ClydeStyle

Tag: Gifts

  • Oh boy, here comes another Valentine’s Day

    Don’t get me wrong — there is nothing wrong with the concept of Valentine’s Day. I mean how could celebrating your sweetie be a bad thing?

    Couples across the nation will celebrate this holiday having dinner, buying gifts, getting all dolled up to make this night special and to renew or refresh their relationship. So why do we need a holiday for that? We need a holiday to tell us not to fight and argue with each other? We need a holiday to tell us we should be nice and not take our partners for granted? We need a holiday to make up?

    Shouldn’t all of these things happen organically? The holiday means nothing if the behaviors and activities on that day don’t match the rest of the year. It’s a miserable life if you need a reminder to do these things. You’re living too fast! You need to set a new pace that allows you to enjoy the things in life that really matter.

    Happily married couples or mature dating partners don’t even celebrate the holiday because chances are they did whatever people celebrating the holiday did yesterday or last weekend. What they do is stay home and make jokes about all the couples out spending money, buying flowers that cost twice as much as they did last weekend, eating at expensive restaurants and making social media posts to prove their love to each other.

    Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye sang a song called “Ain’t nothing like the real thing”. It’s worth a listen not just because it’s a great song but it reminds us what it’s like to yearn for someone and truly be in love. It’s a reminder that life is like a vapor that appears for just a little while and then vanishes away.

    Valentine’s Day is a holiday for the folks that don’t have a good grasp on the concept of relationships. It’s for all the newbies who are still trying to figure it out because the faithful don’t celebrate it, they live it!

  • The reason for this season

    Christmas time is here! We are right in the midst of the holiday season and most things are quite festive and beautiful!

    I love Christmas! I loved it as a child, I loved it while raising my own children and now I still enjoy it with my granddaughter! My family does it pretty big! As part of our tradition we can’t help but think about why our lifestyle is possible.

    Despite the ills of America we are enjoying a wonderful life, guilt-free because of the blood of Christ! All of our blessings come directly from him!

    Like the Ark, the bible tells of the story of Noah and his family’s obedience to the will of God in building an ark for the saving of souls. The time of building gave him the opportunity to preach a warning message to the people to surrender their sinful ways and serve God.

    Noah preached about 100 years while the ark was being prepared but only 8 souls were saved. The point is God made a way for those souls to be saved by being in the safe zone of that ark. As long as they were in the ark nothing could harm them.

    Being in Christ works the same way today! Those of us in Christ will be the recipients of his propitiation — meaning to avert the wrath of God by the offering of a gift! Jesus was that perfect gift/ark and those who have entered the ark or been baptized into his death (smae thing) we have made it to the safe zone and will be saved at judgment day.

    Jesus is our ark. He is our safe place and if the nation wants to recognize him coming during this time of the year, I’m all for it! Merry Christmas everybody!!

  • Covet the best gifts this year

    Covet the best gifts this year

    While we are in the mist of shopping and making sure we  get that special gift for that special someone in our lives, it’s always good to reflect on the best gifts we can give.

    After all,  this is the season for giving.  And while everyone is in a festive mood – and probably more receptive to hear things during this time of the year, I’d like to weigh in on the best gifts of the year.

    Now, of course, there are experts in the retail business who can predict which toys will be top sellers and what line of clothing will make you the talk of the town. There are also specialists in the gadget department that can tell you about the best of the best in iPhones and Mp3 players, computers and Blu-ray brands and, of course, flat screen TVs.

    I am interested in other types of gifts. The gifts that I’m talking about are more precious than silver or gold. These are the gifts that change lives. Wait for it … wait for it …

    The first gift is love. There are many people living with anger, racism and hatred. These people hurt others because they have been hurt. And you know how misery loves company. If we would give these people unconditional love – for as long as it took – it would change their lives for the better. Only special people can do this. This gift requires you to love the un-loveable and allow your love to cover a multitude of sin. This requires you to love like Jesus.

    Can you do that?

    The second gift is that of forgiveness. How many people live guilty, waiting to hear those three words – I forgive you? How many of us are holding someone at bay, not forgiving them and making them feel really bad because they did something wrong?  And then we turn around and attempt to celebrate a holiday like Christmas. I wonder if I looked up the word hypocrite whose pick would I see by that word. Giving the gift of forgiveness requires us to forgive like Jesus.

    Can you do that?

    And finally, the last gift is the gift of your time. It’s always easier to write a check and let someone else to the work. The gift of your time requires you to actually stop living for yourself and give that time and energy to someone that needs it. People like kids that are growing up without a dad; single mothers who are having a hard time raising their kids alone; or a widow or widower. There are many people who are lonely, afraid to be alone and depressed. Image if the last person you knew or read about who committed suicide. Do you think they needed someone they could trust to talk too? Giving the gift of time requires us to give our time like Jesus.

    Can you do that?

    I’m thinking we would be a stronger nation if we coveted these three gifts. Now, I’m off to practice what I preach!