First of all, in the business of the December "joys", such as picking out the perfect Christmas tree, decorating your house, buying Christmas gifts, planning family reunions or anything else that you do in December, we sometimes forget about what's most important, Jesus! I'm speaking to myself here....Many people see December 25 as a day to open presents and get a bunch of stuff. I too enjoy the excitement of giving and receiving gifts! Last year, I remember being happier giving a gift than receiving a gift....I am a TERRIBLE person at waiting to give gifts! The bible says in Acts 20:35, "And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Every Christmas Eve, my parents let my sister and I open one present, its generally a fun family game! On Christmas morning, my sister and I head down to our living room and gather together with my parents and my dad reads the Christmas story. After that, we each open 3 gifts; 1 thing we want, 1 thing we need and 1 thing we read! The reason my family chooses to do 3 gifts is because Jesus received 3 gifts from the wise men. 
Millie's Reluctant Sacrifice: The Keiths were looking at Millie in Varying degrees of dismay. "It has been something of a surprise to me, Pappa,"Millie admitted "Though not completely so. I have felt for almost a year that I am called into the foreign mission field." Stuart shook his head, "We have let Millie go twice now, once to Roselands and once to New Orleans and I think that is quite enough."Marcia put her hand on her husbands sholder. "We must let her go again Stuart," she said " I see the fingerprints of God all over this. We must let her go, and trust God." 
