Wrapping it all up!

Tonight we spend the evening wrapping the girls' presents to everyone! It was a lot of fun and a big mess. Our girls get an allowance for being a part of our family and for helping out with various things each day. But, they also have the opportunity to do some extra jobs once every week to earn extra money...kind of like their little part time job. They have learned how to clean the toilets, do laundry from beginning to folding and putting away, unloading the dishwasher, vacuuming, and more. They both worked especially hard this month to earn some extra money for Christmas! Every year after they have earned their goal, we take them to the Dollar Tree to buy a present for every person in our family. That way they can earn, buy, and wrap something for everyone on their own! They can buy whatever they want to give that person as long as they think about what that person would like (so we don't end up with a bunch of toys for the family!). They do a great job and this year was no exception!

Tonight we set a side as the wrapping night. We had seen on Martha Stewart (yes I am still a fan...she's just got such great ideas!) how to emboss your own gift tags. So, since I had a gift certificate to Michael's, the girls and I headed out yesterday to get the things we needed to try it out. It was amazing! We made the most beautiful tags for each person's gift and it really made them look extra special! The end result was beautiful. Each gift had a personalized tag by the girls and they added a touch of sparkle to every gift! I highly recommend this...and my girls could do every step...with adult supervision on the heat gun of course.

As you can see, we had a blast! With a little hard work and a lot of love...giving gifts is such a precious way to show how much you love someone. The wise men brought very precious gifts of great value to Jesus. They honored Him by giving to Him both with the faith it took to follow the star and not tell Herod about Jesus and to bring such precious gifts to Him when they arrived.

Our Dollar Tree gifts may not be valuable by the world's standards of value, but the hard work and love that these girls put into every gift is of utmost value to those who will receive them. We want our girls to know that it's not what you buy...it's the heart in which you give. Jesus cares about what is inside. The most expensive gift given out of duty is worthless to the one who receives. But, the most meager gift given out of love...is priceless.

What are you giving to Jesus today? Are you giving your time, money, and gifts to Him with a heart of love or of duty? Take time today to check your motives this Christmas. Have you focused on the love you have for those around you...or simply the dash to give a gift and check it off your list? God wants us to be CHEERFUL givers to Him and others. It should be out of our overflow of all He has given us.
We found this perfect wrapping paper (Thanks Lainie!) that really sums this season's meaning up for us:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no shadow due to change." James 1:17.

The most perfect gift He sends us is Jesus Christ!