Appreciate the Effort in the Gift You Recieved

How many times have you heard that with gift-giving—it’s the thought that counts? You probably first heard the phrase when you were a child and your parents warned you not to be rude if you received something you didn’t like—like a onesie pajama. Nowadays the phrase is heard more from the voice running through your head when you get a dumb gift or even before you open presents just in case you might get something stupid. Or maybe it’s the thought you encourage yourself with when you buy that last-minute gift.

The saying is true, but a great gift sure beats out a good thought!

But beyond the thought—there is an effort that went into the giving of the gift you received. That effort should be commended far-more than just the thought—right?

Honestly, Christmas present wrangling is frustrating to me. Very frustrating. You can count on me losing my cool a time or two. Ok, a minimum of ten times (suggested edit from my wife). And honestly, I really don’t do squat in the Christmas gift rodeo. I’m more of a sounding board, piece of tape hander, midnight store runner for gift tissue, and the Amazon review reader for the McCandless Christmas endeavors. Yet, I still must repent multiple times following the season.

Surely, I’m not the only one to kick the inflatable Santa Snoopy across the yard because it wouldn’t stay standing or repeatedly stomped on a strand of Christmas lights that I couldn’t get untangled. Please don’t tell me I’m not the only one to beat the dinning room table with the empty wrapping paper roll when the paper ran out with 4 inches left uncovered on the box or only one to mutter a sailor-like terminology when my kids slipped the bubble packaging next to my bed to scare me when I woke up. At least, I can’t be the only one to tell my online shopping cart what it could go do, when I saw the order would not make it before Dec. 24th.

So maybe I do have anger issues, but that is not the point. Gift selecting, funding, shopping, transporting, wrapping, re-wrapping, tagging, bow placing, bow replacing, re-transporting, and eventually returning is not for the faint of heart. Think of your greatest frustration this year. Do you remember how hard you tried to get that ridiculous toy your niece wanted? Do you remember how you begged the lady in the check out counter to sell you that toy your kiddo wanted for triple what she paid for it because it was the last one? Do you remember how you sweated out if you’d receive that Amazon package in time or how the $10 gift actually cost you $110 because you signed up for Amazon Prime to receive it on time? Do you remember rewrapping that gift for your co-worked because you ran out of paper half-way through? Do you remember running to the store seconds before it closed to get more bows to make the present look perfect? Do you remember how hard you worked to make the money to purchase those gifts? Or do you know how much interest you are going to have to pay before those gifts are paid off on your credit card?

Did you pull a Jake (that’s what they call it around here) and lose your cool this Christmas season?

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Well, if you did pull a Jake? If you did beat your dining room table to death with an empty gift wrap tube, or if you remember all of those frustrations I mentioned earlier—you’re in good company.

You’re in good company because the one who bought your gift went through the same crap for you.

Because they love you.

Because they care.

Because you are worth it to them.

So, yeah, the thought counts. Even more so—the effort.

Appreciate the effort in the gift you received because it shows you are loved.

 

[bctt tweet=”A great gift sure beats out a good thought!” username=”@soldoutjake”]

[bctt tweet=”Appreciate the effort in the gift you received because it shows you are loved.” username=”@soldoutjake”]

[bctt tweet=”Gift selecting, funding, shopping, transporting, wrapping, re-wrapping, tagging, bow placing, bow replacing, re-transporting, and eventually returning is not for the faint of heart.” username=”@soldoutjake”]

Jake McCandless

Jake McCandless is a pastor, author, and speaker for Prophecy Simplified from Arkansas. Through Prophecy Simplified Jake seeks to bridge end-time prophecy to everyday life in the lives of Christians across the country. His first book, Prepping for Our Spiritual Doomsday, releases spring of 2017 with WND Books. You can find more of Jake’s writings at his sites www.prophecysimplified.com and www.graytotebox.com, as well as, in regular columns for Almost an Author and the Baptist Press. Jake enjoys the outdoors, but more than anything he would rather be on a date with his wife Amanda or playing Barbie’s with his daughters Andrea and Addison.

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