Wasted Gifts - Part 1

When I was in college, I got an internship at a local church working with the Middle School youth.  I was so excited to have the chance to work under a youth director who was experienced and had great ideas to share.  My internship was supposed to start in January, but the youth director thought it would be a good idea to meet the youth at the Christmas parties. 

He explained that we were going to do a progressive dinner by going to 5 different homes for dinner.  One house for appetizers, one for salads, one for the main course, one for dessert and the final house...well, dessert again. Each student was to also bring a $15.00-$20.00 gift to put into a pot for a "Dirty Santa" gift exchange. 

We meet at the church and the introvert in me started to panic with each middle school youth that showed up.  By the time we left the church, there were around 50 middle school youth running around crazy and excited for their Christmas Party.

First house - Appetizers were delicious, but to the middle school youth they made much better flying objects.  Just being there to meet the youth, I wasn't sure I should say anything, especially since the youth director was participating.  I thought it a little rude to the home owner, but luckily we were on a time schedule and left fairly quickly.

Second house - Salads = a food most middle schoolers do not want to eat.  Luckily they didn't throw the salads, but they were very vocal about there dislike of salad.  Once again...it bothered me, but I remained quiet.

Third house - Lasagna was delicious and luckily the youth thought so as well.  The fact that just as much lasagna hit the table as their mouths bothered me, but they were at least polite.  They didn't clean up after themselves or say thank you, but they weren't overly rude either. 

Fourth house - Dessert was great, youth enjoyed it and were actually saying thank you!  I was happy with that, but could see the energy levels rising quickly from the sugar!

Fifth house - This dessert was even better and I begin to see youth shaking from the sugar consumption!  I could see this going down hill quickly. 

For the most part, through the progressive dinner, the youth were rude, obnoxious and way too rambunctious.  I thought there were lots of missed opportunities by the volunteers and the youth director to teach some life lessons, but fun was the only thing that seemed to be on the agenda. 

Not only was the fifth house the place for the SECOND dessert, but it was also the place for the gift exchange.  The unlucky soul that had to open the first gift picked a gift and opened a "Cooties" game.  There was lots of laughter and making fun and it was unlikely another kid would come and "steal" his gift during the dirty Santa.  The second kid...another gag gift.  Third gift, same thing.

This went on and on, with a few kids "stealing gifts", especially the one $20.00 gift card to blockbuster (that was back when people actually rented movies). 

The more it went on, the more of a joke things became.
Things were tossed around and broken.
It became an opportunity to laugh at people and pick on people for their gifts they opened.

I have to admit, I was irritated.  Here are 50 youth with at least a $15.00 gift.  Total it up and a minimum of $750.00 was spent on gifts that night.
Gifts that mostly were broken and left in the trash.
Gifts that if they did go home, were not likely to be used for much of anything other than a paper weight.
Wasted gifts.

It troubled me.  It disturbed my heart.  It frustrated me.

I learned a lot that night.  I learned that youth ministry should be more than having fun.
I learned that even Christmas Parties can be a good time to have teachable moments.

That is why, when we have our Christmas parties at the church now, we bring a "re gift" item to the church to exchange and we collect the $10.00 to go to missions.
If we are going to exchange gag gifts, it might as well not be something we spend money on.
We will not just "waste" the money on the gift, we will use that money to make sure other people get to experience the Christ child on Christmas day. 

What kind of gifts do you give at Christmas?  Are some out of obligation; people you give a gift to because you feel like you have to, not because you really want to?

How can you give gifts that really make a big difference?
Could you adopt an Angel tree child in someones honor instead?
Could you write a letter to your parents, family, and friends telling them how much you really appreciate them and what they have done in your life? 

I can tell you, that I'd rather someone give a gift in my honor to someone less fortunate, than give me a gift.
I'd rather receive a letter from you saying I've made a difference in your life.
I have everything I really need.  Most of us do. 

How can you make sure the gifts you give this year are not wasted gifts?

Do You Remember?

Do you remember the first time there was "expectant baby" in your life?  I guess technically, my younger brother would be the first for me.  However, being only 2 and a 1/2, I don't remember much about him being born other than thinking all the babies at the hospital were a bunch of little puppies! 

My first real experience expecting and waiting for a baby to be born was 19 years ago.  My oldest sister, Christina, was expecting her first child.  I remember being so excited to have a nephew on the way.  I could tell my sister and her husband were excited, my parents were excited, and my siblings were all excited.  Like Christmas Trees and Christmas decorations, baby toys and clothes started showing up around the house in preparation for my nephew to arrive!

Christmas day came that year and we all got up early for opening gifts.  Growing up, this was by far my favorite day of the year.  We would open gifts one at a time and with a total of 5 kids in our family, this usually took quite a while.  I loved opening gifts, but I also loved seeing everyone else opening gifts. 

There was just one roadblock in my favorite day of the year...my sister started having contractions that morning, putting our gift opening on hold as we all went to the hospital.  At first, I was excited about my nephew possibly arriving soon!  It was exciting rushing to the hospital, but being only 11 at the time, the waiting once we got to the hospital was not near as exciting.  I had gifts under the tree waiting to be opened, I didn't have time to sit and wait for my nephew to arrive.

Ultimately, the doctors sent my sister back home, and we got another chance to possibly open gifts.  We opened a few gifts, but then ended up headed back to the hospital.  We waited a while and then was sent back home. 

Opened a few gifts...back to the hospital...
Then back home...
Then back to the hospital...
Then back home...

This went on for what seemed like forever.  I was torn between being excited about my nephew being born and annoyed that I wasn't getting to open gifts. 

Finally, early that evening we were able to open all of our gifts.  But I had a hard time really sitting there enjoying opening the gifts.  I was too distracted by my nephew's arrival.  The excitement over my nephew being born had trumped my excitement to open gifts. 

Late that evening, December 25th, 1991...my nephew Wesley Tyler Mullis was born.  I have to admit that gift trumped any gift I had opened that day.

I think back to that Christmas and it is the Christmas where things really changed for me.  My favorite part of Christmas used to be putting up the tree and decorating for Christmas.  It used to be opening gifts on Christmas. 

But things changed.
I began to think about the excitement that must have been present when Jesus was born all those years ago.  I began to think about how I never really put much thought into the real "reason" for us even having Christmas.
That year changed Christmas for me.  That year became the year I began to focus on the gift of the Christ child in my life, and the new life that gift brings to me. 

When you begin putting up your Christmas tree and Christmas decorations, are you doing so with an excitement for opening presents and giving gifts or are you doing so with an excitement that comes with an expectant child?

When you first wake up on Christmas morning, are you thinking about opening presents or are you thanking God for the greatest gift this world has ever seen?

Where is your heart this advent season? 
Where is your focus this advent season? 

I encourage you to spend time each day this advent preparing your heart for the gift of the Christ child!
I encourage you to spend time each day inviting the Christ child in to your heart again, focusing you on the real "reason for the season"!

Advent Blog

Starting Sunday November 28th, I will be updating the blog daily with thoughts on the Advent Season!  Save this page as a favorite so you will remember to come back daily!

Remember...Romans 12:2  - Do not Conform to the Patterns of this world and do not fall into the commercialized Christmas of our Society! 

Instead, be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind and your focus on the Christ child coming into your life!