Redemption

I haven’t had a good winter coat for the last couple of years. The winters have been milder. I haven’t spent much time outside and I’ve opted for layers over something heavier. However, this December was brutal in Philadelphia, and I gave my wife fair warning that I would be cashing in some gift cards in the post-Christmas sales for a new coat. We keep all of our gift cards in a little basket in our house, and I scoured through them realizing there were more than a few restaurant gift cards in the basket along with the generic ones. I declared to Tricia and the kids that I was taking my wife on all-expense paid date-night-out for dinner and coat shopping.

As if we were on our first date, I tried impressing my lady by encouraging her to order whatever she wanted. Apps, dessert, you name it! We were living large. When the bill came, I slapped the gift card down like a boss. The waiter was quick to remind me that the card couldn’t be used for the tip and 20% was more than I anticipated. Suddenly, my night was already in the red. We walked over to the store where I not only found the warm coat I wanted, but also new gloves, a candle, and a neck massager – why not? I had cards. As we checked out, card after card was declined. As the line grew longer behind us, I could tell the cashier was getting angsty. I was determined. I stepped to the side to call the 800-number on the back of each card. “Your card is expired” the automatic operator said multiple times. My all-expense paid date night became one of the more expensive nights of the year.

In-between my rants in the car ride home, Tricia asked me the obvious question I didn’t want to answer: “Why did you wait so long to redeem those cards?” I chose to ignore it and continued my testimony against Visa but internally, I thought about how often I hold on to “valuable” things with the idea that there’s a special time or moment when they should be used — only to discard them later or never use them at all.

Whether it’s a candle or a bottle of wine, an experience or an important decision, what I am holding onto that is losing it’s redemptive value every day that I don’t use it? What action should I take today rather than waiting for the “perfect time” to do it? What good I can do or gift can experience or give today that, though maybe smaller than I dreamed about, might bring about a different reality I could never have imagined? In my desire for the Lord’s redemption, what habits have I been putting off quitting or starting because I can’t do them exactly how I envisioned? Where might a little step forward be better than simply standing still in my faith?

As I jotted down my resolutions this new year, “using gift cards within three months” was one on them, and “visiting the confessional a little more frequently” was above it. Prayers that you might also value all the gifts He gives you by using them this new year. Happy 2026!