Gift Bags

Gift Bags

Every Christmas my sister saves all the gift bags from the presents. Not just the ones from her presents but everyone’s gift bags are recycled. Before you even get your present out of the bag, she’s there, ready to snatch it away.
Last year, shortly before Christmas, my sister invited me over to help decorate the tree and wrap Christmas presents. As she decorated, I wrapped. Placing a calculator for my niece into one of the colorful sacks, I said, “What a wonderful invention these ‘gift bags’ are. It saves so much time.”
“I don’t know how some people can afford to buy new ones each year,” my sister replied.
“I know what you mean.” I agreed, as I mentally noted that she had been recycling gift bags for so many years now that she has accumulated enough sacks so that she hardly ever has to buy any Christmas gift wrap.
“You know, if everyone saved their gift bags, it would put the gift wrap people out of business.” I commented, as I continued my task. Conveniently, some of the name tags were still intact and on the bags. All I had to do was lightly wrap the gift with a piece of tissue and insert it in the used gift bag.
“Don’t your kids notice that some of their presents come in the exact same gift bag each year?” I wondered.
“No. They never notice.”
“How can they not notice?” I asked.
“Because they are too intent on getting to next present. Always looking for the best one. You know, ‘the one’ that they’ve waited for all year. ‘The one’ that they talk about constantly. ‘The one’ that they’ve told you they want every day for the past three months. You know, ‘that’ one.”
“Yeah, I remember. I was like that too.”

The next morning’s reflection on our conversation brought me to the realization that I’m still like that in the way I live my life. Every day God provides for all of my needs. He gives me an assortment of gifts: friends, love, comforts, healings…everything one could ask for. And yet I neglect to enjoy it to the fullest. I’m always looking forward to ‘the one’ that is going to solve all my problems in an instant. But it’s not like that. It’s a lifetime of lessons and it can’t be rushed. So today, I resolved to enjoy this day. I’ll not deny today’s gift of life, by chasing after the unknown of tomorrow. Never again seeking after “the one” but savoring the goodness of this day.

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”