Giver of Gifts

*warning...lots of pictures ahead...

Gifts are so fun. I love gifts. I love giving gifts, and I love receiving them. It's safe to say that gifts are one of my love languages. So, I find it pretty amusing that my birthday is the same day that is noted on our calendars as the day we celebrate the gifts that were given to Jesus by the magi. Now, obviously, it was not on Jan. 6 however many years ago. But, it still feels representative somehow, even if just in my heart. It's as if, it's a time to think back upon the gifts given...to Christ, to us, to the world. That today is a day of celebration...not just for me, but that Jesus was celebrated with gifts, just as He is such a lavish giver of gifts.

I haven't really done a Christmas post, even though I have thought about it many times. We just had so much traveling going on that I haven't gotten to it. But this morning, as I was woken by my sweet family, with flowers and coffee, and then treated to my favorite breakfast, I once again thought about how blessed I really am. God has given me such good gifts. He truly is the giver of good gifts, and I know that these precious ones in my life are more than I ever could have asked for. Here's a little snapshot into our Christmas, and the gifts that I have to be thankful for...

a warm and cozy home

beautiful children to celebrate Christ (and Christmas) with

the gift of new life

new friends

the blessing of provision to be able to surprise our children with their first bikes!

the gift of having a husband who knows me well!

fun times with family!

I happened to be reading Romans 5:15-17 last night...

"But the gift is not like the sin. For if the many died by the sin of one man (Adam), how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: the judgement followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many sins and brought justification. For if by the sin of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ.

The message might make it a little bit more clear...

"Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man's sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God's gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do! There's no comparison between that death-dealing sin and this generous, life-giving gift. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins that followed was this wonderful life sentence. If death got the upper hand through one man's wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?"

As much as I treasure the gifts that God has given me through my family and friends, there couldn't be a greater gift than that which God gave through His Son. Life for death. Righteousness for condemnation. All for our taking, on this gift of a day. I hope that you are able to receive the gift of grace that brings full life to you this day and always.