Blessed

We finally got to have "Christmas" with or kids and their families last night. It was great chaos. A present opening orgy of sorts. That happens when you have grand kids at their ages, they simply want to open them all RIGHT NOW. So we let them. We had a great time. One gift I want to mention is the one I got from my son. He's 32 now, married and doing well. I love both of my kids dearly. They have been a wonderful blessing in my life. My son gave me a framed picture and in the frame was this:
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"Dad, I wish there was a way to repay you for all that you've done for me: Al the caring, all the love, all the sacrifice and concern. I always knew you would be there for me, and that your love never depended on what I did or didn't do. You encouraged me to work towards and reach whatever goals I set, and you helped me to have faith in my abilities. You taught me that mistakes don't mean failure, and that I need to try harder. Thank you for all these things, and for everything that made my growing up years a very special time.

I love you very much."

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Knowing that he wrote it himself makes it a prized possession to me. Isn't it funny that over time it's little things like this that are the most valuable to us? It's not the expensive "toys" we care about, it's the inexpensive personal things that are important.

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And, I must mention one more that is really amazing- my daughter used her gifts to make something by hand. She is a wonderful artist and craftsman. She spins her own yarn! This year she gave me a neck warmer for cold days on the motorcycle, but what was great about it is that she spun the yarn herself, then knitted the neck warmer too! That's a lot of work and love for her to invest in what looked like a simple gift, but I won't see it that way.

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I don't know what you may have gotten for Christmas, but I was richly blessed with two simple gifts I will keep for the rest of my life.

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(The pictures are from our evening together)