This year when my husband asked me what I would like for Christmas my answer was
"A love Letter!"... We are together 35 years, and except for writing A & E
(always and ever) on store bought cards, he has never written anything to me
stating his feelings. It would really be something if I received one! But, we
will see if I get this priceless gift.
Other friends have asked me the same question and I smile and tell them that I
asked Richie, my husband, for a love letter. Some of my friends thought it was a
wonderful thought, and that they would like that too, To give or receive a love
letter really would make this Christmas special to a lot of people.
So I thought, maybe I would write love letters to my kids, and my grandkids, and
put the letters in their Christmas stockings. Then I thought friends would
appreciate love notes too. So, I bought little boxes and will present these
gifts to them too.
Now, this e-mail is not all about writing love notes. It is about giving the
greatest gifts of all.
I was at our adopted daughter's home the other day, and gave her an early
Christmas gift. She told me that the greatest gift I ever gave her as
unconditional love, and acceptance. That we never tried to change her, we just
influence her to do the right thing, for the right reasons. It was so nice to
hear!. Sometimes as a parent you wonder what your kids really think of you.
She told me that as a young child, she would cry at night telling God that she
didn't belong where she was. Then when she was a teen, she came into our lives,
and was ours from that time on. She knew she belonged. She knew we would love
her NO MATTER WHAT!
I think of all the teens that were in our programs that told us that they hated
their parents, or that their parents hated them. My answer to them was that
their Heavenly Father Loves Them No Matter What! …And we were going to like
them, care for them, and love them, even if they were sometimes unloveable. We
were going to do it anyway, NO Matter What! And, challenging them, I would say
"What are you going to do about that" They would just grin or smirk, (like we
didn't know what we were dealing with.)
Some believed us, some just didn't. They thought they were so unloveable that no
one could love them the way they were. Again I would say "What are you going to
do about it"...They slowly changed and even the most unloveable became loving.
So this holiday season give the best gifts of all…
1. Unconditional Love- I'm going to love you ANYWAY! (Everyone should read that
book)
2. Acceptance..for who they are, and who they can be.
3. Forgiveness..for all the errors and faults we humans have or commit.
Tie the gifts with a ribbon and see how wonderfully these gifts are appreciated.
(Bet they won't receive two of these gifts)
Remember to give these gifts to yourself, too. Cause we can not give away what
we do not have.
Love Yourself-Unconditionally Accept yourself-for who you are and who God wants
you to be Forgive Yourself...Yesterday, with all its mistakes...IS OVER! Do
Good, and Be Better Today...
© Carole Devecka God Given Daisies
CaroleDevecka@comcast.net
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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