Blossom Blog

As we enter into 2024 we leave behind probably the most wonderful time of the year…Christmas, the season of giving. Beautifully wrapped gifts are given and received as we excitingly open them revealing the treasure inside.

In December twelve years ago my mother became suddenly ill and was in the hospital for an extended time before her unexpected death. During those days I spent a lot of time with her and while so, to fill some time, I crocheted an afghan.

I am extremely blessed to have a group of friends that I call my tribe. We call ourselves the “I Love Us” group. We have spent a weekend together in December for over twenty years. We play that Dirty Santa game where you draw a number and choose a gift. The gift is then up for grabs if someone decides to steal it. Its a lot of fun but can get intense at times especially with this group! On this particular year I decided to give the crocheted afghan I had been working on.

I have on occasion been known to play some pretty clever tricks with the gifts I give. One year I gave a soft fleece blanket along with an iron quilt rack. When it was opened Cindy, the receiver just loved it until she saw that I had the blanket monogramed…with my initials. I have never lived that down!

On this particular year, I wanted to do something not quite that clever with the afghan but meaningful non the less. I decided rather than wrap my gift in the traditional beautiful paper and a bow that would catch anyone’s eye, I would wrap a small box with plain brown paper and no bow. Inside the smalI box I put a poem that I had written comparing this unassuming gift with Jesus’ lowly birth. Needless to say the little brown box was the last gift chosen. I could tell the friend who was left with it was anything but excited. As she opened the box and took out the poem, she began to read it and I could see the confusion on her face. I then handed her the bag that contained the crouched afghan…the real gift. The gift that she could not see because it wasn’t wrapped like she had expected. I am happy to say that my friend Lindy is still being kept comforted and warm by that gift all these years later:)

Until recently I hadn’t thought too much about that Christmas…that gift.

Like everyone, I have been given gifts from life that at first glance, I did not want to open. As a matter of fact I have just wanted to set those ugly SOBs on fire! They have been wrapped in some ugly paper, some stinking paper, and definitely without a pretty bow. Because they were NOT what I had expected, I judged them, hated them, declared them wrong and undeserving and most of all….unacceptable.

I certainly can say that I would have never ever chosen those ugly life gifts! I have however, been taught some priceless lessons through them. Probably the most valuable is that if allowed and given a chance, these gifts have a powerful ability to mold us into a closer version of our “Christness”. When I allow my heart to be broken open rather than broken apart, I am surrendering to a way other than my own and my heart becomes the manger for the birth of Christ. Through the power of my willingness, I am softened and only then, am I able to see the true beauty these gifts bring.

Life happens for sure and will continue to happen in 2024. I am not much for resolutions but if one must be made, I will remember that when one of life’s ugly gift comes my way I will pause for just a brief moment, change my perspective, change the way I look at it and allow beauty to be made from ashes.

Happy New Year!!