Trash Cans Are Good . . .
A tie. Socks. Towels. A mop. You know, practical gifts. Those things you can use, possibly not even live without, but they’re not exactly what you were hoping for. They’re not interesting or exciting. Sure, you might want a new vacuum for a wedding gift, but who really wants one for Christmas?
Yet practical gifts can sometimes be a big surprise.
My daughter is the master of practical gifts. Sure, she’s given me some unique and interesting things in the past, but more often than not they are simple tools to use around the house: sliders for my small appliances; a cozi for my wife’s drinks; a trash can. I never look a gift horse in the mouth, especially one from my children, but at first glance, I think, “Well, that was a nice gesture but it’s nothing special.” However, once I begin to use them, everything changes.
The first gift was the sliders. These particular sliders go under small kitchen appliances, allowing you to pull them easily toward you and push them back. I placed one under my air fryer and the other under my coffee maker. The air fryer was the most obvious. I store it next to the wall, but it needs separation from the wall to work properly (not to mention keep from causing a fire). Prior to this, to move it I had to lift the fryer or force it against its rubber. Now, the thing glides with ease. No struggle whatsoever. Simple.
The other appliance I wanted to slide was the coffee maker. 
It was a model that uses coffee pods that are inserted into the top. However, the cabinet right above the coffee maker interfered with opening the hatch to insert the pod. While I worked around this in the past, now with the slider I can pull the whole appliance away from the cabinet, fill it up, and then push it back while it brews. Not only does this allow me to easily insert the pod, but it also saves me the trouble of reaching over the counter for it, making the entire process easier.
Neither of these conveniences are earth-shattering, but I’ve been so pleased with the sliders that, should they ever break, I will not hesitate to replace them.
Next is my wife’s cozy. She already had a metal one that was sized for cans. She used it all the time because it kept her drinks cold for long periods. However, many times my wife drinks 20 oz. bottles that are too big for the smaller cozy. Seeing this, my daughter gifted her a remedy: a larger metal cozy that fits both cans and large bottles. To be honest, we didn’t even know such a thing existed, but now, my wife can enjoy any size drink without having to worry about it growing warm.
The third gift I want to mention is the trash can. When my wife and I married, she brought with her an old, green, thirteen-gallon plastic kitchen trash can. It had a lid that would open whenever you stepped on its foot pedal. Unfortunately, it hadn’t worked well for years. Either the pedal mechanism would become misaligned and the lid wouldn’t open, or, if it did, it would pop right off onto the floor. I grumbled every time it happened (and yes, even cussed a time or two). I hated that thing.
As has become the norm, my daughter knew this and last Christmas, 
replaced our old can with a new, modern metal can. By now I was prepared. Her gifts may not look like much, but they always turn out to be some of the best items I receive. The trash can turned out to be no different. Besides having a sturdy lid that stays on, it also has an inner liner to help with emptying and cleaner. No joke, this trash can may have received my most excited response last Christmas. It’s very possible that no man has ever loved a garbage can more.
It's obvious that my daughter doesn’t always look for flashy. Still, she seems to always know what I need. The same can be said for the most important practical gift any of us has ever received. It was plain, dirty, and bloody. It was repulsive to look at, a shameful image of failure. It was found among the thieves and murderers. It was something that none of us wanted, but God knew we needed.
It was a man nailed to a cross.
No one thinks they want Christ. What can one man’s death give to us? But it is this death that reconciles us to God. Through his death, all our sins, everything we have done wrong, have been paid for. We are free to approach God as new beings to spend eternity with Him guiltless, shameless, and burdenless. This one practical gift has given us more than we will ever receive from any person or in any box.
Trash cans are good . . .
Jesus is much better!
You can help support Half Air by searching for these products on Amazon (Affiliate Link) or by visiting our Support Page.