Gifts from the Heart

"It's not the gift, but the thought that counts" rings so true to me.  Sometimes a gift can be... well... a let down, but when we know the giver's heart is in the right place, it can mean so much to us.  A well thought out gift, however, is the very best kind.  It's the kind of gift that the giver has put a LOT of thought into.  They wanted to give you something YOU love, not just something they'd love to give you.

  My dad is a great gift-giver.  He's one who puts a lot of thought into the gift he's giving.  In most cases, he puts a lot of time into his gifts as well.  Two gifts that stick out to me this year reached my heart in ways that typical gifts usually don't.  I'm not really a gift person.  I love giving them when I can.  It's fun receiving them, but I definitely wouldn't consider it to be my love language. However, when the gift is suited to my interests and who I am as a person, I am blown away.

  I'm not super into sports.  My husband is.  I resisted as long as I could, but one fateful day, not so long ago (a couple years, maybe?) I realized how much I enjoyed watching baseball.  Weird, right?  Of all the sports, baseball is my choice. However, I don't watch it unless the Detroit Tigers are playing, and even then, I don't know that they're playing unless Jeff tells me they're playing.  I'm one of those fans that knows very little about schedules and logistics, but I enjoy a good game.

  Jeff works long hours in the summer and it's hard for us to get away, so I hadn't been to a Tigers game and really really wanted to go.  My dad knew this and blessed my socks off by taking me to a game in October.  I was beyond excited!!!  If you know me, you know I'm a very reserved person while in a public/crowded place.  I kept my cool while at the game, but I soaked everything in like a sponge.  Inside, I was jumping up and down, doing cartwheels, and screaming at the top of my lungs.  I hope my dad could see the excitement in my eyes.  I hope I thanked him enough... although a thousand thank yous could not cover it!

  It wasn't just the game that was exciting to me. It wasn't just the sweatshirt or the snacks or the fact that I was being spoiled to the max.  I got to spend the day with my dad.  That doesn't happen often.  He's a grandpa and my kids like to hog him. ;)  It is always nice to have a heart to heart with one of your best friends.  It was awesome to share an exciting adventure and to become a kid again.  I often miss the good ol' days, and this definitely brought me back.  My dad knew I would be blessed by his generous gift.  He knew I'd enjoy the game.  I don't think he has any idea of the impact that gesture and that quality time had on my spirit.

  I also have this slight obsession with peacocks... especially the feathers.  They're so pretty and they have significant meaning to me beyond the beautiful appearance.  I love them so much I have one permanently stamped on my arm.  My husband had spotted some real peacock feathers in our former landlord's garage and mentioned that I love feathers.  He said Jeff and the kids could take them home so I could enjoy them. I was blessed not only by Jeff and the fact that he'd think of me when seeing those feathers, but I was blessed by our landlord and his kindness in allowing Jeff to give me such a pretty gift.

  We're currently working on decorating our bedroom in a peacock theme.  I'm trying to keep it classy and not go overboard, but I may very well end up on an episode of hoarders for having a room filled to the brim with peacock accessories. The peacocks have spilled over into our bathroom as well. If Jeff spots something, he picks it up for me.  Isn't that sweet?

  We had an entire wall behind our bed that was completely bare.  I mentioned to my dad that I'd love a painting to go above my bed. I threw out a couple ideas, but didn't want to push it.  I could always go shopping for a picture or two.

  I was blown away the other day when he brought in TWO paintings that he had lovingly crafted for me.  The time and effort and patience that he must have put into them goes above and beyond anything I would have ever expected.  He painted with beautiful colors on black backgrounds (my all time favorite "color").  I could just stare at them all day.  A picture of his paintings just won't do them justice.  They are beautiful and detailed and so far beyond what I could have ever imagined.  Anyone can go buy any old painting and it will look great.  A painting, made with love by a father for his daughter.... stunning!

  As we purchase Christmas gifts this year, let us remember who we are blessing.  Let us put forth true effort to bless others in ways that really touch their hearts and really show how much we care.  We can use our talents to bless someone.  We can give them our time.  We can go all out if we have the money, or we can dig down deep and find a way to bless our loved ones with priceless acts of kindness.  Let us be gift givers all year round.  Let us seek out opportunities to bless those we hold dear and let us not forget that we too can be blessed by giving our hearts to another.

~Em