Gifts & Llamas

My closet is full of boxes. Target boxes. Amazon boxes. Boxes from who knows where. Some are gifts I bought for my children. Some are gifts other people bought for my children. And (shhh!), there are a couple things in there for Ellen. I saw a great meme on social media the other day. It read, “I have ordered so much stuff, I don’t even know what is happening anymore. If UPS shows up with a llama tomorrow, I won’t be surprised.” The truth hurts.

Perhaps I indulge too much in the consumerism of the season. Perhaps I am overcompensating for the lack of festivity this year. Perhaps I should be grateful that, in this economy and in this world, my closet is full of anything. Probably all of the above.

But, as I get older, while I still enjoy discovering what Santa put in my stocking, I get so much more joy from giving gifts than receiving them. And not expensive gifts, but creative gifts, made gifts, gifts of experience or time, and gifts that mean something to me and the person receiving the gift.

I am grateful to God for the opportunity and means to give gifts. I am grateful for beloved people in my life to whom I want to give gifts. I am grateful for institutions that do good work to which I feel called to give. I am grateful to give to the Chapel of the Cross.

My family and I give, not only because y’all give me a job (although I am VERY grateful for my job), but because of her traditions that stir my soul, the history we encounter, the sick that are visited, the hungry that are fed, the people that become sisters and brothers, and the searching that are welcomed.

As we approach 2021, I pray you will give too and make a pledge to the Chapel of the Cross. You should have received a pledge card in the mail, or you can call or email Dana in the Parish Office. Pledges are needed to be the parish we aspire to be, do the work we are called to do, and to responsibly budget for the coming year.

Thank you for your pledge. Thank you for giving. Thanks be to God.

Keep the Faith,
Ben+