A Lot of Things

With nineteen shopping days left until Christmas (sixteen if you don’t shop on Sunday), the window to purchase or make things for everyone on your list is rapidly closing. I spent several days in the last week with my Dad, helping him select and wrap some very special gifts for his children. With Mom’s death just eleven months ago, this first Christmas without her will be one that merits extra care and love in how our family celebrates Christmas together this year. 

With gift giving a nearly universal theme at this time of year, there is also a great opportunity to hone personal attitudes or philosophies about things. I’ve been mulling over the word “things” the last couple of days as a back-study to another writing project. Like savoring a good cup of coffee with Dad on the front porch on a 70-degree afternoon in December, I have enjoyed this time to reflect at a very deep and satisfying level. 

How many more things do we really need? Depending on our age and life circumstance, the answer might be nothing at all (we need to downsize instead), to needing basics for supplying a well ordered home. For gift-givers, answering that question helps in selecting a gift that will be meaningful, a true expression of love and care. 

Christmas Angel from My Mom

Here are a few questions to ask before adding physical things to our lives or foisting things on others:   How will this thing add to our enjoyment of life? To our character? To the smooth running of our home? Is beauty, utility, helpfulness, enjoyment, or fun the real thing that this particular thing gives? Will this thing increase opportunities for community, resourcefulness, sharing, or other wider circles in my life? Will this thing help me celebrate special occasions with good memories of someone dearly loved?

What are things anyway? Things is one of those handy, catchall words that has a wide net to its meaning:  physical items; an object of thought; matters; a fact; circumstance(s) or state of affairs. 

I was intrigued to find in a Bible search for the word “things” that it occurs between 500 and 1200 times (depending on the translation). It’s right up there among the high-hitters in terms of number of occurrences, far more than even love, money, or faith. I guess God has a lot to say about things!

Things in the Bible always has some kind of adjective or modifier: all things, these things, those things, such things, a few things. It’s interesting to note that all things and these things very often are in reference to something about God; what He has done or said. Those things and such things often refer to actions or ideas that are anti-God.

The four lists that follow all come from passages in the Bible.

Things are often presented in contrasting pairs:

Holy things / Accursed things

Good things / Evil things

Pleasant things / Monstrous things

Earthly things / Heavenly things

Useless things / Necessary things

Spiritual things / Material things

Weak things / Mighty things

Former things / New things

Sacred things / Wicked things

Things which are not / Things which are

Things of the Lord / Things of the world

Colorful, strong modifiers accompany things we should run away from:

Abominable things

Worthless things

Unprofitable things

Empty things

Disgraceful things

Detestable things

Evil things

Perverse things

Wicked things

Harsh things

We celebrate the many things to embrace:

Great things

Mighty things

Pleasant things

Marvelous things

Precious things

Consecrated things

Sacred things

Excellent things

Right things

Generous things

Marvelous things

Wonderful things

Better things

Other kinds of things to consider:

Secret things

Small things

Dedicated things

My own things

Whatever things

Strange things

Substance of things

Evidence of things

What things?

There you have it. A comprehensive list to get us started thinking about things that really matter as we wade through the Christmas gift gauntlet. I pray that  this is the kind of thing that will guide not only my Christmas shopping and giving, but how I spend my time and what I think about this month. 

During this preparatory season of Advent, the liturgy of the church leads us to celebrate Christ’s first and second coming with seriousness, love, and prayer. 

 

The apostle Peter puts it this way:

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”  I Peter 4:7-8

I’ve probably given gifts that weren’t so thoughtful over the years, but I’m glad Peter reminds us that fervent love can cover even gift-giving gaffes. Remember that as you smile while unwrapping that bright pea-green sweater your loving aunt knitted especially for you.

~~~~~

MUSIC LINK

Think on These Things - Choir at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cary, NC. A setting of text from Philippians 4:

Whatever is true,  whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Nativity Glove - Gift from Mom when my kids were little

Tree Topper This Year - a Silk Rose from My Mom