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last minute gift ideas!

12/19/2021

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One week until we celebrate Christmas!

Are we ready? Are we still preparing ourselves and our gifts for all those we care about?

I’m recalling some of the stories and traditions that surround the feast of the Nativity, such as the gift of the Little Drummer Boy and O. Henry’s classic tale, The Gift of the Magi. These show us true gifts of love.  And I wonder, what gifts of love can I offer that show my gratitude for God’s continual gift of loving us through creation?

The Saint Luke family generously responds to our neighbors who may be struggling through the Giving Tree project, and local food pantries and in many other ways at this time of year, but I wonder what I can do that specifically represents my Advent focus of caring for creation.

Thinking about this, I realize how God’s creation provides all we need to sustain ourselves in the world, giving us the means for food, water, shelter, clothing, rest, beauty, and inspiration.  But we know there are some who struggle to gain access to these necessary gifts, such as clean water, adequate shelter, and the ability to feed one’s family.

As we continue to strive to be good stewards of creation and to see God in creation and in one another, perhaps we might add a few last minute gifts that reach out to those who, through no fault of their own, are deprived of these original and necessary gifts of creation.

During this final Advent week, if you are still wishing to show your love of neighbor and appreciation for creation, why not consider helping with some of these basic needs?

There are many charities that deal with specifics such as water (charity: water; Water with Blessings), self-sufficiency (Heifer International; Fair Trade Cooperatives; SERRV, Upavim), and shelter (Habitat for Humanity) as well as our well-known local SOME and SHARE.

Good luck with your last minute gifting! and may we all find the love and peace of the Holy Infant in ourselves, in one another and in our world.  

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