Christmas is Here!!

Finally, Christmas is here!! It’s time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and, in keeping with the American tradition, give tons of presents to your kids!

Have you ever considered the gift that your child wants the most? A bike? No. A guitar or drum set? No. A computer or software? No. How about an iPod? No.

Although I have never met a child who has refused to accept the aforementioned gifts, the gift that your child truly wants is ................... YOU!! Yes, despite their daily rants about the restrictions that you place upon them, the multitude of “unfair” accusations that are lobbed your way, and the total disdain with which they look at you sometimes, the most important gift to any child is YOU and your TIME!

Similar to my own story with my own son, a few years ago, a 6th grade student (11 years old) named Robert told me about the harrowing experience that he had encountered with his dad during the previous weekend. His dad was hanging Christmas lights from their gutters on their 2-story home. It was somewhat windy and his dad even mentioned that he was a little concerned climbing up and down the ladder. At one point, he told his son to hold the bottom of the ladder just in case the wind decided to wreak some havoc.

Quite quickly, Robert became worried and he began to visualize the worst - how would his life change if his dad bought the farm while trying to beautify their home for the season? Within moments, Robert implored his dad to forget the lights for the season or try on another day. His dad told him that he would be too busy on all of the future weekends before Christmas. So, it was now or never. Robert voted for never.

Despite the bikes, guitars, drums sets, iPods, etc., that Robert’s mom and dad had provided in the past or might provide in the future, at that very moment he learned that his most important gift was his parents. He realized that, most important of all, he liked having his mom and dad home early from work; he liked their help with homework; he liked knowing that his dad would battle the “bad guys” if they broke in during the night; and he realized that his mom and dad took care of all of his needs because they loved him.

Without his parents and the time that they spent with him, Robert, on that windy Sunday afternoon, suddenly realized that he would have nobody to take care of him. Needless to say, according to Robert, his gift "needs" changed on that day.

When I asked Robert about that incident a few years later, he reiterated that the windy Sunday had changed him forever, from being a greedy kid who wanted tons of presents to a kid who smiled each night before he went to sleep, complete with the knowledge that he had parents who were in the same house and that they loved him!

So, yes, despite their constant blathering about their parents and their foibles and other deficiencies, kids are happiest and most secure when they have parents who love them, spend time with them, provide for their needs, have fun with them, and provide the emotional security blanket that they so richly need.

Merry Christmas and give your child the most needed and most precious Christmas gift of all ...... YOU!


Paul W. Reeves

Dad/Daughter/Jesus!!

Since the days on which my children were born, perhaps even while they were in the womb, there has been music and singing in our home. All types of music, including classical, jazz, pop, baby songs, and nursery rhymes, to name just a few styles, have always been prevalent in our home.

Of course, my kids have also had to tolerate their dad's singing ALL OF THE TIME around the house, sometimes seriously, sometimes with a silly voice, sometimes singing real songs with substitute lyrics about our family or individual members, and, well, you get the idea. There has been music and singing of some type(s) in our home every single day (of course, I had to promise my kids that I would hold off singing while their friends were in the house - I vow that I have kept ... most of the time!).

As my oldest child, my daughter has been the recipient of, or has bore the brunt of, the most of my continuous singing. However, as annoying as she sometimes claims that it is, we used to sing all types of songs around the house and sometimes we still do! In fact, a few years ago, she took vocal lessons to go with her dancing skills and she now works as an entertainer during the summer months in musical theater! (Of course, I take full credit for her singing and dancing skills - she listened to me and she watched me carefully a million times ....... and then concentrated on doing the opposite!!).

At any rate, as much as we have shared music during her life, we had never actually sung together in public ... until a recent Sunday on which we sang a Praise and Worship duet to Jesus, entitled, "I Will Run to You".

So, before the entire congregation and the Lord Himself, my daughter, with whom I have shared silly songs since her birth, stood up next to me and we vocalized together for the first time in public!

This is the same girl who used to hug me before I left the home to “Go make music” and then wanted to hear all about it the next day! This is the same girl who used to get ticked off when I changed lyrics to popular songs – but then came to realize that her dad just might earn the “Silly Dad of the Year” contest someday. As such, she learned to laugh and share in the joy of the lyrics about our family and life situations!

And, …… this is the same girl, all grown up now, who actually GAVE ME some vocal lessons during our rehearsal time together!!

Yes, the music field used to be all mine in the family, but now I, with terrific fatherly love and satisfaction, gleefully share the spotlight with my beautiful daughter (actually I now stand in her shadow) !

While people used to say things such as, “That guy is a good singer” or “That guy is a good musician”, I wouldn’t be surprised if some people now say, “Hey, who is that old dude next to that beautiful young lady with the great singing voice – oh, he must be her manager or her dad”!!!!

Yes, from the humble beginnings of a dad singing silly songs to her in the womb, my daughter has grown up, developed tremendous talent of her own, gives her dad singing lessons, and stands beside him as they sing to the Lord. Wow, life and God are awesome!


Paul W. Reeves