Will she like that?
I watched my grandma snatch the blouse from my mom’s hands and head straight to the cash register (Grandma was in her nineties and my mom in her seventies when I witnessed this incident). She had seen my mom admire it and try it on. It looked lovely, and Grandma knew Mom would buy it. So, she beat her to it, securing a perfect gift.
We moms never outgrow wanting to lavish our children with gifts. As we enter the thick of the gift-giving season, many of us struggle with the dilemma of procuring the perfect gifts for those we love. Shopping for parents baffles us, especially if they’re downsizing. Those who have adult children with good-paying jobs find themselves in the same dilemma; what we can give that they haven’t already purchased for themselves. What do we get those that already have all they want or need?
Everyone (but God) Needs Something
Most of us feel like we’re drowning in stuff, but our spirits are thirsty. Our parched souls crave quality time with those we love. Maybe a cleared space on our calendar would be a perfect gift? The world mocks and slanders us. Maybe some encouraging words are what we need to give.
God gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17), but much of what He provides is not material. He gives strength, hope, and a listening ear. We, too, can furnish these perfect gifts. To help my children, I’m submitting my wish list.
Twenty-one Things My Children Could Give me this Christmas
I want to open my door and find you there.
2. Open a letter and hear your voice inscribed on a piece of paper I won’t throw away.
3. I need your acts of kindness like cooking and cleaning when my house is full of people.
4. Oh, and how I need your forgiveness when I let anxiety get the better of me and the stress monster bites you with mean words.
5. I want to listen to your jokes and laugh with you (even if we’re both laughing at me).
6. I would enjoy you brushing my hair as we watch all the activities around us.
7. I would appreciate less stuff when you leave. Ask for things you could use or want to display or wear. I’d prefer you take these things when they serve you well rather than burden you after I’m gone.
8. I would love to take a walk with you, just the two of us taking a leisurely stroll.
9. I enjoy adventures, going places we’ve never seen before.
10. Experiences make delightful gifts! Concerts, museums, shows, even a project we can do together.11.
11. I want my stocking stuffed with I love you notes instead of trinkets that waste away.
12. I need honest words that confront my sin and invite me to be better.
13. Texts throughout the year, please tell me what’s new with you.
14. Pictures of you and your children always make me smile (digital is fine).
15. Consumable presents like things you bake or a meal you make would be divine.
16. Love and discipline your children well for me, gifting me with grandkids that know right from wrong.
17. I delight to see your growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Share your testimonies of God’s faithfulness with me. Share what you discover as you read the Bible.
18. Gift me with a song. Sing with me, grace me with a performance (one year my oldest taught her children my favorite Christmas carol, a gift I’ll never forget!) or send me a music video you think I’d like.
19. Reminisce with me. Share your favorite memories of childhood. You could even write it out (again, a paper I won’t throw away).
20. Teach me something new like a recipe or helpful technology tip.
21. Pray for me, asks about my needs, and trust the perfect Gift Giver to provide what you cannot.
Giving the Perfect Gifts
In light of what I desire, I realize my friends and family may need these too. Maybe I need to buy less and sacrifice more. The best gifts require time and effort both tend to be more costly than the money we budget for material things. The best gifts nourish us. The best gifts make us better. The best gifts never lose their value or wear out. May God show us how to give lasting treasure the kind moth and rust does not corrupt, and thieves can never steal.
