Every year I pull out a book that I wrote over ten years ago. Thoughout the pages I am reminded al the many ways we, as a family sought to keep Christ the center of the Holiday Season. Tucked in the middle of the chronicles of the Jaynes’ Family Traditions is a rendition of 1 Corinthians 13 that I wrote for us to remember what is important as we go through the hustle and bustle of the December days. I hope you enjoy it. From our house to yours…
If decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family – I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family – I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family – It profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s contata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of your way.
Love doesn’t give, only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.
By Sharon Jaynes ©
This weekend, take a little extra time to give someone in your family a hug, give a stranger a smile, and give God praise for all He’s done in your life.
Just wondering…what is the greatest “love gift” you have ever received in Christmas pasts? Click on the comment tab and let’s share.
I’ll go first. One Christmas my husband gave me a gift certificate for ballroom dance lessons, which meant he had to go too! That was definitely a gift of love!
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Comments 23
The best gift I ever received….I was a single mom…not making it…in fact, I had not eaten in days so my children would eat. A knock at my door and two women came in from a church (I was not a believer nor attended church at this time) and brought a huge array of food! Boxes and bags with turkey, potatoes, vegetables…the works! They also included two presents for my beautiful children. I cried as my children would have warm delicious food in their tummies, but so would their mama! Thank you Jesus for showing me your kindness through those women 24 years ago….who loved you…thank you for using people in my life to show me Your light in their lives…thank you for bringing my husband into my life, who brought me to YOU! I praise You for the day you gave me to accept the gift of your Son…precious Jesus……and found that eternal life will be so joyful in Your eternal presence. The last 14 years in Your care have been a ride with many trials..many triumphs, much illness…but most of all….filled with Your presence and love! Thank you for the most wondrous gift of all…..Jesus….Your perfect Son! Merry Christmas!
Sharon:
Wish everyone could read this.
It will be 10 years this March since we lost our daughter Jennifer. Just this past week-end her one and only child Jeromy our grandson was in a car wreck. Believe me Jesus was with him. Broke his right shoulder and right arm. They are Christians and understand how blessed he is to still be here. Please pray he has a beautiful wife Kris and two of our 12 great grandchildren Beau & Ryan.
Praying there Christmas will be a true reflection of who Jesus is and Thank Him.
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I’m so sorry. I know that had to bring back a flood of memories and pain. Praise God he is safe.
I had a difficult year with health problems an my husband decided to share his love with the twelves days of Christmas. He gave me a gift twelves days leading up to Christmas. Some gifts where small and some where large but each came with a note of his love for me:) Some gifts where hidden when he had to be out of town so he would let me know where to look that morning my phone. Very special Christmas. I am blessed!
ah that was sweet your husband was so thoughtful. That must of been wonderful . Merry Christmas
My best LOVE Christmas ever, last year. My sister, who lives in another country with husband and two of five children flew home to join the other three children and husband’s parents to go to a resort to spend Christmas. I could not go due to my job. Low and behold, they pulled up in front of my work, in tandum, car after car, came in carrying my Christmas with hugs and kisses. I felt so loved, and still do to this day. Best Xmas I have ever had.
Thank you for this devotional and bringing us back to how Christmas should be….
My son came on Christmas Day, It had been a difficult year for our family. When the door opened and I saw him, I was overcome with joy. Praise God!
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That would definitely be a great gift for me!
i would love if my son came home with is wife and four kids there all five and under
Dear Sharon, I would have to say my best Christmas gift ever was when my brother showed my kids the best Christmas ever. In a time we did’t have much he gave them for wheelers and mp3 players . His work put together gifts for the children. I felt so blessed to have a loving brother who would do that for me. I’m a firm believer that God will provide. He is Johova Jirah thank you lord for giving us the greatest gift of all your son . God bless and Merry Christmas
The best gifts I have received were ones my children made. Last year my 17 yr old daughter included a hand written letter telling me how much she loved and appreciated me even though she didn’t always show it. It brought tears to my eyes!
Hi Sharon! I have received several “love” gifts in years past from my children ususally, but sometimes some unexpected beautiful things have happened and I’m not sure which one to tell yet. But, something just happened to my daughter the other day that I want to share. She texted me and asked me if I had come over to her house and wrote something in the snow on her porch. I didn’t read the text right away, so she called me last nite and asked again if I had come over and written something in the snow on her porch. I told her no, I haven’t been over. She said, “are you sure”? I said yes. She said someone wrote “You are loved” in the snow on her porch. She said, ” I know it was you”. Your the only one I know that would do that. And I said, I wish I would’ve Christi, but I didn’t. She still doesn’t believe me. I have done things like that, but I didn’t do it this time. I told her maybe God sent an angel to tell you He loves you. I prayed for whoever it was that wrote that because she needs to know how much God loves her. I always pray God will touch her heart and show her things the way He has for me.. And I feel like He is. She really needs to know Jesus and God. And how much He loves her. I told her it’s Christmas and lots of miracles happen this time of year! 🙂 I just wanted to share that because it just made my heart soooo happy!! God not only hears but answers. God is always loving, but it does seem like Christmas is a extra special spiritual time of year! Merry Christmas and thankyou for all of your encouraging and inspiring stories. They are so uplifting and make us think of things we haven’t thought of. You are truly gifted. Hope you and your family have a extra special spiritual Christmas filled with God’s love! Kathleen
When I was a very young single mother of a two year old, with another baby on the way. It was Christmas, I couldn’t buy gifts. I had no extra money and no hope. I was living on welfare and the joy of the season was everywhere around me but I felt excluded. One day a friend that I barely knew came to my door and handed me a big box. It was a brand new layette. Ordered from Sears catalog. Brand new clothes for this new baby that was on the way. I never saw her again but I will never forget her gift of generosity and love. God used her to show me His love when I felt so unloved.
My son :0
As a single mom raising two boys, money was not abundant. I always told the boys to pick one thing special to ask for as a Christmas gift. It was the two weeks before Christmas and my twelve year old son hadn’t shared with me anything he wanted each time I asked. A week before school was finished for Christmas holidays he went to hear the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. He arrived home very excited and announced he would like a clarinet for Christmas. I was alarmed as I researched clarinets and discovered a new one was 5000.00 dollars and a used one was 300.00. Both amounts unattainable. The Saturday evening before Christmas we got locked out of our house so we went to our neighbors who always kept a spare key for us. As I was sharing my dilemma with my friend over coffee she told me that they had two clarinets. My neighbor cleaned one and readied it for my son. I wrapped it and on Christmas morning to his great joy he received a clarinet. He taught himself how to play it. He now teaches school and he was hired because he was able to teach musical instrumentation. This is a reminder of God’s goodness and grace to our family. God has a plan!
My best LOVE Christmas was when my hole family gets together on Christmas day and spends the hole day together playing board games eating and singing and just loving each other
Two years ago our 19 yr-old son was living on his own working his first full-time job. For Christmas, he gave his dad and I a card for Christmas. He handed us the card and said, “I don’t have any money for gifts this year, but I want you to have this card.” Inside he had written a letter about how we had taught him the value of hard work……how in order to be successful, you must work for it. He thanked us profusely for teaching him this. He explained that he never understood when he was younger why we made him work hard around our ranch or why we made him “pull his own weight,”and that he HATED every minute of it, BUT as an adult he understands. He thanked us for teaching him how to be successful.
His dad and I were so happy to have received such a wonderful gift. You know as parents when you are choosing the best for your kids and that “it will help them in the long run,” but you never know when THEY will see that….if ever. His gift was priceless. What joy this wonderful young man brings our lives!!!
I am moved for what you all have said. My husband likes to fix our garden for me for christmas time and he is very special. I am so blessed for him. This year he painted the house and the driveway. Though we are not going to decorate in simpathy of our neighbor who lost his 21 yrs old son last sunday. But is very nice to see that my husband give me the gift of his hand work.
That gift from your husband was special which meant he thought about who you are as well as what you could do together. The real Biblical version of marriage is the husband loving his wife as Christ loved the church. Your husband seems to “get it”. I love the way you made visual First Cor. 13 for the Christmas season. I struggle in working to have everything “perfect” for the house. But what about Jesus? He is the gift I need to remember. My perfect indescribable gift is when I see the smiles of my grandchildren as they open their gifts.
My best Love Gift was just given on Thursday December 12th 2013, when my Husband an Best Friend surprised me with the news that we are going to New York to be with my Dad, Mom and Sisters and nephews and Aunts and Uncles! i have not been home in 3 years for Christmas and My Dad is 78 and still working everyday as a Self- Employed Locksmith.I love the Family times at my Parent’s House!
My husband did a wonderful heartfelt gift. He made golden tickets like willy wonka tickets from gold cardboard..which made it hard. They were for wonderful things like dates, dinners, honey-do stuff. Made me cry. This was his most thoughtful gift EVER.
The greatest gift of “love” I received this Christmas was Jesus went out and found the lost sheep…me…and returned me to the fold. To His Love for He is Love. I was not only lost, but broken in mind, body and soul, so in essence at this time of His Birth He renewed me, cleansed me and made me new as a babe in His loving arms once again. Thank you Jesus, my Lord and Savior thank you!
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Praise God for lost sheep that return!