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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Ultimate Gift

Last night I went to a Women's function at our Church that we have there Called Girlfriends Unlimited. They have groups that have games, a Chance to watch a movie together, Play games, do Crafts, Or discuss a Book that the Group has decided to discuss that you decide on the month before, you Read the Book and come the following month to discuss it. Well, i Picked the Movie, which is called Flicker Chicks! The movie we watched was called The Ultimate Gift. I love this movie from the first time i saw it! But, last night as i was watching it,I got more than i didn't the other times i watched it, and i really felt the need to Blog about it.

If you haven't seen this movie, it is about a Young man that Has always been a Trust Fund Baby, and has never had to work a day In his life. Well, The Grandfather Dies and the entire family, that is like him, Attends the funeral,One of Man sons, mentions, " I wonder who he Paid to get it to rain today?" which is pretty much the tone of the ENTIRE family. The day of reading of the will comes and the whole family is there.. waiting for what is OWED them. One by one they get what the Rich man left them, much to many of their dismay. They are told when they are told what their part of the Inheritance is, they have to leave. So, one by one they leave, and then the Grandson strolls in almost at the end of the reading of the will and his mother says, your late! for nothing!
The Grandson rolls his eyes and turns around to leave, and then the executor of the will says, Jason, you wont know for sure, if you don't stick around to find out! So he does, But its not what he's expecting! This Begins a Journey for Jason that his grand father tells him ( thru previously recorded clips) that he is leaving him a series of Gifts leading up to one "Ultimate Gift" if he messes up, and doesn't follow them and complete them exactly as he's set forth, that's it! hes done!and he gets nothing! Jason, reluctantly Begins this Journey, But along the way he learns ALOT who he is as a Person, that Totally challenges and Changes who he is. These Gifts are:

The Gift Of Work: Learning the Value of a Job well done and Doing things for the Right reasons." he who loves his work never labors"- The Ultimate Gift website

The Gift of Problems: ( excerpt taken from The Ultimate Gift Website)
In The Ultimate Gift, Red Stevens recalls, "One of the great errors in my life was sheltering many people from life’s problems. If we are not allowed to deal with small problems, we will be destroyed by slightly larger ones." We each have problems of all sizes in our lives, but it’s the spirit in which we greet them that truly determines their magnitude. Whoa! That's HUGE! As i read that, I realized that that has been one of MY failings as a Parent! But, in order for Us for our kids to Function on their own it is Necessary! THAT is HUGE for me.


The Gift of Friends : Jason learns In this Gift the Value of True friendship and and he learns that once he didn't have money( which his Grandfather arranged before his death for him to be cut off in this second Gift) He didn't have any friends, even his Girlfriend deserts him. He meets Emily and her mother who's Idea of friendship is Different. It is based on Not what the person can do for them, but, the relationship themselves, and they accept people based on who they are not what they can do for them.

The Gift of Giving:
(Excerpt taken from the Ultimate gift website) "Conventional wisdom would say that the less you give, the more you have. The converse is true. The more you give, the more you have. Abundance creates the ability to give; giving creates abundance. This principle is true in every area of your life." when Jason has to take the Money he has earned and find someone that needs it more, he learns that there is More to life than just focusing in himself and his needs.

The Gift of Gratitude: Its important for us to be A grateful people. to take the time to let the People that are close to us know how much we appreciate them on a regular basis.

The Gift of Family:( excerpt Taken from The Ultimate gift website)Families are like vitamins for the soul. They give us strength, they help us heal, and they build immunities against the outside forces that can hurt us. Today, as you enjoy your weekend, reflect on what your family means to you. Also think of the activities, experiences and values that help connect your family. I think that i will pursue getting my whole family to do a Study on this, I really feel that this is the Missing Piece that my Kids are lacking... Hopefully, them seeing these gifts( lessons) a Light bulb will come on in their Brains, like it is for me writing this blog.

The Gift of Laughter: ( excerpt taken from The Ultimate Gift Website)Happy people generally have a positive, joyful outlook on life. They tend to look for and think about the positive aspects of people, things, situations, and events. They can laugh at themselves and brush off little setbacks that others will brood over for days. Even in our saddest moments, laughter can be the best medicine to heal our heart and mend our minds. Start a healthy family habit that will help everyone develop a more positive outlook on life. Make the dinner hour, when you are all together, a time to share with each other the best part of your day. Take turns and really listen. This simple ritual expresses a lot about who we are and what makes us happy. Use the Joy Chart to stimulate some healthy competition. Anyone who can think of three or more good things that happened to them that day earns a happy face on the chart. Whoever has the most happy faces by their name wins the best prize of all: a life full of joy and all the good things that come to someone who looks for them!This is Another Huge thing that i Really WANT my family to start doing. We really need to become Intentionally positive people, Looking for the Good in Each other and Encouraging the Strengths, and forgive the weaknesses.

The Gift of Learning: Education is a lifelong Journey who's destination expands as you travel- The Ultimate Gift website.

The Gift of a Day: In this Lesson Jason learns that happiness in life isn't about getting things, but, its about what you give away to others. Realizing that life is Precious and it isn't about what you are given in life, but what you give, and do for others, Especially Love.

The Gift of Love: ( excerpt taken from The Ultimate Gift Website)
One of the most precious gifts you can give someone you love is your time, especially in today’s busy world. When was the last time you invited your spouse out to dinner or took your mother to lunch? Can you imagine how special it would be if you invited your daughter on a ‘date’ where you help teach her how a man should treat a lady? Or how about planning a fishing trip with your grandson - just the two of you? Couples need to make time for their relationship to keep their love alive and strong. And children crave the one-on-one time that makes them feel cherished. None of us, no matter what our age, ever outgrows the need to feel loved and appreciated.
This one is SO true and something we Try to do on a regular basis, both as a couple and as a family.

The Gift of a Dream: { excerpt taken from The Ultimate Gift website)
Dreams are an important part of who we are as individuals. The ability to dream and believe in a dream is the foundation for success in every aspect of life. People who accomplish great things all begin with a dream, while those who don’t chase their dream are often disappointed. When we allow the Gift of Dreams into our lives and summon the courage to follow our dreams, we begin to experience life at its fullest. The key to making dreams come true is making them real. This means putting your dreams down on paper, sharing them with others and actually planning the steps you can take to move closer to making your dreams come true. In the Movie Jason takes the Money he is given by his Grandfather and uses ALL of it to get a Bunch of his grandfathers associates to build a Place adjacent to the hospital for Parents Of terminally ill kids to live, work and take care of themselves and the rest of the family while their kids are being treated at the hospital.

The Gift of Money (Also the Gift of love): Because he gave ALL of the 100 million dollars that was first given to him, to one thing all at once . His grandfathers Executor/ friend tells him he how proud he is of him and the man hes become, and that he needs him to come by the office, he has something to share with him. Jason goes and he brings out one last video.Its his grandfather telling him how much he loves him and that if he's watching this video its because he's given the entire hundred million away to charity, and that he has completed ALL of the Gifts above and beyond whats been asked of him, and then he says How hes accomplished all that he's ever wished for him and now he knows that while his grandson is alive, his legacy will live on thru him. then executor opens a final box and reads from another codicil of his will that he has left Jason the Bulk of the estate estimated at a value of over 2 billion dollars.

Now to me, I don't consider the fact that he inherited the bulk of his grandfathers estate to be the Ultimate Gift. I consider that the lessons that he learned from those gifts, that gave him the Strength of Character that he had at the End of the movie, making him the Man he Became, THAT was the Ultimate Gift! And that is the Gift i wish to give my kids, and that is the Person i desire to be most!


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