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Surrounded by Gifts

December 17, 2025

 Judges 3:15-30|Psalm 19|1 Corinthians 12:4-11|John 21:1-9

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone… Corinthians 12:4

 The act of gift giving can be a wonderful experience because you become engulfed in the warmth, joy, and thankfulness of the recipient. This is especially true when the recipient is easy to give to, but from what I have been told, I am not that person. For me the unwrapping, the surprise, and the thankfulness are wonderful but part of a continuing event. For me it has always been the hunt, not only for the right item, but the price, the usefulness, oddity, or longevity of the gift. As a recipient of gifts, I know how hard it has been for my family to fulfill this task to the point of frustration. But each gift I have accepted and accumulated has touched me in ways that may seem foreign to them as I have always found the abstract in the gift regardless of whether it was found in a thrift shop or be it tailor made. 

Yet the witnessing of gift acceptance maybe an anxiety ridden moment of questioning…. Did I get the right one, is it good enough, does it show how much I care and so on….

But gifts are not only found during the biggest search and exchange season of the year, or in the “I am so glad you are part of this world”celebrations. The most God activated and Spirit infused gifts happens on some random Tuesday morning or Sunday evening. The majority of the time they come in a variety of forms. Some are purchased on a whim and provide a smile or a laugh. Other spirit activated gifts come as words that in their breath give us courage, comfort and strength.

The latter came about in the mist of thanksgiving recipes and Christmas lists. Our family’s calico cat Blossom’s slow decline took on an accelerated pace. She was my son Percy’s companion, bedmate, confidant, and reason to adult. This small and sassy gift came from the back of a dumpster at my wife’s office building. Dana felt, as with many of our various pets, that the family needed this gift. In the long run she was right. Fast forward 14 years and after a long weekend of diagnoses, poor prognosis, and consultations a decision was reached. Not the one we wanted, but the best for his best cat Blossom. Throughout the process there were many times where Percy just wanted to grab his cat and run away to possibly find a better answer. In the end, and through incredible patience and kindness, peace and healing were realized. Loosing a pet is never easy but Percy would say that the joy and love they bring is always worth it.   

So in this commercialized season…Look in the mirror, take in the spirit and breathe.  I assure you will see a gift in various stages of unwrapping.  But most importantly know that we are surrounded by gifts and many are waiting to be unwrapped….  But right now it’s time to see what the spirit activates in you… 

Geo Borgia