When I was a child, we made a big deal out of Dad's birthday. Since it was celebrated in October, we would make a card or bookmark for him at our kitchen table with Mom helping us. At home with Mom looking on, we might also sew a glasses case from two pieces of felt. In school, we might ask the teacher to help us at recess or in art class to turn a tin can into a pencil holder or a candle holder for camping. These gifts were never professional, but Dad always seemed to love them. Regardless of the gift or its condition when he received it, Dad always "made over them". He would even put his glasses in the homemade case!

Another thing we did was to put an I.O.U. in his homemade birthday card saying that we would take out the trash for him for the whole month! Usually it took both my mother and I to lift the garbage pail into the red wagon. Then I would put one hand on it to "balance" it while my brother wheeled it to the curb!

Regardless of whether the gifts we gave Dad were handmade or were chores done or promised, our gifts were our way of showing him we loved him.

God has shown His love for us by giving us the greatest gift of all, His Son, Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

Prayer: Father God, thank You for the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. Thank You for placing us in loving families and teaching us about loving through giving. Enable us to pass on what we learned in our homes to our own children and grandchildren, for we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Cassandra Wessel <casswessel4319@gmail.com>
Tionesta, Pennsylvania, USA
Send your feedback to the author