Gifts from the Hand, the Heart, and Heaven

Some people say the best gifts are made by hand. They take time and a bit of work, but they usually end up being extra special, even if they're not perfect. We gave a few handmade gifts this year:

the magnets the kids "helped" me make using THESE instructions (This is where the "not perfect" comes in.)

the calendar we made for Kyle and Vanessa to enjoy while in Kenya the next few years

and the coasters we gave to our parents. I didn't make these. My friend Kimber made these using some of our pictures. (She can make some for you too - click HERE if you want to find out more.)

But we didn't just GIVE handmade gifts this year, we also GOT some handmade gifts from other people.

Mimi made me a scarf which I think is amazing. None of us knew that she picked up crocheting these past few months, so her scarfs were a complete surprise and totally fun.

Jeff and Rosie came into town this Christmas, which is gift enough because Jonah and Hannah think Jeff and Rosie are the funniest people on the face of the earth. But they didn't just come in town. They brought gifts. One of the gifts they gave was written by hand, so I am going to call it "hand-made."

They gave us a night of babysitting! Woo hoo! We went out to see Smurfahontas....or, umm... Avatar. We had a blast on our date, but our night pales in comparison to the night Jonah and Hannah had with their super fun Aunt Rosie and Uncle Jeff. Thanks guys!

Handmade gifts are really great. But there are those who say gifts from the heart are even better than gifts made by hand.

Joey gave me a gift from the heart this year. He took the time to write out 100 MORE things about me. Sheesh. That man is more observant and knows more about me than I do. I really believe I am the most uninteresting person I know. When people ask me what is going on in my life, my brain literally turns into that tv test pattern and I can usually think of about ZERO things to say about myself. So finding out that someone loves me enough to write out 100 (now 200) things about me just floors me. I added his newest 100 Things to my 100 Things about Kelly page if you want to click over, scroll down and read them.

Vanessa gave me a bag from Kenya. It was made by Kenyan women in need who are part of a program that teaches them important skills as well as the importance of Christ and the peace that He offers to their troubled lives. Check out their mission HERE. This was a gift from the heart since it reflects her heart and her desire to minister to the people of Kenya. The accompanying note she wrote to me was in itself a gift from the heart. It made me cry. I'm trying not to think about them leaving in a little over a week.

Handmade gifts are special. Heartfelt gifts are tender. But Jonah and Hannah might argue that the best gifts come not from the hand or the heart, but from... You guessed it... Toys R Us.

Jonah will be quick to tell you that his Nintendo DS Lite is the best gift he received this year. The cousins and grandparents bought him some cool games and Grammy bought him that nifty case (thank heavens - we've already dropped it twice with no breakage!).

Hannah is all about being mommy to her favorite gift - a little baby WowWee Alive cub. She is so sweet and tender with it when she feeds it and cuddles it to sleep.

As I've reflected on our gifts this Christmas, I can't help but reflect on THE gift of Christmas. The one gift that came directly from God's hand. He planned it out, he took the time to make it extra special. He worked out every detail. He gave from the heart and revealed his heart at the same time. This gift couldn't be bought in stores. No money could ever be enough to buy it. This gift came directly from heaven. When all the other gifts lose their luster, this one shines bright. My prayer for Jonah and Hannah is that they would take this gift from God's hand, embrace it in their heart, and long to see it in heaven.