Receiving

What makes a good gift?

I got 3 yesterday. They were wildly different - from different people, different prices, different motives, different meanings. The common thread? A little bit of thought and effort and a whole lotta meaning.

One gift was a simple card with a heartfelt thank-you message. It was great to be reminded of how I helped someone else this year. Never underestimate the power of a simple Thank-You.

One gift was expensive. It was wrapped not just in paper, but in a book that represented a bond my wife and I have with the givers. The gift itself filled a desire that the giver knew we had (and it was more than generous).

The last gift might have been my favorite. It falls in line with the widow's mite, but is much deeper. This gift showed a connection, a commonality that I can share with someone who at first glance is nothing like me. For me, this was a symbol, an affirmation that God has prepared me for a time such as this. How else could I explain my excitement at receiving the un-butchered front leg of what must have been a tiny deer? (The third time someone has given me venison this year and the second time from a non-family member.) I'm guessing that only a small percentage of the population would either give or happily receive such a gift. And that makes me glad.