The Year of Serving Gracefully

Aah, the internet. With my family's reliance on the typical culprits of bland gifts for the home, I can easily look up the various serving platters they sent me and share photos of them here with you. If you wanted to share, why not take pictures, you ask? Well . . .I received these gifts just before the band came over for practice. With my office filled with boxes and wrapping paper and packaging, I brought these out to the dining room table and let the boys have their choice. You wouldn't think rock musicians would be so quick to grab up the Crate and Barrel goodies, but they did. They, in turn, will hand the platters over to girlfriends, in-laws, etc.

Say it's wrong to open my presents early. Say it's wrong to be so ungrateful. Say I'm a scrooge. I don't care. There is no possibility that any of my relatives saw these gifts and thought, "Oh, Tracy would love that. I HAVE to get it for her." My guess is they saw this stuff on one of their sweeps through the mall and it wasn't too expensive. If they knew me at all, they would know I am a hermit and never have people over for cheese and crackers. They would know that I have no clear cupboards and no open shelf space. NONE. I don't fault them for not knowing me. I don't fault them for being generous in giving me a gift at all. But I am tired, tired, tired of Christmas obligations. If you are moved to buy the perfect gift, get joy from giving it, then that's great. Otherwise, it's junk, a waste of money, time and paper. Giving me this crap doesn't keep me connected to my family or make Jesus happy. If they called me or wrote me a short note, I would be a million times more grateful. As it stands, this simply shows that too much of what we do, in my extended family at least, is follow the rules of family without much spirit or heart.

I'm done now.