I was a typical child who looked forward to opening all of the perfectly wrapped gifts under my family’s tree and playing with whatever was the latest creation in Barbie’s universe (and trust me, for me, it wasn’t a world, it was a universe). But as should all children, there came the time when Barbie no longer dominated my gift list; I wanted a phone and not just any phone, a princess phone that would be in my room (please remember, this was prior to everyone having a cell phone, so having a phone in your room was a major thing). Years later, my Mom gave a photo she took that morning so, so many years ago. I was in my bathrobe, screaming with delight while hugging my princess phone. What was your favorite gift? Was it clothes, a bike, boom box or were you, like me, desiring something you thought would signal your transition from being a child to being a teen? I still love this season. Do I still enjoy opening gifts, of course (I mean who doesn’t)? But the thing I enjoy most is the gift of love that we share. More than who gave what to whom, I treasure: waiting until midnight with my husband; the warmth of the embrace from my parents; kissing my daughter on the forehead and telling her she is loved more than she can ever imagine; waiting for my Aunt to arrive so I could hear her infectious laugh and remembering those who’ve transitioned. The gift I look forward to opening everyday is love. Please, don’t wait to open the gift of love. Genuine love is patient, kind, unselfish and gentle (1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 7). Genuine love makes a hut into a home and wraps itself around you like a blanket on a cold night. Open the gift of perfect, unselfish, boundary-less love. I’m not talking about emotionally or physically manifested love (which both have their proper time and place); I’m talking about a love that reaches the core of your being; that sees your mistakes and stays with you anyway; that transforms your view of the world and yourself. This kind of love is there for you as it is there for me and it is not tied to a date on the calendar. How do you obtain it? Ask and it shall be given; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7). Blessings, Rev. Antoinette
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AuthorRev. Antoinette Gatewood-Sykes, Inspirational Speaker Archives
May 2019
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