Giving This Christmas Away

Matthew West and Amy Grant have a song out (yes, it's taken me four years to "discover" it), called "Give This Christmas Away."  The song was written for VeggieTales' video, "The Story of St. Nicholas," which I would recommend for kids of ALL ages, but the song itself is worth the price and the time.  You can hear it on YouTube or any number of sites.

Giving Christmas away is important to me this year as our West End emphasis focuses on our membership vows. We are in the season of Presence.  The play on words is lovely this time of year, as the best present of all is that of our presence.  I've had my share of the "Me Club," as in "What's in it for me, or what am I getting and how do I ask for it?"  This year, as close as I will come will be to ask that my life be changed by what I give away.

There are lots of ways to do that.  If you have a family, I suggest you call a Family Night and discuss how you can give Christmas away.  If you don't, get together with a small group or your Sunday School class or study group, and brainstorm.  Or if you are creative on your own, make a list of things you can give away--items you may have in abundance, a gift of time, a phone call, an act of forgiveness, a kindness done in secret, writing a love letter.  There are hundreds of ways to give Christmas away, and how delightful to come up with the give-away list to check twice!  And as a matter of fact, it works best with the less money you have, or choose to spend.  Trust me.  It's an age-old fact.

Here are the lyrics to "Give This Christmas Away."  I hope you enjoy them, and give a wink and a nod to Matthew West and Amy Grant if you see them on the street this season!

What if I told you, you have the power
to give someone hope far beyond their wildest dreams.
What if I told you, it's right there in your hands, in your hands.
It's hard to imagine how something so small
Could make all the difference, tear down the tallest wall.
What if December looked different this year?

What if we all just give this Christmas away
If there's love in your heart, don't let it stay there.
Give this Christmas away
And your life will be changed by the give you receive
when you give this Christmas away.

It's feeding the hungry, serving the poor,
It's telling the orphan, You're not forgotten anymore.
It's doing what love does even when no one's watching you.
For God so loved the world that He gave us all His Son,
so we could be his hands, his feet, his love . . . his love.

What if we all just give this Christmas away
if there's love in your heart, don't let it stay there.
Give this Christmas away
and your life will be changed by the gift you receive
when we give this Christmas away. 

That's the view from my desk, at any rate.  Pardon me, I have a phone call to give.

Grace and joy,
Julie