http://www.covchurchcheboygan.com Love God. Love Others. Live like Jesus. Serve the World. Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:33:59 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.covchurchcheboygan.com/2009/01/fireproof-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-416 Fireproof | The Covenant Church Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:33:59 +0000 http://www.covchurchcheboygan.com/?p=238#comment-416 [...] Home About Vision Contact Map Ministries Mens Womens « Fireproof - The Movie [...] [...] Home About Vision Contact Map Ministries Mens Womens « Fireproof – The Movie [...]

]]> http://www.covchurchcheboygan.com/2008/12/two-fridays/comment-page-1/#comment-391 Karen Manzel Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:53:18 +0000 http://www.covchurchcheboygan.com/?p=187#comment-391 Thank you for hitting home. The part about grasping the depth, breadth and height of God's love through extravagant gifting. Since it has been my role to select most the gifts, it had been my practice to let go of budgetary restaint shopping for Christmas, (since God gave so much, this is nothing, kind of approach) starting in September and anything else that "ooh, Mom and Dad (brother/sister/in-laws) would like this!" in the months that followed. Recipients were always overwhelmed, as was Don when the Visa statements came. I always considered it a love language to give presents and know i'm wired that way; in retrospect, i see more than a little pretense, and a kind of making up for what we don't make time to give of ourselves. Mom and Dad, and then all the Manzels have determined this year to give no presents, however, we are all gathering at their home, some from another state, to celebrate Christmas together. I already see a deepening sense of-of something wonderful happening. This (no Manzel gifts) is also changing the approach to gifts for my husband, my brothers and their families in Ohio, for our daughter, employees. It'll be a shock to some, i'm sure. This time, i'm giving much more prayerful consideration toward what to give. Never thought of consumerism as an idol. Hmm. Thank you for hitting home. The part about grasping the depth, breadth and height of God’s love through extravagant gifting. Since it has been my role to select most the gifts, it had been my practice to let go of budgetary restaint shopping for Christmas, (since God gave so much, this is nothing, kind of approach) starting in September and anything else that “ooh, Mom and Dad (brother/sister/in-laws) would like this!” in the months that followed. Recipients were always overwhelmed, as was Don when the Visa statements came. I always considered it a love language to give presents and know i’m wired that way; in retrospect, i see more than a little pretense, and a kind of making up for what we don’t make time to give of ourselves.
Mom and Dad, and then all the Manzels have determined this year to give no presents, however, we are all gathering at their home, some from another state, to celebrate Christmas together. I already see a deepening sense of-of something wonderful happening.
This (no Manzel gifts) is also changing the approach to gifts for my husband, my brothers and their families in Ohio, for our daughter, employees. It’ll be a shock to some, i’m sure. This time, i’m giving much more prayerful consideration toward what to give.
Never thought of consumerism as an idol. Hmm.

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