Attention all shoppers:Rejoice!

Today is Gaudate Sunday.  Gaudate means Rejoice! Like, hey, you, rejoice!  Right Now!  Stop what you're  doing and rejoice, because the baby's coming!!  The pink candle is lit on our wreath, and it's the third Sunday of Advent.  We're getting so close!  I started to get a little worked up about my Christmas shopping being nowhere near done, so I went out to the mall for a few hours.  I came to a stellar conclusion.

I am a crappy shopper. 

I looked around for 2 hours with very little inspiration.  Oh, I'd see something and carry it around for awhile, only to change my mind and put it back.  (Usually to the spot it came from.  I hate it when people ditch stuff.)  I saw cute baby girl dresses that my sweet Evelyn would look adorable in.  I looked at more items with Lightning McQueen on them than I thought possible.  Alex would love them all!  I even saw some pretty shiny things that my daughters would all look beautiful in, but I didn't buy much.  I kept being reminded of what I knew before I even got there.

There is no gift I can give ANYONE that's even close to the gift of God's Love.  God loves us so much that he wrapped himself in skin, and knit together bones for himself in Mary's womb.  He allowed himself to be born as a wee little helpless human child, knowing that if he became one of us, we would be able to stand in his presence and live. He allowed his little baby body to be wrapped in swaddling cloths, just as later he would allow himself to be wrapped in burial cloths.  Being human, he would be able to communicate with us in a way that didn't terrify us like the pillar of fire, or a mighty wall of water on either side of the parted Red Sea.  He could hold our hands, and dry our tears.  He could forgive the sorry sinners, and touch the unclean to make them whole. He could love us from among us, like he wanted to from the beginning in the garden.     
What can I give my kids for Christmas that means something like that?  Barbie is so far removed from the goodness of a savior, I feel wrong for even considering her as a gift.  Never mind the World of Warcraft game.  I'm probably not supposed to try to give a gift as great as God's, but it is Jesus' birthday.  I'd like him to be involved in the process of gift selection.

Maybe that's it.  Our speaker on Wednesday was saying she prayed for guidance on her way into the mall, and things went really well.  She felt blessed and found some items that would mean something to her loved ones.   I think I may have to go out again tomorrow and try the "Lord, please bless the selection at Meijer" prayer. 

Or maybe I just need to Rejoice! and stop worrying so much.

Blessings,    




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