Balance and a Birthday.

Balance is a tricky thing.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only human who feels this way.

Any good thing taken to the extreme can be detrimental.

Working out is good.

Eating healthy is good.

Getting good grades is good.

Being successful at work is good.

Winning is good.

Watching movies is good.

Cleaning is good.

All good things. But taking any of them to the extreme? Not so good anymore.

But what about giving? Can giving too much turn into a bad thing? There's a Chinese proverb (the poster was in my 11th grade honors chemistry class and I've never forgotten it) that says something like, Give a man a fish, feed him for the day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life. I've had the opportunity to be involved a lot in some projects over Christmas. It's made me wonder if giving too much can be a bad thing. Before you go crazy on me, think about it. What do you think? When do you find the balance and teach them to catch their own fish? It's definitely a balance to find. 

Obviously, I've been thinking a lot about giving. I had a thought. It's pretty good. The kind that come in whisperings from You Know Who. Brace yourself.

First, let's go ahead and throw out the fact that I'm not perfect. Cool, we're on the same page. Sometimes I get sad or upset when I have to give things up. So when I was thinking about all this stuff, I realized that all these things I have aren't mine to give. Everything I have is because God has given or allowed me those blessings. And I know that if He needed to, he could take them all away in an instant. If it was God's will, Clint and I could lose our jobs tomorrow, end up homeless, OR we could die. And you know what? None of that stuff is going with us. How important is something if it doesn't go with you after you die?

 Will you please do me a favor and remember that in 3 days? Remember that whatever blessings you have, being close to family, opening a mountain of presents, having a hot meal, or even just having a roof over our head is from Him. Give credit where credit is due. It's ironic that we get wrapped up into what we want for Christmas when the meaning of Christmas couldn't be further from that! Really! I am so grateful to know the meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful to know Christ. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to work to become more like him. I'm grateful to know of Jesus's love for me and for you. And yes, I'm grateful for the fun celebration side of Christmas too!

Wise men still seek him...

Merry Christmas to YOU!

For the best reminder of what Christmas is about, watch the Christmas devotional here.