Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 73

8 Tips for the Perfect Re-gift

Have you ever received a re-gift? Have you ever re-gifted? The term “re-gift,” first coined by Jerry Seinfield on his hit TV show, means to give as a gift something one previously received as a gift. For instance, on my 40th birthday a teacher friend of mine gave me a nice bath salts ball neatly wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon. The gift label firmly stuck on the cellophane read, “To Mrs. Smith, from your student Susie.” Whoops! (By the way, names were changed to protect a not-so-savvy re-gifter.)

My re-gifting friend could have benefited from the re-gifting rules below. Please keep these in mind as you finish up your Christmas shopping – whether at the mall or in your closet. (Keep reading to the end of the post to find out about the perfect re-gift!)

Rules for Re-gifting

1.      Check your motivation – do you have good intentions? Don’t re-gift simply because you ran out of time. Make sure the item will be desirable to the recipient.

2.      Update the wrapping – do not re-give a gift in its original gift bag if crinkled or torn, or even worse, in the wrapping paper it was in when given to you. Most importantly check for original gift tags and cards. These are a dead giveaway as I well know.

3.      Don’t re-gift something you’ve used – this includes partially used gift cards; one gift receiver found a few grains of rice in a “new” rice cooker she was given.

4.      Don’t re-gift to the original giver – keep track of who gives you what

5.      Certain things should never be re-gifted – obscure books and CDs, fancy soaps, fruitcake, promotional items like pens and ball caps, and anything you hated when you received it

6.      Don’t give something you’ve had for awhile – if it has a thick layer of dust on it or has a tag from a company that no longer exists, then it should probably not be re-gifted

7.      Don’t give anything that tells on you – if it’s monogrammed or personalized in any way you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Check also for books signed to you.

8.      Never re-gift anything you’ve bought at a garage sale – that’s just tacky

Exceptions:

The receiver knows it’s a re-gift
You have another new gift to give them as well
The recipient was with you when you received the gift and expressed admiration
You know without a doubt they will absolutely love it!

Christmas re-gifting began on the very first Christmas. As soon as the shepherds left the stable they ran into Bethlehem to share the gift of the Christ-child with everyone on their Christmas list. (See Luke 2:17.) Anna, the old prophetess that Mary and Joseph encountered at the temple soon after Jesus’ birth, shared Jesus with “all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). No doubt, Anna had a lot of re-wrapping to do.

Jesus was our first – and eternally best – Christmas gift. When we receive Him we also receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Have you received that gift? If so, have you ever re-gifted Jesus? Let’s follow the example of the shepherds and Anna and re-give Jesus to all who need redemption. (This post originally ran in December 2010.)

Tell us your re-gifting Jesus story!

Why I’m Not Sending Christmas Cards this Year

If I’m remembering correctly, I’ve sent cards to friends and family every Christmas since the year Wayne and I married. That would make 30 Decembers in a row. I even remained faithful to the task through difficulty and change. (Do you hear the drama building?)

Even the year I had a baby on November 30th.
Even as the number of cards we received each year continued to dwindle.
Even as more and more people simply sent their greetings by social media or email.
Even the year we moved from Texas to Canada the first week of January.

This sounds like bragging, doesn’t it? Even though there’ve been many legitimate reasons for doing it, I admit that some part of me wanted others to see how “jolly” and “together” I was.

Well, this year I’m not doing it. I’ve purposefully chosen to break the Christmas card sending streak.

In my, eh, “maturity,” I’ve finally admitted that I can’t do everything. There is a limit to my time, energy, and sanity. And if I exhaust it all on the relatively small things there is nothing left for the things that matter most. Like connecting with people in real life and contemplating the infant King we celebrate.

So I chose to get away with the hubby for our 30th anniversary and then spend a few quality days with my parents. In fact, when you read this, more than likely I’ll be on my way to mom and dad’s to pick them up for a two, fun-filled days in Branson, MO! I swapped hours hunched over a stack of greeting cards for real time with family. When I let that go I breathed a great sigh of relief. A little less stress this Christmas and a little more joy.

Sending cards is a good thing and I may do it again next year. But this year, I’ve chosen the better over the good.

What time-consuming tradition consumes a lot of your time? What would happen if you didn’t do it? What could you do instead?

 

 

Free Gift for You to Further Freedom

My friend Julie Sanders has a gift to share with you today. Your acceptance could mean freedom for others.

In this season of comfort and joy, it’s easy to turn off unpleasant tidings that accost our ears. After all, who wants to spoil the most wonderful time of the year? But the reality is an estimated 29.8 million people suffer various forms of bondage today, including human trafficking, forced labor, child marriage, and slavery by inheritance. Around the world, captives long for comfort and joy.

Does such an ugly issue really belong in the holidays, when we’re decking the halls? In truth, a fresh look at modern captivity stirs new gratitude in our hearts for the coming of the God-man to the lowly manger. If not for His coming, we would still be in bondage.

The birth of Jesus is really all about setting captives free. When the babe grew to manhood, He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,” (Luke 4:18).

That’s where Christmas comes in; the prophecies, the decree, the star, the manger, the shepherds … it’s all about setting captives free. For those of us who know what it is to be the rescued, what other response is fitting but to long for and provide for the release of others?  Do you know what it is to beg for redemption? After the shepherds saw the baby-Messiah who would bring peace on earth, they had the only fitting response for the event. “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Luke 2:20)

Christmas is still about setting captives free. Twenty-four writers, who have personally encountered the Christ who brings peace, came together from around the world to create Released: 30 Days to Stand for Freedom. This 30-day devotional focuses on God’s heart for freedom.

We invite you to receive this free tool about human trafficking and modern slavery. A variety of facts, relevant scripture, and guided prayers representing eleven different countries will inform and inspire you. The 30 days format will take you right up to the National Day of Prayer for Human Trafficking on January 11. You can begin to stand for freedom just by reading, learning and praying. Would you join us?

Click to download your free copy of  Released 30 Days to Stand for Freedom. We invite you to share it widely, so many people will be informed and inspired.

Christmas is all about God’s heart for freedom and the sacrifice He made to buy back His beloved ones from the ultimate Slave Maker. When you see the baby in the manger on Christmas cards, movies or nativities this season, remember God’s longing for people to be Released.

Get more information about Released and Julie Sanders, who compiled it .

Have you ever known anyone that was held in physical bondage?

 

Why Did Jesus Come?

A Christmas Devotional

First published in December 2008

As soon as I finished storing the leftover Thanksgiving turkey in Tupperware, I began putting up the tree and cluttering every surface of our house with nativity scenes, reindeer, poinsettias, and twinkly lights. Every year our family – like many of you – goes to great lengths to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But do we ever slow down to seriously contemplate why He came?

Jesus clearly told us why He came. A few years ago, several statements He made that include the phrase “I came” or “I have come” really grabbed my attention. Of course, I had read them many times before, but had never considered them in the context of Christmas. As I searched the Gospels I found more than a dozen of these “I came…” statements. As I studied them Christmas took on a deeper and richer meaning for me. If you have time, look up the Scripture references and ask God to teach you the deeper meaning of Christmas.

Jesus Came to Show Us the Father

First, Jesus made it very clear that He came as a representative of the Father. He never did or said or initiated anything on His own. He came in complete submission and obedience to the Father. He sought to please the Father and bring Him glory.

John 6:38-40: Jesus came down from heaven to do the will of the Father.

John 12:23-27 (This was just days before Jesus’ crucifixion): Jesus came to die in obedience to the Father.

Jesus Came to Save

Second, Jesus came to carry out the Father’s mission of salvation. Jesus came as the Father’s representative to fulfill the Father’s will. And this was the Father’s will: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him (John 3:16-17).”

Mark 2:13-17: Jesus came to call sinners and heal the sick.

Luke 19:1-10: Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

John 10:1-18: Jesus came to give to give us full life.

Matthew 20:28: Jesus came to serve and to give His life as a ransom.

Jesus Came to be King

Have you ever noticed how much Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God? He saved us so we could be a part of His Kingdom. Jesus came to reveal the truth of God’s Kingdom to the world.

Luke 4:42-44: Jesus came to preach about the Kingdom of God.

John 18:33-37: Jesus came to be a King and to testify to the truth.

Jesus Got Out of the Manger

If you are like me, when I celebrate Christmas I limit my view of Jesus to a baby in a feed trough filled with hay. Yes, that’s how He arrived, but that is not why He came. As you celebrate Christmas this year, don’t leave Jesus in the manger. Remember, He came as the Father’s representative to provide a way for your salvation and establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Rejoice with exceeding great joy!

Which of these reasons for Jesus’ coming impacts you the most today? Why?

Messy Christmas

This post originally ran December 2012.

Christmas often comes with high expectations. We think everything has to be just so. Perfect decorations. Perfect family. Perfect gifts. Perfect meal.

Our culture perpetuates this fantasy. In the dozens of made-for-TV Christmas movies, the girl always finds her soul mate, the estranged father is always reunited with his family, the boy always gets the puppy, and the table is always laden with beautiful food (which must have been made by Christmas elves because you don’t see anyone slaving away for hours in the kitchen).

But here’s the problem with high expectations: many of us will be disappointed. Life will never be perfect – not even at Christmas. Maybe especially at Christmas. The arrival of December 25th does not magically heal broken relationships or ease the pain of loss or pay the bills.

In fact, Christmas tends to intensify any grief, anxiety, and sadness we feel because we compare our imperfect, messy lives to that unrealistic perfect image. When our lives don’t measure up, we lose hope. Without hope, Christmas becomes a time we have to get through instead of a joyful celebration.

Here’s the good news: Real hope for Christmas is not in a golden turkey or a new Kindle or a happy family gathered around a gorgeous tree. Real hope is in a babe in a manger. God come to earth to be with us. Immanuel.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us… In Him was life and that life was the light of men… We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth… To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God.  John 1:4, 12, 14

This life is messy and will be messy until Jesus comes back for His children. In the meantime, we will encounter trials, pain, death, sickness, divorce, heartache – oh, just name! However, in the middle of all our mess we can find strength, joy, and peace in the Savior. The birth of that one tiny baby long ago provides hope – for this life and eternity.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Does your life feel messy this Christmas? Lay it all at the manger. Find your Christmas joy and peace in the Child of Christmas. In your Savior.

Are you struggling with a messy life this Christmas season? Share a thought about the hope, joy, and peace you can find in Christ!

Are your kids growing up in the backseat of your car?

Advertising executives design television commercials to sell their product. One way they do this is by finding common ground with the viewer and exploiting their emotions to move them to pull out their wallets. So successful ads often closely reflect what’s happening in our society.

That’s why one car ad I saw recently troubles me.

The spot is for the Subaru Forester. The announcer tells the watching audience that the Forester is “designed for your most precious cargo.” Sounds good. Keep the kiddos safe. The line that troubles me comes from the “mom.” After talking about her daughter’s first words, first days of school, and best friends, mom says, “The backseat of my Subaru is where she grew up.”

I know. I hear you saying, “It’s just a commercial.” But the reason it bothers me is because it pretty accurately reflects the over-the-top, ridiculously busy lifestyle that many of us lead.

Like the mom and daughter in the commercial, we spend our entire lives running from one commitment or activity to another. All that running around leaves little time to rest or foster relationships. Real connection to other Christians gets pushed to the back burner. And time simply sitting with God is practically non-existent.

Stop the madness! It doesn’t have to be that way. Your kids shouldn’t have to grow up in a minivan or a crossover or whatever it is you drive. (Check out this post for more about the dangers of busyness and how you can dethrone that idol.)

Model for your children and grandchildren the value of family, friendships, and a rich, satisfying relationship with Christ. It’s time to stop living out of your car.

Am I just crazy or does this resonate with anyone else?!

Thanksgiving Spilling Out All Over

This post originally ran in November 2012.

I thought it would fit, I really did. But when I dumped the leftover soup with one quick motion into the waiting Tupperware bowl I discovered I my judgment was way off. Yummy Beef Barley soup rushed over the edges of the bowl onto the counter and splashed up on everything nearby. The natural consequence of putting way too much in a limited container.

In his letter to the Christians in Colosse, the apostle Paul paints a similar picture of thanksgiving:

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7, NLT

In these verses, Paul describes a spiritually strong Christian. Her faith was initially grounded – or rooted – once for all time in the foundation of the Gospel of Christ. From that truth, God continues to build her up, or grow her, into Christ’s likeness. As she grows, her faith is continually strengthened as she learns to trust in and depend on Christ. Thanksgiving, then, is the natural result.

Thanksgiving will come naturally to a Christian who is firmly established in Christ and growing in her faith. She will be so aware of the overwhelming work God has done in her life, she will “overflow with thankfulness.”

The Greek word translated as “overflow” means “to exceed a certain number of measure; to come in abundance: overflowing.” God pours so much mercy, grace, and blessing into our lives, we don’t have enough room to contain it. As we recognize His many gifts to us, thankfulness will rush out around us, splashing everything nearby.

Do people in your and my life get splashed with thankfulness? Is our gratitude for everything God has done for us in Christ obvious? If not, let’s contemplate His goodness toward us and allow thanksgiving to overflow our edges.

How can we express thanksgiving to God today in ways that people will notice?

Black Friday Freebies and Deals

Read to the end to hear about a great deal and a freebie!

I love Black Friday. And yes, I am one of those crazy people who will get up in the wee hours of the morning and stand in a long line waiting for the store to open. (I am not so crazy, however, to camp out overnight.)

In past years, my daughters and I have done this together several times. On Thanksgiving evening we scour the sale papers to make our plan. We make a list of what we want to get where. Then we decide which store we’ll hit first, then second, etc. There’s a coffee stop somewhere in the middle. We are home by late morning with half of our Christmas shopping done!

For us, the point of Black Friday is to find deals on things we would buy anyway. You could make an argument that we’re good stewards of the money God has given us. Plus, it’s fun.

However in recent years, I’ve spent less time and money in the brick and mortar stores and purchased more online.  In fact I’ve already made a big dent in my Christmas shopping without leaving home!

Another thing I love to do is share great finds and deals with my friends. That’s what this post is really about. On Black Friday, New Hope Publishers is offering three specials you won’t want to miss!

1. Every New Hope ebook will be available for $2.99 all day! – Christian Book Distributors will definitely carry the sale. It may also show up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble so check both! This deal will include my books Unshakeable Faith, Fed Up with Flat Faith, God’s Truth Revealed, and Before His Throne.

2. An interactive, digital version of “Unshakeable Faith” Bible study workbook will be FREE from 2-4pm CST!!! – New Hope Publishers recently launched a fabulous women’s Bible study site. Exciting new resources include four Bible study workbooks with interactive features that few publishers yet have. Check out a sample now.

3. The other interactive Bible study workbooks for $2.99 from 2-4pm CST.

These deals are good enough that you don’t have to feel guilty about getting them for yourself. Load up for holiday reading and enjoy!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Leftover Grace

Have you ever squeezed hand cream out of the tube and ended up with far too much? No matter how long you worked it into your hands – and maybe even your elbows – you still had more than you could use. What did you do with the excess?

When I was a kid and that happened to my mom, she always grabbed my hands and gave it to me. Now my girls know where I learned that little trick!

Paul paints a similar picture of grace in the book of Ephesians. God has so richly and lavishly poured His grace out on us we have abundantly more than we need.

In Him we have redemption through Hi blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:7-8.

The word translated as “lavish” in the NIV means “to exceed, to exist in abundance, to be leftover, to abound, to overflow, to furnish richly so that one has an abundance.” We truly have more grace than we can use for ourselves.

What are we to do with all that grace? God calls us to share it with others. We can give God’s grace to those around us through our words and our deeds.

Recently, I had the honor of sharing a message on this very topic with my own church family. Now I’d like to share it with you. “Lavish Grace” explores God’s call to be people of grace and describes what that looks like in our lives. I would love to know if God speaks to you in a particular way!

It’s Not Me, It’s You

I realize this statement is usually the other way around. “It’s not you, it’s me” is that classic breakup line that’s supposed to make the other person feel better about being dumped. By the way, why do we try that? No one ever buys it.

Sadly, I’ve used a version of this once or twice myself. One time I used it though it didn’t stick. Two years later we got back together. And tomorrow is our 30th wedding anniversary!

The familiar line – It’s not you, it’s me – reminds me of how self-centered we humans are. We are so self-focused that breakups aren’t even about the other person. We make everything about us. We talk and act like the world revolves around us.

Just in case you were wondering, the world actually revolves around the sun. I think I learned that in Science class somewhere along the way.

The world may physically revolve around the sun, but it exists for God’s glory. You exist for God’s glory. I exist for God’s glory. Here’s a sampling of what Scripture says about this:

God designed the created world to bring Him glory (Psalm 19:1).
God extended His mercy to us for His glory (Romans 9:23).
God created us for His glory (Isaiah 43:7).
God saved us for His glory (Ephesians 1:11-13).
We will spend eternity giving Him glory (Revelation 1:6).

Sounds like everything really is about Him. Not me. Not you. So why do we live like it’s about us?

Join in me in an experiment. Let’s make today really all about Him.

How might today look different if we make it about God instead of about ourselves?