I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Annie and I headed north on Dec. 26 to spend time with my parents, my brother and his family, and our kids and grandkids. The trip’s becoming a Christmas tradition. The entire trip, all the time spent with the family, was a wonderful blessing. One grandson, Grayson, had RSV so, sadly, we did not get to see him, Meredith or Adam.  
One gift, one precious present, made the trip especially memorable. Our daughter, Liz, and her family gave us a small backpack tree ornament (see the picture). Inside was a booklet which described the gift and their reason for giving it. The note (also pictured below) read, “Thank you for teaching me the importance of giving – especially at Christmas! We donated 3 school supplies and 3 backpacks of food in your honor. All donations are matched also. We love you!”

                                   
 
Sometimes I hear my contemporaries worrying about their kids and grandkids. Their concerns range from “this younger generation …” to worries about which denomination they belong to, to how regularly they attend worship, and whether they attend worship at all. My interests are more fundamental: What fruits of the Spirit will pass on to my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, to my neighbors, friends and acquaintances?  

Liz went through a confirmation class which would run many folks far from church. She has been buffeted by traumatic life events, some of which happened at a time when her Dad was missing in action. Yet, when I went through my bout with kidney cancer, she was the first on the phone saying, “I have two perfectly good kidneys, take one of mine.” She, Jordan, Logan and Natalie are loving, happy, giving people. I don’t ask about their church attendance, I just admire the fruits of the Spirit I see in them and give thanks. Jesus was and is the perfect Christmas present and I see Jesus’ love all through this. We are blessed to be a blessing. I pray that when I grow up, I can be as kind and loving as my daughter.

Read Galatians 5:22-23, and remember: God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY.

Mike

Today’s scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A22-23