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The Joy Of Giving

We should give joyfully as Christ did when He gave us the gift of salvation.

Haven Kinzey Clippinger

Dec 12, 2016

Brenau University

Humane Pursuits

As Christmas quickly approaches, everyone begins to plan for their family Christmas parties and buys a multitude of presents. This is a season where everyone is constantly in a rush. It seems like the focus of Christmas are presents. Although Christmas is technically about this, it is taken out of context. People will focus on the wrong aspect of Christmas.

This season is a season where we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus came to this earth, and he died to save us from death ourselves. By dying on the cross, we are cancelled from all of our debts. Jesus came to this earth to give us the gift of salvation, and that is what Christmas is about.

With that being said, I think that we need to find joy in our giving this Christmas season. Many people focus on what they want to receive more than what they give. I have discovered that I love to give to others. It is genuinely a blessing to give to others and see them open the gift that you have given to them.

I think that not only should we give graciously to others this Christmas season, but we should give joyfully. I personally think that if we do not give with joy, then there is not much point in giving at all.

If you cannot spend lots of money on gifts, then there are definitely other ways you can give to others. If someone is going through a hard time, you can give them love and support. You can give a homeless person some food. You can assist someone in need of accomplishing a task. Simply putting others before yourself is a gift. When Jesus walked this earth, he always spent his time serving and giving to others.

This Christmas, we all should focus o being generous and joyful in our giving. In doing so, we are being more like Christ. This season, we should give someone the gift of always having the joy of the Lord and having a servant's heart. Christ died for us as a gift, so we should gift others with joy and grace.

"Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly." 1 Chronicles 29:9

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The Joy Of Giving

We should give joyfully as Christ did when He gave us the gift of salvation.

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All names should be "unisex names."

1. Communicating via email can be awkward.

2. Appointments usually accompany weird looks.

3. Introducing yourself to someone is never without a hitch.

4. You’ve probably thought about changing your name.

5. You’re often asked why you have the name you do.

6. You get excited when you meet someone of your gender with your name.

7. You feel awkward when you meet someone of the opposite gender with your name.

8. You’ve had someone say to you, “I knew a [your name], but they were [your opposite gender].”

9. You’ve heard a bad joke/pick-up line or two about your name before.

10. People are surprised when they see you.

11. You’re extra sensitive to other unique or unisex names.

12. You’ve fought with your parents about it.

13. All things considered, you’re happy your name makes you unique.

You know that all of these things apply to you. You'll just never tell.

I get it... I'm pale.

1. At least I can't lose you in a crowd!

2. Oh my goodness your skin is like glow-in-the-dark.

3. Can't you just get fake tan?

4. Do you tan or just burn?

5. Your kids are going to look like Casper the Friendly Ghost!

6. *holds arm against your arm* Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. *holds pale arm against another pale arm* Aw, at least you're darker than her!

8. I laid out by the pool almost every day over break!

9. I haven't used sunscreen since I was, like, five.

10. *adjusts selfie lighting to their face* Oops, where'd you go??

11. *after working out* Your face is SO red!

12. *wears white* Look! You're all one color!

13. You need to get some sun.

14. Aren't you excited for summer?

The struggle bus is real.

1. Child prodigies:

2. Hearing other musicians in the practice room next door and accepting that you will never be as talented as them:

3. That anxiety that takes over before every performance:

4. Taking a million 0 credit classes:

5. When there's a paper due the next day, but you have to attend yet another concert in order to pass a 0 credit class:

6. When your friends try to encourage you after a performance, even though you are criticizing everything in your mind:

7. Knowing that there's always that one professor during juries:

8. The oh-so-attractive band/choir uniforms:

9. Realizing that a college campus is maybe not the best atmosphere to finish your latest composition:

10. Hearing "Oh, you sing opera? I LOVE Phantom of the Opera!" for the hundredth time:

11. When people think finals week is a breeze for you.

12. When you're drowning in the stress that comes with 18+ credits (and not to mention all those 0 credit classes) and people ask you how you are:

13. When it all comes down to it, though, you know that at the end of the day, music is your passion:

Because you need it in your life.

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6. holds arm against your arm Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. holds pale arm against another pale arm Aw, at least you're darker than her!

10. adjusts selfie lighting to their face Oops, where'd you go??

11. after working out Your face is SO red!

12. wears white Look! You're all one color!