The Christmas Spirit?

If you were at Capstone on Sunday, I confessed to the church that I was feeling kind of like Scrooge and Charlie Brown rolled into one. Scrooge was always "Bah, humbug" when it came to the things of Christmas. Charlie Brown simply wandered through the holiday trying to make sense of it all. The commercialization of Christmas had ruined it for him.

Me too.

While I'm not really in a "Bah, humbug" mood (I love the food, lights, friends and family), I am tired of the fact that most everyone sees Christmas as only being about the gifts, the shopping, and what they are going to get or give. I enjoy giving gifts --- I really do. I have made a couple of purchases in the last few days that I am very excited about because I know the people I have bought these items for will really love them and can use them. I can't wait to give them to them.

And I enjoy getting gifts as much as the next person. I really don't even care what it is --- it's the fact that someone gave it that matters most to me.

So here's my problem: I don't know what to buy the people I should get a gift for. Know why? Because everyone already has everything. And to top it off, I can't tell anyone what to get me. Why? Because I already have everything as well. There's not a thing in the world I need. Really, it's true.

That doesn't mean that I couldn't find good use for a couple of thousands of dollars or the new car or a whole new wardrobe. But I don't NEED any of those things. I'm just like most of the people in my little corner of the world --- we are all blessed beyond measure. We may not be the richest around but we've got more than we need.

And those things we do have --- faith, hope, joy, peace, family, friends, salvation, love, light --- well.....now that I think about it......I guess we are the richest around after all.