December 11, 3rd Sunday of Advent
“Giving of Self,” by Karen Perry
When I was young I had many colds and earaches, especially around the holidays. I was sad one year because of being home sick the last weekend before Christmas. My parents tried their best to “entertain” me, but I soon became bored. We were in our living room watching TV (which was a new past time) and admiring our Christmas decorations and tree, when we heard voices outside singing carols. I can still picture that scene of looking out our front windows and seeing a crowd from our church youth group caroling in the snow. I felt so special that they came to my house and sang for me.
They even asked for a favorite carol to sing and that made it even more special. They didn’t stay at our house very long, but the impression they made did last a long time. It really made that holiday season special. I recovered in time to have a wonderful Christmas with family, but experiencing the care and concern of this group of carolers made me realize how important the “giving” of self is especially during the holiday season. When we do this we always receive more of a blessing than we can imagine by celebrating Christ’s birth and sharing his message.
Dear Lord, may we give the gift of ourselves all year to further your kingdom and honor your Son. Amen.
