Receiving gifts can be such a bliss! And since it would be JESUS' birthday soon, I hope to share with you something that I've been wanting to write for the longest time. Believe me when I tell you that this post is in my heart for so long. However, I'm looking for a perfect time to give this encouragement to you.
I was in a limbo whether to hit the publish button but then, a thought hit me: I'd gladly publish my OOTD (outfit of the day), FOTD (face of the day), food, experiences, hauls... in a jiffy, without second thought - so why not write about something that's equally important to me? I mean, WHY NOT, isn't it?
And so - ladies and gentlemen, amidst all the hesitation which is so obvious judging from this long introduction, please be with me as I share with you some lovely gift suggestions for our BIRTHDAY CELEBRANT.
TOP 3 GIFT SUGGESTIONS THIS CHRISTMAS:
TOP 3 GIFT SUGGESTIONS THIS CHRISTMAS:
GIVE YOUR TIME
I wish I could post the faces of the babies from this orphanage, but it is not allowed. Home for the Angels is a sanctuary of babies being orphaned by destiny or by choice. Instead of being aborted, babies, from 0 to 2 years old, are being taken good care of. Located within the heart of Manila (San Andres) - a small team of volunteers feed, play and love these little ones.
Some babies have been adopted by their well-picked foster parents, while some are transferred to another orphanage for grown-up kids. Since our university days, my friends and I take a day off to play and give something to these cuties. You know what's heart-wrenching (for me)? It's the thought that each year, the babies that I'm playing with won't be there next year. So it's the only time I can hug and kiss them. This CHRISTMAS, we can touch lives by giving a chunk of our time.
"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'" Matthew 25:40
Loving requires effort. Lots of it. And its easy going out of our way to love the people we love from the start. Mom, dad, siblings, sweetheart, friends... but the world needs LOVE. Your love. People who are usually out of our social circles are the ones who need a piece of us. And you know what? JESUS did just that. We, the lost ones, are out of GOD's social circle - but JESUS visited this dark world to give us His light. Isn't that sweet?
Once a month, we spend time with these kids from the south. For an hour, we watch Superbook, color, pray, eat and have a good time. It requires talent - a talent to be PATIENT, that is. At the end of the day, please GET THIS: There's this amount of joy that's unexplainable - a joy that's of a different kind. A joy that can only be felt if you tried it for yourself.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
LOVE is not LOVE until you give it away. Genuine love necessitates giving. During this year, I've decided to support a child's education project. I'm wiring a specific amount of money to another part of the world to finance a child's educational need. I prayed about it and I'm almost sure that this is one thing God wants me to do. You and I know that there are so many ways to give love... all we need to do is to get up and act.
If you don't have time and patience for now, giving something is a good way to start. Praying for them (orphans, victims, whoever God leads you) - is another avenue to explore. LIVE beyond yourself. Easier said than done, but Mother Teresa showed us that it's possible.
I pray that this CHRISTMAS, we won't be deceived into thinking that the occasion is all about lights, shopping and concerts - instead - it's about doing what JESUS wants us to do, after all... HE IS THE CELEBRANT di ba? MERRY CHRISTMAS, guys! -CMK
Photo Credits: Google Images
No comments
Post a Comment