that I had no money of my own for buying gifts. Since I was dependent on my parents for everything, I didn’t think it strange that Mama and Daddy were paying for their own gifts.
It occurred to me today that, in a sense, nothing has changed. All the money Donn and I use to buy gifts is money given to us by our heavenly Father. He’s our Provider and even our gifts to Him are given out of what He has given us. Even as an adult, I’m okay with that!
One of my favorite Scriptures is II Corinthians 9:8. “And God is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.” God blesses us not so we can hoard those blessings, but so that we can bless others. At times, He asks us to sell or give away things that are precious to us to help those in need.
When God was calling us to part with many of our treasures in 2008 prior to returning to Japan, I stumbled over Luke 12:33-34 again and again. I wept and determined that I wanted …purses and handbags that do not grow old, an unfailing and inexhaustible treasure in the heavens where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. I wanted to be sure my treasure was in heaven because …where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Amplified Classic). I wanted to remember that everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. Nothing we have is worth hanging on to and losing our treasure in heaven.
I’ve lived many years since that first Christmas when my parents gave me money to buy gifts, but I pray I will never forget I have nothing except what has been given to me by my heavenly Father.
Father, help us hold with open hands all you have given us and never forget that our real treasure is in purses and handbags in heaven. Amen.
