When my son was 11, we all went to a convention in Texas and stayed in a room with a small
refrigerator. At that time, my son was so in love with chicken strips, he ordered them
everywhere we ate. One evening, he wasn't able to finish his strips so he asked for a to-go
box. He lovingly put his box in the refrigerator when we got back to the hotel. The next
disappeared.
It is hard to describe the look of agony and betrayal on Josh's face when he discovered his
dad had eaten his chicken strips. You know how it is; you have your mouth all set to eat
something you really wanted and it's ... gone.
Now my husband felt badly but to save the day, he immediately invented the "3-Minute Rule."
He explained to Josh that the 3-minute rule had kicked in and all food was fair game. The rule
was that any food left alone and unattended for three minutes became the property of anyone
who came across it sitting there. It created a heated discussion and much laughter that day.
Today Josh is 26 and STILL talks about those chicken strips. What could have just been a
few hours of hurt feelings ended up being a memory implant into all of our lives. We still joke
about it and still "play" fight over missing food.
The important thing in this Musing is to realize how important family is this Christmas season.
The most important gift you give is love. Your family is vital, valuable and precious. Don't
forget that building the knowledge of unconditional love is worth far more than a gift from the
store.
No matter how old your kids are, it's never too late to say, "I love you and I am so proud of
you. I'm so glad I'm your parent." Everyone needs to hear that from their parents. No matter
how long you've been married, you can still grab a hand, gaze into their eyes and let them
know how much you love and appreciate them - and be specific, not nebulous. For those
alone this season, it's never too late to check on those around you to ensure they experience
Christmas love - a lonely elderly neighbor, perhaps?
And, in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, don't forget the greatest gift ever given
to all of us - Jesus - the reason for the season!
Inspiration Copyright © 2008 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
refrigerator. At that time, my son was so in love with chicken strips, he ordered them
everywhere we ate. One evening, he wasn't able to finish his strips so he asked for a to-go
box. He lovingly put his box in the refrigerator when we got back to the hotel. The next
disappeared.
It is hard to describe the look of agony and betrayal on Josh's face when he discovered his
dad had eaten his chicken strips. You know how it is; you have your mouth all set to eat
something you really wanted and it's ... gone.
Now my husband felt badly but to save the day, he immediately invented the "3-Minute Rule."
He explained to Josh that the 3-minute rule had kicked in and all food was fair game. The rule
was that any food left alone and unattended for three minutes became the property of anyone
who came across it sitting there. It created a heated discussion and much laughter that day.
Today Josh is 26 and STILL talks about those chicken strips. What could have just been a
few hours of hurt feelings ended up being a memory implant into all of our lives. We still joke
about it and still "play" fight over missing food.
The important thing in this Musing is to realize how important family is this Christmas season.
The most important gift you give is love. Your family is vital, valuable and precious. Don't
forget that building the knowledge of unconditional love is worth far more than a gift from the
store.
No matter how old your kids are, it's never too late to say, "I love you and I am so proud of
you. I'm so glad I'm your parent." Everyone needs to hear that from their parents. No matter
how long you've been married, you can still grab a hand, gaze into their eyes and let them
know how much you love and appreciate them - and be specific, not nebulous. For those
alone this season, it's never too late to check on those around you to ensure they experience
Christmas love - a lonely elderly neighbor, perhaps?
And, in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, don't forget the greatest gift ever given
to all of us - Jesus - the reason for the season!
Inspiration Copyright © 2008 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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