The Best Gifts Ever

Before this decade settles into the history books, and wordsmiths like me write on themes of goals and new beginnings, I want to dwell on the past.  I want to dwell on perhaps the single most extravagant gift our family experienced this past holiday season.

Always wanting to create "perfect" and always falling short of whatever picture I have in my head, I began asking the Lord what kind of gifts we could give to our adult and almost adult children this year.  When they were little girls with dolls and toys on the wish list, we chose to give them "gifts" that would create memories in hopes those memories would carry them into this season of life they find themselves in now.  They ranged from the budget friendly gesture of hopping into the car in footy pajamas, discovering Christmas cookies in the back seat, and driving through a neighborhood known for their electric colored extravagance and just like that ... a memory was made.

Memories often get harder when children grow older.  As life circumstances took our family overseas, the memories became a little more extravagant.  A surprise trip to London made the top of our list as well as a horse drawn carriage ride through the snowy streets of Vienna.  Lovely, beautiful and breathtaking memories.

This year, I had only one small idea that bubbled up from that place of inspiration that when it rises you know was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  I can come up with some pretty good ideas.  However, its the Holy Spirit that comes up with GREAT ideas!  What seemed to be just a small act of kindness  erupted into a spiritual experience for each one of us whose last name is Elledge.

We had set aside money, knowing we wanted to give it away during Christmas.  We always pray and ask God how He wants this money to be used.  Part of our give-a-way money was to be reserved for us to pass out to people with whom we had no prior knowledge of on Christmas Eve.  Before any festivities began on Christmas Eve morning, we piled into our car and headed toward the East side of town where need is seen clearly and opportunities would present themselves often.  Each Elledge carried an envelope of $60.  Our mission was to ask the Holy Spirit to whom the money was to be given.  There were no rules.  We would wait on the Holy Spirit to highlight the recipient of our small financial gifts.

I was the first to offer my bounty to a middle-aged woman who was shopping for groceries.  As I approached her, I simply said that my family and I had set aside money just for this day to give away.  I told her that the Holy Spirit highlighted her to me and I'd like to give her a small token of love.  I explained this was not from me but from God.  He was using me to be His hands and feet and show her, in a tangible way and on this specific day, how much He loved her.  She said nothing.  She need not utter words.  Her smokey brown eyes lit up and caused her arms to reach out to me as we embraced in a hug.  Two strangers standing in front of the stacks of Michelob cartons sharing a holy moment.

While I was sharing my gift with my person, Addison spotted a grandmother with two grandchildren in tow.  The Holy Spirit showed Addison she was to be the recipient of her gift.  She came up to the woman in like fashion and gave her the money.  The grandmother, in shock, began to explain to Addison that she had $8 in her wallet.  Now, with Addison's gift, she could buy the coffee she wanted to buy and they would really celebrate!  Once again, two strangers embraced in the aisle and another holy moment was shared.

Next, we sat in the parking lot of the shopping center where people entered and exited from a grocery store, a laundry mat, a Plasma collection center and a pawn shop and we prayed.

Parker spotted a woman who was highlighted to her.  Her pain was worn as plain as her poncho she draped over her clothes.  We watched as Parker introduced herself and shared with her her mission - to give away her money.  The woman embraced Parker.  They continued to talk as we tried to make out the content from our parked car.  Three hugs later and what seemed to be a prayer said over this stranger by our daugther, Parker returned to the car.  Her tears communicated her holy moment.  This woman was just thrown out of her house and was homeless.  She was on her way to give plasma to have some money.  Parker's gift was an answer to her prayer.

The Elledge clan sat with tears hanging close on our eyelids and waiting for the next stranger to be highlighted by the Holy Spirit.  A young woman in a broken car pulled directly in front of us.  As she put the car in park, she bowed her head in her hands.  Libby knew this woman was her recipient.  I got out of the car alongside my 16-year-old, however, Libby was clearly the leader in this exchange.  Libby shared the same story about our mission to give away money.  Upon receiving the envelope, she hung her head.  We asked her if there was something we could pray for her about only to have her quickly say her family was just as broken as her car.  In the middle of that parking lot, Libby put her hands on the shoulders of this broken woman and spoke life and hope in the name of Jesus over her.  Three women were being led into a holy moment born out of brokenness.

Finally, Chris was the last person to not have a direction for his money.  As we drove through the parking lot, we saw an older man who was standing unshakable on the street corner.  As we passed him for a second time, Chris knew the Holy Spirit had found his recipient.  This man was on his way to put down a deposit for an apartment.  He was homeless and needed $50 to secure a safe place to live.  In his envelope, he received $60.  Before Chris could offer to speak to God on his behalf,  the man reached out his hands,  placed them on Chris, and prayed blessing over him.  He prayed for our entire family.  The one who had been given so little prayed a generous prayer of thanks and blessing on our behalf.  A fifth holy moment had been experienced in a part of town that many deem down and out.

We were all moved.  We were all aligned into right perspectives.  We listened and watched as God not only did something miraculous for those who received our small financial gift but also for us.  We shared holy moments with strangers.  We experienced joy that comes only in giving.  We resisted the temptation to empty our savings and continue to listen and distribute funds for the joy of seeing Him work in our midst.

I share this story of our Christmas Eve to paint this one picture:  this was my "perfect".  This was the gift that gave us the most pleasure.  It's a tradition we will pursue in maintaining every year.

Happy New Year!  May 2020 give us clear vision, courage to follow through, and faith to do the extraordinary,
Christina