One of the good things that resulted from the abrupt, unwelcome ending to my Korean adventure, is the opportunity for me to spend the holidays with my family. Thanksgiving was spent at my parents' house, with a merry crowd from both sides of the family. For Christmas, my parents are flying out to North Carolina to visit with my Uncle Dan (my dad's eldest brother) and his family for a few days. I will fly out later to Baltimore, and take the train to meet them near New Freedom, PA, where my sister's in-laws live. Then we'll spend Christmas with my brother-in-law's family. I'm looking forward to that. My sister married into a pretty neat family.
Speaking of which, a little bird told me that some of my family are still wondering about Christmas gift ideas for me. (Fortunately, some of them follow this blog.) For me, at this point, that's a difficult question to answer. The things I want most in my life are not things that can be purchased, wrapped up in shiny paper, and placed under a tree. Or, if they could be purchased, they would be prohibitively expensive for my family, who are not millionaires. Or, I wouldn't have the time to enjoy them. For example, I really want/need a good teaching job, a loving and supportive wife (I'm single), financial freedom (or even just debt freedom), a trip to visit my friends in Korea, martial arts classes from a Christian instructor,.... You get the picture.
This fall, I was forced to scale down considerably, and I still didn't reach my material weight-loss goal. I got rid of a lot of clothes, a lot of books, and a lot of other junk. Some was sold, a lot was given away, and some things were thrown away or recycled. A few things were left in Korea when I didn't have room for them. However, I still have too much junk holding me down.
So, I don't really need, want, or expect much in the way of material things from people this Christmas, and I don't want to be obliged to buy things for people that they don't really need or want. I feel that Christmas has been turned into a guilt-ridden spending orgy, and I refuse to participate in the materialism. I would like to adopt the gift policy of C.S. Lewis, who decided to only buy gifts for children at Christmas.
I'll tell you what I don't want. I don't want people to spend money on me just for the sake of tradition, or just because they don't want to feel guilty. There's no need to feel guilty. My parents are buying me a plane ticket and a few nights at a hotel, so I can spend Christmas with them, and with my sister and brother-in-law. That's really all the Christmas present I need. (BTW, I'm getting tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I write this.) Seriously, that's all I really want. If you really want to get me something, see the list below.
Here's something else I don't want. I absolutely, positively, don't want something that was made in China or Taiwan or the Philippines because the labor costs are cheaper there, and the U.S. doesn't have enough import tariffs to motivate domestic production. Seriously, I have everything I need, and if you're adding to our national trade deficit by buying me an imported gift, I'll take it back. If you really want to get me something physical, I would highly prefer something handmade by a local artisan. You can be the artisan too, that would be wonderful; if so, please use domestic materials. (Sadly, many of my possessions were not made in the U.S. I'm not a hypocrite, but when I buy necessities, I don't always have the freedom of buying domestic. Gifts, however, are not necessities.)
Gift Ideas
What about some concrete ideas? OK, here goes. I like handmade wool items, like socks, scarves, and sweaters. A stylish wool hat (not a beanie) would also be good. I have enough ties, but they're currently hanging on pants hangers in my closet; so, a handmade wooden tie rack would be appreciated. Ditto with belts. Cedar would be the best choice of wood for either rack, as they will be sharing a closet with wool and silk items, and cedar helps keep the moths away. If there's not enough time to finish these items before Christmas, I'll happily take a rain check.
If someone needs to shop online because of distance or time constraints, please consider a sponsored donation to a worthy Christian charity. One of my favorite organizations, the Rafiki Foundation, is in the process of transforming Africa for God by providing healthy orphans with a loving home and a Christian education. In forty years (God willing), these children, raised in Christian families, will be the new leaders of several African nations. Their website is http://www.rafiki-foundation.org/, and they sell donation cards at various levels. They also have an online exchange, which markets the crafts that the kids learn to make, so they earn money for the foundation but do not compete with the local craftspeople. Anything from there would be good, and if I can't use it, I'll give it to someone who can, knowing that the money went to the Lord's work with Rafiki.
So, that's the story with me and Christmas. Now, I just have to practice what I preach, and get some appropriate, affordable gifts for the people who really mean the most to me.
Prayer Requests
I'm sure you read, earlier, the list of things that I want or need, that can't be gift-wrapped. Please pray that God would show me His will in these things.
Right now, I need to get to sleep. Good Night. Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying. God bless you all.
Here's something else I don't want. I absolutely, positively, don't want something that was made in China or Taiwan or the Philippines because the labor costs are cheaper there, and the U.S. doesn't have enough import tariffs to motivate domestic production. Seriously, I have everything I need, and if you're adding to our national trade deficit by buying me an imported gift, I'll take it back. If you really want to get me something physical, I would highly prefer something handmade by a local artisan. You can be the artisan too, that would be wonderful; if so, please use domestic materials. (Sadly, many of my possessions were not made in the U.S. I'm not a hypocrite, but when I buy necessities, I don't always have the freedom of buying domestic. Gifts, however, are not necessities.)
Gift Ideas
What about some concrete ideas? OK, here goes. I like handmade wool items, like socks, scarves, and sweaters. A stylish wool hat (not a beanie) would also be good. I have enough ties, but they're currently hanging on pants hangers in my closet; so, a handmade wooden tie rack would be appreciated. Ditto with belts. Cedar would be the best choice of wood for either rack, as they will be sharing a closet with wool and silk items, and cedar helps keep the moths away. If there's not enough time to finish these items before Christmas, I'll happily take a rain check.
If someone needs to shop online because of distance or time constraints, please consider a sponsored donation to a worthy Christian charity. One of my favorite organizations, the Rafiki Foundation, is in the process of transforming Africa for God by providing healthy orphans with a loving home and a Christian education. In forty years (God willing), these children, raised in Christian families, will be the new leaders of several African nations. Their website is http://www.rafiki-foundation.org/, and they sell donation cards at various levels. They also have an online exchange, which markets the crafts that the kids learn to make, so they earn money for the foundation but do not compete with the local craftspeople. Anything from there would be good, and if I can't use it, I'll give it to someone who can, knowing that the money went to the Lord's work with Rafiki.
So, that's the story with me and Christmas. Now, I just have to practice what I preach, and get some appropriate, affordable gifts for the people who really mean the most to me.
Prayer Requests
I'm sure you read, earlier, the list of things that I want or need, that can't be gift-wrapped. Please pray that God would show me His will in these things.
Right now, I need to get to sleep. Good Night. Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying. God bless you all.
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