Arapaho Basin

What a day for snow boarding! And an even better day for photography. It was a pretty cold and windy day at A Basin but the snow covered mountains and puffy clouds racing across the sky made for some amazing (and challenging) photo opportunities.

'Tis the season...

... for stressful party preparations and frantic gift giving.  These are the motions we go through each year to demonstrate to others that we are “keeping” Christmas.  But even when all things are said and done, when the last gift if opened and the last morsel of food of the Christmas feast is consumed, each one of use will suffer a little pang of emptiness, a sense of a little something that’s missing.   

As I get older I’m starting to think that the little bit of emptiness we still feel is knowing we missed the mark, the “reason for the season”.  Maybe it’s me but it seems our gift giving is more about impressing rather than expressing.  We race about trying to find the latest electronic gizmo, or that name brand piece of clothing, that one special something that the other person always wanted.  

“Wanted”, maybe that’s the problem.  It’s all about wanting something.  What about needing?   Maybe that’s how we fill that void.  Give someone something they need rather than want.  I can bet you’ll find it much more gratifying, as will they.  But the trick is to know the difference between a want versus a need.  We might want our “toys” but we need something much greater.  Well, to get a jump start on next year’s shopping, here are some gift ideas…

1. Time – take the time to be present with someone.  Your parents, your children, a friend, or even a stranger.
2.  Patience – be slow to react. Allow things to play out before you and keep a balance of your emotions.
3. Encouragement – help someone to discover their own hidden talents and show them their worth.
4.  Love – whether you write, call or visit, let someone know how much you care and that you are a richer person for having them in your life. 

Those are just a few.  I’m sure you can come up with more.  

As Christ was and is God’s gift to us all, may we all be a gift to each other this day and always.  Merry Christmas and God’s blessings to you all.