Give it up (from Douglas Poole)

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

When I was young I loved Christmas for the gifts I would get...now I love Christmas for the gifts I get to give.

That said, can I quickly tell of three really cool gifts I am a part of giving this season that are true WOW things?

First, I simply can’t wait to give the Cypress family the gift of a Christmas concert this weekend by renowned recording artist Sara Groves. Sara has a heart over-flowing with the grace of Jesus, lyrics that will stir your heard and a voice that could be making mega bucks somewhere in Nashville or L.A. Of all you do this Christmas, this concert will probably the one thing you talk the most about over the holidays. By the way the Saturday and Sunday night concerts are full with waiting lists for tickets. We still have approximately 50 to 60 seats available on Sunday morning...it would be a shame for them to be left empty...so who do you know that could use a beautiful gift of grace that will touch their soul? It’s not too late, really...invite but do so without delay. (If you have any tickets that you will not be using for the weekend...please turn them in at cypresschristmas@gmail.com so those waiting can attend. Thanks.)

The second gift I can’t wait to give is the candle light Christmas Eve services. This will be an evening enchanted with heavenly grace...A Cappella voices singing to us, carols we will join in on and a teaching from scripture all in the ambiance of the flickering light of candles. I can’t think of a better way to enter into the Christmas experience: “Today...a Savior has been born to you...He is Christ the Lord.” (Identical services at 5:00 and 6:30...no tickets required.) Whatever you do...don’t miss this Holy Night. These will be our only services for the whole of Christmas weekend...No Saturday or Sunday services.

And the third gift I want to tell you about was handed out yesterday. For a number of reasons I wanted to do something crazy nice for the Cypress staff this year that would totally catch them off guard and leave them buried under a great big Wow! And I think I pulled it off. After a little asking on my part, a way was made available for me to give each of our staff members a gift that knocked them off their feet...an ipad! I wish I had somehow filmed the deal...it was like one of those “Ophra Show final season” moments: “Everybody gets and ipad!” Blew them away...agape mouths, wide-eyes and a lot of “wow oh wow’s” being muttered. It felt so wonderful, really really double wonderful. What is there about giving to people you care about deeply that blesses you so deeply? Anyway if you see Cypress staff walking around smiling and hugging an ipad...you now know what is going on. Oh and just in case you think I’ve gone all soft...I told everybody enjoy the moment because come December 26...I’m back to being scrooge.

Blessings,

Douglas