Thanks for taking time out of your day to have coffee with me and for returning for more of Nana Holds, the longest blog series ever written! Grab your coffee and come on in. It’s Christmas morning and Bryden’s joy is splashing on each of us.
His childlike enthusiasm lit up the room with love each time we handed him a package. And the excitement with which he opened each of them held us captive as we waited for the moment when it was unwrapped and he was actually experiencing what was inside. It didn’t matter whether it was a pair of pajamas, a new sticker book or a little toy; his appreciation never wavered as he exclaimed what each gift was while holding it up. That awakened something in me, a realization that it didn’t necessarily matter what the gift was as much as the giving of the gift. Bryden was feeling loved and the way he received it actually filled my love tank while taking me back to my one of my childhood Christmases.
what is it?
I say “one of my childhood Christmases,” because sadly enough, there’s only one that I do remember. I can almost feel the anticipation of that Christmas morning and the presents under the tree, and how difficult it was to drift off to sleep because excitement kept tugging on my mind. There had been several hints about Christmas that year from my mom. She had actually been at the same job for a while now and the man she had been married to was finally working as well.
Looking back, I now understand how fulfilled she felt by the ability to give all five of us something that we had put on our wish list, and then some. What I can’t imagine is how difficult it must have been to provide for five children and how frightened she must have been with all the times of uncertainty. But for this day, Christmas morning, It was complete joyous chaos as all five of us ripped into our packages, exclaiming appreciation with childlike enthusiasm. I don’t even remember what was in the packages; but I’ll never forget the unwrapping party and the feeling of happiness that comes when surrounded by those who love you and whom you love.
Christmas with Daddy!
Toy Story back pack
Maybe that one Christmas is what drove me to go above and beyond for my own son each year so he could experience every year what I had experienced that one year. Little did I know that my extreme gift-giving fed his sense of entitlement which drove him to do some of the things he did. Oh, how I thank God for His sovereignty that has the power to take our mistakes and turn them into beautiful lessons to positively affect our present and secure our future.
The reality of second chances fills my heart to overflowing as I watch Bryden unwrap his long-awaited backpack and lunch pail, which actually took some serious shopping to find. To say he was excited really isn’t the right word, maybe a bit of an understatement, especially considering actions speak louder than words. Yes, the look on his face was priceless, captured in my heart forever. But what he did next affirmed me emotionally in a way that I’ve experienced only a few times in my life: He put the backpack on and exclaimed “this is my favorite ‘pwesent’. I ‘wuv’ it!”
Join me Monday for more priceless moments and life-changing revelations.
Evinda
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