What's in a Christmas Present

I found myself searching for the appropriate gifts to give my coworkers last night. I went through the normal ideas: candy, candles, gift cards, etc. I ended up in Barnes and Noble thinking I could find some humorous Dilbert books or something that might bring a few chuckles to the office. I scoured the humor section and the Management sections, but I couldn't find anything that stood out to me. I figured my gift searching would take me all night.

As I turned a corner, I stumbled upon the Christian Inspiration section. This is a section that I used to frequent, but haven't paid much attention to these books in quite some time. Since starting grad school, most of my reading has been focused around management (Good to Great, the Leadership Challenge, etc) and healthcare (Complications). I haven't found much time to read books from some of these great Christian authors. As I started looking through the section, I found book after book that would work great as gifts. Some were focused on healthcare, some on leadership, some were books of prayers.

Anyway, I ended up getting almost everyone in my office one of these books, and they were a big hit. The gifts were great because I also got a gift - I rediscovered many books and authors that I'd forgotten about. Plus, I'm learning how to incorporate my faith and values in the organizations I'll work in - and for me, that's one of the best gifts I can get right now. I've always felt called to be in the workforce, healthcare in particular, but I never understood exactly how I could make a difference. Learning to bring in these values and these practices is something that I think will really set me apart and equip me to make the differences that are needed.

PS: If you're still looking to get me something (or something for a person in any leadership role), this would be nice.