A Gift, I Gather
By Melissa Tate
Melissa Tate is a professor in the journalism/mass communication department at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. She has always loved words and has a long-term addiction to crossword puzzles. Husband Sid is a pastor, and daughters Grace and Brittany are college freshmen. Melissa is the new Advertising and Marketing Consultant for ecumininet™ online!

gather: Accumulate, harvest, gain, pull together

The sofa gathers dog hair. The tables gather dust.
I gather sticky loose change from the bottom of my purse.

Beverly gathers her tomatoes. Lynn gathers figs.
Nancy gathers her bags for the trip to the hospital.

I gathered myself to say a final goodbye to Daddy.
Sid and Brittany gathered strength after bicycle accidents.

Grace gathers friends wherever she goes.
God gathers us wherever we go.

gathering: collection, assembly, meeting

A gathering of friends showers Bobbi's awaited baby.
A gathering of strangers prays for Natalee's safe return.

We gather for family meals as time nears for
Grace and Brittany to leave home.

People gather to support, to protest.
To wed, to mourn, to worship, and to praise.

When two or more are gathered together . . .
This is what I gather.

gift: thing bestowed voluntarily, uncompensated

The best gifts Sid and I ever got are Grace and Brittany.
Gifts from God. Given "up" to us by others.

Brittany and Grace got wonderful gifts for graduation.
They liked the money best.

continued

Sometimes I give voluntarily, but I attach strings.
Love returned, gratitude, compliance. Or just credit.

Don't Christians give freely, unconditionally?
To the undeserving? Like God gives grace?

gift: talent, endowment, aptitude

Sid has a God-given gift for preaching, speaking, writing: the "gift of tongues," so to speak.

Grace has a God-given gift for sports and math
and being "in the moment."

Brittany has a God-given gift for dance and science
and baking warm, comfortable things.

I have a gift (or curse) for words.
You probably gathered.

<<Back to Archive

View for Printing

Contributors
Staff
Advertising
Internships

Send this Page to a Friend

Add Me to Mailing List