complimentary gift

A 'complimentary gift' arrived through the post for me today.

It was big (15"x10" at least I'd have thought) and heavy (10 or 11 lbs).

And somewhat unexpected.

The only package I've been expecting is a collar that I've ordered. As in a clerical collar.

The one that I use has split up the middle and is in urgent need of replacement. It won't last another outing. It's done for completely.

So I'd rung up the shop here in Edinburgh where I've got this sort of thing before.

"No, we don't stock clerical collars any longer," came the quick reply.

"In fact," the guy went helpfully on, "there aren't any places in Scotland you'll get one now."

Which slightly took me aback. Presumably there isn't sufficient demand. A sobering thought.

"But I think there's a place in Exeter," he added.

I don't think he was joking. I think he was trying to be helpful. It was Monday I'd rung and he maybe thought it was my day off and a little trip to the other end of the United Kingdom would be just the thing I needed.

Sort of getting away from it all. To get a clerical collar.

I'd taken the shortcut to Exeter. The internet.

So that's been all I've been expecting (though today would have been rather quick).

This package, however, given its substantial dimensions and weight, didn't exactly feel like it was a collar. And I hadn't got the impression from the internet ordering I'd done that it would come as a 'complimentary gift'.

It was a book. A rather large book, obviously. And quite an expensive one as well. I'd have thought.

There wasn't a note of the price, but the quality of production suggested the top end of the price range sort of thing. I mean very expensive.

No warning. No name. No reason.

Nothing.

Just the huge big letters all across the front. 'Complimentary Gift'.

It's a book about 'creation'. As opposed to 'evolution'. And it's written from the standpoint of the Q'ran. By a man who plainly believes passionately in what he writes.

It came with two discs. Which I'm always a little bit wary about. The story of the Trojan Horse immediately came to mind, I have to say.

But what do you do with a gift like that?

Randomly coming my way, with no reason why and no note of who was the sender.

It's difficult knowing just what to do with that.

Because it's a little bit different from the 'complimentary gift' which the Bible's all about.

God's gift to us of Jesus.

That's different. You know who the gift is from. And he tells us why he's given us this gift. And what we're meant to do.

And as I was thinking about such gifts today it seemed to me that knowing these things (who it's from, why it's given and what we're meant to do with it) - knowing these things is part of the gift itself.

So I tried this theory out on other 'gifts'.

Because my life is built on the basis of 'gift'.

I give my time and energy to all that goes on here.

Shifting tables and chairs and all sorts of manual stuff at the start of the day. At least at present.

Making the soup.

That's all 'gift', I guess. But folk know who the giver is and they know why it's given and what they're meant to do with it.

I give my mind to study. There was a fair bit of that this morning.

But it's clear why I do it. I want to give the people understanding and that means I have to study pretty hard.

Especially when, this coming Sunday evening, it's the prospect of the risen Jesus returning to this earth that I'm explaining to the folk.

I have to work at that. This prospect is part of the gift God gives. And I have to explain just what it is that we should therefore do. The difference that this makes to all our lives.

I have to give a lot of time and thought to that. It's not the easiest thing to explain. And it's not the most familiar sort of truth in people's minds.

There was work to be done on our Christmas Card. We send a card to every home in the community and I've been doing some work on preparing the card fro production.

A little gift. But again, people know who it's from. And they know why it's given. And they know what their choices are when it comes to what they do with this gift.

In the afternoon I was along at a neighbouring church to give blood.

Another gift.

The gift of blood is really the gift of life in many ways. It's clear to all why it's given. And the records that the Blood Transfusion Service keep ensure they know who it's from.

They can check when I last gave blood. Which is why they gave me a badge today. To celebrate my 25th gift of blood.

'Gift' is the basis of life.

A mother gives of herself to suckle her child. Parents give of themselves - their time, their strength, their cash, their love - to let their children live.

My living is built on the basis of 'gift'.

But we need to know who is the giver: and we need to know why it's been given: and we need to have some sort of notion of just how we're meant to respond.

I eventually cheated. I googled the book and its title.

I found my experience was not unique.

Here's a guy from Oregon -

I received volume 3 of Atlas of Creation for free, unrequested, from the "Truth Research Foundation" Long Island City, NY. The box had a label stating "Complimentary Gift". I would love to know if anyone has any idea who is sending this and why? It weighs 10 lbs, and looks expensive. I gave it two stars for attractive presentation, but do not plan on reading it fully.

Pretty much my sentiments too. Except he got more information than I did.

For free. Great. Unrequested. Great.

But, yes - I would love to know who is sending this and why.

That's always part of the gift.