Gifts that Never Go Out of Style

Gifts that Never Go Out of Style
The holiday season is a time for giving. When most of us think of giving, we think of gifts. The mere thought of tackling that Christmas list can be daunting. Maybe there isn't enough money to buy the gifts you'd like to give. Or perhaps you have a few of those "hard to buy for" people who have everything. So you put on your Betty Crocker hat and spend hours in the kitchen making cookies, sweet breads, and fudge to give as gifts. You make homemade ornaments and other Christmas crafts, or you buy another pair of socks and another boring tie.

I'm going to ask you to think a little less traditionally about gift giving, and consider giving of yourself this holiday season. I've been reading Rick Warren's new book "God's Power to Change Your Life". In his book, he discusses a well known topic - the fruits of the spirit. I got to thinking about how wonderful it would be to make a conscious effort to give one or all of these nine gifts. These gifts can be given to anyone and everyone, they cost you nothing but your heart, and they never go out of style.

Love
What is love? So many people think of love as a strong feeling we have. We love our kids, our spouse, and our friends, especially when they are nice to us. But do we love people when they are unlovable, or do we love people who have hurt us deeply? Love is a matter of choice, and love is an action, not a feeling. How can we stretch ourselves and offer love in the most difficult situations? Give the gift of forgiveness to someone you've been holding a grudge against. Think loving thoughts of people when they are really aggravating you. Act lovingly to someone you do not like, and pray for people that mistreat you.

Joy
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, but yet many of us don't feel it. We equate joy with happiness, but the two are not the same. Your happiness depends on your circumstances - whether you're having a good day or bad day. Joy, on the other hand, is an attitude we can choose to have. Regardless of our situation, we can choose to be joyful. Consider changing your perspective and chucking self-pity. Focus on God's love and His plans for you, which are always good, even when you have to walk through the valley first. Give the gift of gratitude, cheerful giving, and service. Everyone loves to be appreciated and served with a smile.

Peace
Most of the time, the holidays are anything but peaceful. The stress that often comes with holidays makes for a chaotic time. So how can you offer peace to the people around you when they most need it? Spend time in prayer so that you can receive the spiritual and emotional peace that comes from God. Then you can give relational peace to others by having an internal sense of peace and turning away from conflict. Meet criticism with a calm and listening ear, instead of defensiveness. Offer compassion and understanding instead of anger and fighting words. Manage your own stress so you can be an example to everyone around you.

Patience
Rick Warren says you can test your patience in four ways. How do you deal with interruptions? How do you handle inconveniences? How do you respond to the irritations in your life? What is your reaction when you have to wait? Let's face it. The holiday season can really test our patience. Whether it's having to drive to 5 different stores to find the one toy that is out of stock, dealing with irritable and snobbish people, or waiting in endless lines, our reaction is the true test of how patient we are. Give the gift of patience by developing a deeper love for people, changing how you view situations, learning to laugh at the craziness, and depending on God to see you through the stressful times.

Kindness
Do you ever stop and ask yourself how you can be kind to someone today? Acts of kindness require thoughtful effort. Smiling at people who are having a bad day is an act of kindness. Kindness can be expressed by taking the time to listen to someone who is hurting. Giving people genuine compliments and seeing the best in people is a way to show kindness. Go out of your way to do something nice for someone, and don't wait until it's convenient for you because that time often does not come. In this busy world, everyone can benefit from a little kindness.