Merry Christmas Celebrations

The wife and I were driving out to her folks' place yesterday for lunch and some celebration of Christmas, listening to holiday songs on the radio, when someone came on with a story about how the true gifts are the ones you give, not the ones you get. Sappy and sentimental, "The Widow Jensen and the Rifle" told about Matt and how his wish for a rifle at Christmas was crushed by his parent's poverty, only to realize they HAD saved enough for it, until his father had seen poor little Jakey Jensen out hunting for scraps of wood to burn, his feet wrapped in burlap. Pa took the rifle money and spent it on the Jensen's, and he and son Matt hauled their gifts (food, shoes, and a pile of wood that Matt had split) over to their cold house to find them wrapped in blankets. Leaving them happy and well-fed, Matt realized that Pa had helped him give the best gift of all.

Now that's a story about giving. Another one is the dandy gift pictured, a shadow box to hold my Twin Cities Marathon medals, done by the wife's younger sister and her husband. It's one gift among many from people, books and clothes and a new wireless mouse. Best, as always, is the time together sharing and playing and enjoying the company of others. Another great gift is the one from my mom, who donated a gift on my behalf through Heifer International.

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!