"Be thankful for what you get!" That phrase has been floating around our homes for a while. I can't remember the first time I heard it - but I think it was my sister, Susan, talking to her boys when they were younger. It's also been a good reminder for all of us adults at one time or another. Lately, it's been going thru my head a lot.
I've been reminiscing about different Christmases I have celebrated. Especially those in Tanzania. Maybe because our Christmas choir is singing a song that has a couple lines of Swahili in it this year. What I remember most about Christmas in Tanzania is one time talking about what Christmas means to various folks. One person said, "Christmas means kuku to me." (kuku is the Swahili word for chicken). When asked to explain, he said that this is how they celebrate Christmas at his house. His father would save all year so they could have a chicken dinner for Christmas. (And as a co-worker once said, "even the chickens are starving in Tanzania!") So they got a scrawny chicken dinner for Christmas and it was wonderful.
There weren't lights, there wasn't a tree, there were no presents, just a chicken dinner....and they were thankful for what they got. These folks understood that what they got was a lot more than a scrawny chicken. They got a Savior...they got eternal life....forgiveness from sins.....a relationship with God......peace.
As we get caught up in the busyness of this season - trying to find the perfect gift for each person on our list. May we all remember to be thankful for what we got....because we got the best gift ever given.
May you have a peace filled and thankful Christmas.
I've been reminiscing about different Christmases I have celebrated. Especially those in Tanzania. Maybe because our Christmas choir is singing a song that has a couple lines of Swahili in it this year. What I remember most about Christmas in Tanzania is one time talking about what Christmas means to various folks. One person said, "Christmas means kuku to me." (kuku is the Swahili word for chicken). When asked to explain, he said that this is how they celebrate Christmas at his house. His father would save all year so they could have a chicken dinner for Christmas. (And as a co-worker once said, "even the chickens are starving in Tanzania!") So they got a scrawny chicken dinner for Christmas and it was wonderful.
There weren't lights, there wasn't a tree, there were no presents, just a chicken dinner....and they were thankful for what they got. These folks understood that what they got was a lot more than a scrawny chicken. They got a Savior...they got eternal life....forgiveness from sins.....a relationship with God......peace.
As we get caught up in the busyness of this season - trying to find the perfect gift for each person on our list. May we all remember to be thankful for what we got....because we got the best gift ever given.
May you have a peace filled and thankful Christmas.
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