Thank-you so much!

Christmas is not about the gifts.

We all say that, we believe it (most of us!), and if push came to shove, a Christmas with no physical gifts would be fine--even great! We'd be pressed to value all we have--loved ones, life, and most importantly, forgiveness for our hateful rebellion against the good King of this universe.

Some years we also are amazed by generosity. That's what this year has been for me and my family. In a year of economic downturn and struggle, we have been overwhelmed, and I mean completely humbled, by the incredible gifts that we have received from our church family, our own extended family and friends. Whoa!

I won't get into a big shopping list here. I would invoke the envy that you and I both thought we were trying to kill during Christmas. I will share just one gift that was all about timing, generosity and selflessness.

I have been operating with a computer that had become a laughingstock. Our home computer--once a serviceable station of digital communication and expression had been filled to capacity for a couple years. I purchased an external hard drive a year ago to try to prolong it's inevitable grave--that helped. But it was a 256 processor and a 30Gb hard drive. For you non-techies that simply means that it had less than memory than many iPods.

I have been planning to replace it for a couple years. Nikki wanted to wait, and convinced me that timing was everything. She spoke wisdom to me and my boyish exuberance for a new techno-toy was delayed momentarily. And so we danced. My oft impatient scanning of the newspaper circulars (looking online was too slow) would ebb while her gentle reminders flowed (and sometimes, vice-verse).

When we decided together that we would indeed replace our relic after Christmas this year I knew the old Dell had finally outlasted her useful existence. It was time to put her to sleep.

Once we made the decision to replace the computer, my impatience crested. My thought: "If we know we are going to replace this thing after Christmas, why bother waiting?" Nikki's Jonny-like reply: "I entered an online contest to win a computer. Let's wait 'till after the Christmas Eve winner is announced." OK.

The people of our church became aware of our home computing slowness through a variety of means. While we waited, they decided to take up a collection for us to help us with this little expense. At our staff Christmas Party (December 20) at our house, the people we serve God with presented us with an amazing gift card to purchase the computer(s) of our choice through a national technology retailer. We wept at the timing, the generosity and the thought of being cared for by God's family in this world. I still do when I think of it . . . thanks to all of you who made this happen!

I waited 'till Christmas Eve--we did not win the computer that Nikki had registered to win.

The day after Christmas, after much research and comparison shopping I went out and purchased a crazy-fast computer. I had wanted the extra-large monitor but had decided to be content with the standard monitor. When I got to the store they were out of the standard monitor, but for $80 bucks more or so they would upgrade me to the 23" HD monster that I had wanted to begin with. I could live with that! We had enough left over to purchase Microsoft Office and a netbook for Nikki's amazing cooking skills. (With various problems on the old computer Nikki had grown accustomed to walking back and forth from the kitchen to the family room every time she needed to proceed in the recipe because the computer wouldn't always print. Sure it' s not a huge inconvenience, but now she can bring her netbook into the kitchen and check her various sites on the wireless connection (that router was also a gift from a friend!).)

God cares about the desires of our heart with regard to screen size and even the little desire of this man's heart for the convenience of his wife.

The amazement of this Christmas season was not changed in 2009. I stand amazed at the cross of our Savior--the only atonement for my sinful rebellion.

Because I do not know who gave the gifts, I say this publicly to my brothers and sisters: Thanks! Your generous gifts have been an exclamation mark in our hearts this Christmas season! (And, by the way, our sons are equally amazed at God's provision "in the fullness of time . . .")

Merry Christmas!