A Wonderful Gift
 

A Wonderful Gift

"Oh, Mom! Dad just drove in," said Kendra. "I bet he brought a Christmas tree! I'll get my coat on and help him bring it in." But as she opened the closet door, Dad came in, and he didn't have a tree.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," said Dad, giving Kendra a hug. "I tried to find . . ." But Kendra shrugged away from him and hurried to her room. She didn't feel like celebrating Christmas. She felt more like pouting, which was what she did. Dad knows how much I want a tree, she thought, and he let me down.

The sound of voices interrupted her thoughts, and she went to her door and listened. "I feel so terrible that we can't afford a Christmas tree this year," said Dad. He sounded very sad. "I know Kendra was looking forward to one. Since it's so close to Christmas, I thought they'd be marked down, but they were still pretty high-priced. And with all the extra expenses we've had, I didn't feel justified in getting one." Kendra couldn't quite make out her mother's reply, but she felt ashamed of her attitude, and a plan was beginning to form in her mind.

A little later, Kendra went out to join her parents. "Mom, last week you mentioned the little artificial tree we used in Grandma's hospital room a year ago. Can't we use it?" she asked.

"Sure," agreed Mom, and she got the tree.

Kendra pretended to be thrilled with it. "Help me decorate it," she begged her parents. As they worked, she continued her cheerful act. "I remember when you and I went shopping and bought this ornament, Dad," she said as she hung a bird in a cage on the tree. "We had so much fun."

The angel they had used in years past seemed too big for the tiny tree, but they put it on the top anyway. "Mom and I bought this angel for your first Christmas," Dad, reminded her-just like he did every year.

By the time they finished working and talking, Dad's spirits had lifted, and Kendra was surprised to find that she no longer had to pretend to be happy. Her joy was real, and she looked forward to Christmas morning. Kendra didn't expect to get many presents, but it didn't matter anymore. She had already received a wonderful gift-the joy of making another person happy.

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there something you can do to make someone's Christmas happier? Can you express greater appreciation, reduce your own "want list," or hide a disappointment? Remember the wonderful gift that God gave, and learn to truly give, too. Unselfish giving brings joy.

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35
Keys For Kids Devotion