Under The Christmas Tree

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When our kids were teenagers, it seemed like we had a fleet of cars. One of them had a compact red Chevy Chevette. We called it the tomato. Another one had a small brown Ford Pinto. We called it the potato. The third teenager drove his grandmother’s old Ford Mustang. I don’t remember what we called it.
 
It was a lot of work keeping up with all these cars in addition to the Chrysler K-Car I drove and the Dodge Van my wife drove. One of the gifts the kids could count on every Christmas was a new air filter for their car. I would wrap each one in colorful Christmas paper and put them under the tree.  I’m sure it was their favorite Christmas present.
 
Another gift that we gave all of our children was a small envelope in the branches of the Christmas tree. It contained some money for after-Christmas shopping. It became a tradition they could count on every year.
 
Recently my son shared that he had done the same things for his children. A few years ago he married a wonderful woman with two teenagers. Both of them had older cars and Tim knew they would need a new air filter for their cars. He made sure there were air filters under the Christmas tree for every driver at their house.
 
In addition, Tim put an envelope for each of them in the branches of the Christmas tree. The envelopes contained some money for after- Christmas shopping.
 
I smiled when he told me that he had given his children some of the same things I had given to him and his sisters when they were teenagers. I was pleased to learn that my son followed my example. I wonder what else I have said or done that my son has chosen to repeat or not repeat.
 
There is a passage in the Bible where the Apostle Paul told his young disciple Timothy to do the things that he had learned, seen and heard from Paul’s life (Philippians 4:9). Someone said that the highest compliment is when someone else imitates what you have done. Let me encourage you to follow the example you have seen in others. And, make sure you are an example others can follow too. You will be glad you did and they will too.  

Read 365 more stories (one for every day of the year) in Mark’s book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. During our holiday sale you can purchase two books for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy a book for yourself and give one to a friend. Order your books today at markh@efreedb.org.

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