Dumbfounded

This post is a little different from my typical Thursday culture update . . .

Last night, my boyfriend and I exchanged Christmas presents. To be truthful, I still hadn’t wrapped my mind around the fact that it’s time to give the gifts I’ve bought—I just wasn’t quite ready for Christmas. This week has been unexpectedly crazy at work; I needed to get several things taken care of before Christmas arrives this weekend; and I’ve been suffering from mouth ulcers so painful that I’d just prefer not to talk. Harried, I arrived at his house with his presents in hand and plopped down in his living room.
 

We put on the movie Elf, one of my Christmas favorites that I hadn’t yet seen this year, and then started giving gifts. I opened fun Christmas slippers, a beautiful cardigan, and a Beyonce concert DVD (Don’t judge me; she’s an amazing performer—or at least I was so enthralled watching her concert when it came on TV that I sat glued to the television. For hours. While my boyfriend cleaned his house—around me—without me realizing it. I can’t wait to watch it again!) And then, I opened a small box containing a new digital camera. I hadn’t even asked for one, but I needed one. My camera is six years old and makes colors extra vivid. Everyone looks really tan and shiny. It’s like my camera is in Lisa Frank mode or something. But I think the new one will actually take normal-looking pictures. It even has an LCD screen on the front of the camera too so you can see what the picture will look like when you’re snapping it of yourself! I was so excited about this unexpected gift. I love getting something that you didn’t realize you really wanted/needed until you open it. Completely blown away by my presents and thankful, I settled down to watch Elf with my boyfriend and a mug of egg nog.

Then, my boyfriend got up, went to the closet, and said that he had one more present to give me. He grabbed a large, oddly shaped package and brought it over to me. A little overwhelmed at the gifts I’d already been given, I cautiously took this last present from him. I set it in my lap, tore off the paper, and opened up a violin case.

You see, I’ve been absolutely mesmerized by every talented violinist I’ve seen in the past several years, and lately, I’ve been wanting to learn how to play. But I wasn’t sure how I was going to buy a violin. 

To know that my sweet boyfriend recognized that desire in me and thought I should be able to learn, well, it made me cry. Right there in his living room floor, my eyes filled with tears at this completely unexpected and thoughtful gift. I don’t think I’ve ever been so touched or caught so off-guard by a present or someone else’s generosity. (And then I proceeded to screech out some really awful-sounding notes on my new violin. Hopefully I’ll get the hang of it soon!)

Still glowing this morning from the thought of all those gifts, I sat down to breakfast and my quiet time. I was struck with the knowledge that as wonderful as my boyfriend is to me and as awesome as the presents I received last night are, the best Gift really did come down at Christmastime. God thoughtfully gave humanity a gift that we desperately needed. A gift that we’d longed for but weren’t sure how to get for ourselves. Jesus and the salvation He brings is that gift, and I hope that you are ready to celebrate Him this weekend.

Know that you are loved and prayed for by all of us here at LifeWay Girls’ Ministry.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!