Tag Archives: Giving

Love is the Greatest Gift

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Love is the Greatest Gift

It’s not the presents under the tree nor the shopping at the mall that make the holidays and Christmas joyful, it’s Love and Peace within us we seek.

  • More than the presents under the tree, love is the greatest gift. “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotton son”. John 3:16.

  • You’re happy that your children are healthy, joyful, talented, and smiling . Sometimes they may not be perfect but pure joy shines through it all.

  • The children are sometimes rascal, curious, yet when parents speak they listen and obey.

  • The family comes together to celebrate the holidays and Christmas, each heart yearning to hug one another, or missing each other from afar.

  • It’s a time to forgive and leave the past behind and to not look back.

  • Grandparents, parents, children, in-laws, and family laughing and remembering times they shared, some memories a challenge yet worthy of life’s mysterious journey.

  • Then came uncles, aunties, and loved ones gathering to share the holidays.

  • We love that special spirit that fills the cold winter air with a special warmth and fire.

  • The joy you give when you invite someone who is away from their family and needing of cheer.

  • And, importantly first children loving God, secondly children honoring their parents.

These gift are more than enough.  It reminds me what my wife Amy Lou said,  “Love is like a piggy bank, if you don’t deposit, there is nothing that will come back; unfortunately some children don’t want to come home for Christmas.”  It’s never too late to start seeking the greatest gift, giving more love and your time this Christmas.

Happy Holidays and Very Merry Christmas!

Christmas the “Most Wonderful” or Stressful Time of the Year? So Where is Happiness?

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Black FridayThe melody “Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”  can be the most stressful time of the year.  With all the media hype and the pressure to give and receive presents, no wonder the FBI reports a jump in the crime rate in December. Have we lost the meaning of Christmas replaced it with Black Friday and the guilt of not having the money to play the Christmas game like seen on TV or social media? Children can sense the stress in parents, instead give more love and spend more time with the children; now that’s priceless, it’s not the expensive gadgets that are obsolete in a few years.

Alternatively, during the holiday season finding happiness can be found in teaching children to be kind and generous with charitable giving,  This could be a kind act of stopping to help a person in need, to making a monetary donation to a charity.  A study by Harvard School of Business “Feeling Good About Giving”, 2009, showed that people who gave charitably showed an increase in their level of happiness.

President George H. W. BushWhen George H. W. Bush was asked, what was his most successful achievement, he did not say Ambassador to China under President Reagan, CIA Director, nor the 41st President of the United States of America,  he said “my children still want to come home”

In the end, it’s not the money or “bling” that will make you sing, you can’t buy eternal peace and joy. Our families and friends are our most precious treasures, so give more time and love always.

By Carl Okuyama