Kings to You

I you have watched the Count of Monte Cristo you might be familiar with that line, but Christmas morning, after a long treasure hunt, I found those words tied to wooden King from an old chess set buried in an old wooden box. When I lifted the chess piece out of the box, I found a most unexpected gift from my family. The gift, however, was not what compelled me to grab my computer and write this Christmas morning. Don't get me wrong - the gift was amazing! Yet, what made the gift so spectacular was the way in which was presented to me.

My husband and I have a rule at Christmas time - gifts are for the kids. We stuff each other stockings with mints, socks, lottery scratch tickets, and fishing flys, but the real money we allot to spend generally goes to legos, iTunes gift cards, and the like.

This year, after all the presents under the tree had been opened and after all the stockings had been unstuffed, my husband comes from around the tree with a large, heavy box and explains, "I could not fit this one in your stocking."

When I opened the paper I found myself jumping into a treasure hunt that led me around my house to find clues that gave me numbers that would ultimately open a pad lock that was secured to a wooden box.

Each clue I found there was a letter attached from one of my three children. Their letters said things that in a normal day to day often get missed. "I love that you snuggle me", said my seven year-old. "I love that take care of me and cook for me", my nine year-old said. "Everyday I try to become more like you", words from my teenage daughter.

At the end when I opened my new flash (very cool, indeed!), I re-read the letters from my sweet children. There is plenty that I do wrong on any given day - plenty of words said that I should have held, plenty of patience forgotten. Yet, at the end of the day my kids know, without a doubt, that I love them more than any words I could ever express. A friend once shared the idea that she tries everyday to show her kids how much Jesus loves them by her actions. I guess I do that okay from time to time.

When I sat later and reflected the presentation of the gift I had received from my family I could not help but think of the parallels of that and Christianity. Do we hastily hand someone a gift? Do we force the gift on them? Are we sometimes so rushed that we forget even to wrap the gift and instead present it to them in a Wal-Mart shopping bag, price tag still attached?

For me, I know how much presentation means. Not outward appearance, but true and sincere love that causes us to want desperately want to woe. I know that God does the ultimate heart changing, but that does not change the fact that I want to partner with Him in the wooing. I want to stand with Him and love on the brokenhearted; the rejected; the outcasts; the "sinners". I want to sit beside them and show them the beauty of the God whose heart is melted for them. I want to read them letters, love letters, that share gratefulness and love for the person they are.

I am overwhelmed this Christmas season. Overwhelmed with joy - unspeakable JOY and thankfulness for the most fantastic gift I have ever received. Thank you, Jesus. Kings to you!