I expect you have your nativity scene displayed already. If you decorate for Christmas, it is a requirement. After all without the birth of Christ, we wouldn’t be celebrating the holiday at all.
Do be kind enough to give him a bit of room on your mantel at least. Then take the time to investigate why there is a Christ in Christmas
Tired of radio stations with no Christmas music or scripture readings from Luke and Isaiah? Try hopestreamradio.com. You won’t be disappointed! Merry Christmas to all! Brenda J Wood
https://abeautifullifeministry.org/2016/07/19/let-me-be-the-first/#more-10708
What ‘shoulds and expectations’ do we add to Christmas?
I salute you!
There is nothing I can give you which you have not; but there is much that while I cannot give, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant. Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy.
And so at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away. –Fra. Giovanni, A.D. 1513
Amen
Christmas is a difficult time for the grieving. Let them grieve in their own way, but let them know you are willing to help them with things like decorating or baking. Take them shopping. Invite them to your holiday functions. Volunteer together at a food bank, collect for a charity or help in a soup kitchen.
Do not tell them to ‘get over it.’ Be willing to sit with them when they cry. Let them talk about their loved one. Send cards or letters. Phone or text often.
Why? Just because you can represent the loving care of Christ to someone who needs it.
My eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you. (Psalm 88:9, NIV)
Prayer-Father, help us help others through their pain, for so often, you have done the same for us. In Christ, Amen.
What is happening to your diet right about now? And we are only a few days into holiday eating!
Have the sugar plums and chocolate buns eaten their way onto your thighs? It is not too late to salvage the season. Try these few changes (and give up second helping):
Of course these are all helpful, but most of all, do not give up your time with God, for he is your key to success in all areas, even fat.
Then he taught me, and he said to me,” Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. (Proverbs 4:4-5, NIV)
Prayer- Lord, thank you for reminding us that your word is full of answers, if we will but ask the questions! Amen.
Christmas is for celebrating the birth of Jesus. If you find yourself stuck in the kitchen and unable to enjoy the holiday, rethink the whole plan.
First, make a list of the parties you intend to hold. Now eliminate at least 50% of them.
Then, decide how many events can be downsized. You know, coffee and dessert instead of full turkey/stuffing dos.
Now plan simple menus for your main gatherings. Will potluck work for some of them?
This is not the time to try new recipes. Stick with tried and true favorites. Shop early for the items you need. Make sure you have storage space for them. Then all you have to do is enjoy the birth of the Christ Child. After all, Christmas is really all about the Baby Jesus, isn’t it!
A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life. (Proverbs 13:7, MSG)
Prayer- Dear Father God, help us be mindful of what really matters this season. Amen.
The shopper stopped and stared at the aisle of Christmas decorations. Then I heard her cry out “No! Not again!” And I listened while she repeated the same words, this time with a moan.
What horrors triggered this response? Was it over commitment, excessive expectations, a rude clerk or a charge card yet unpaid from the last Christmas? Nope. She saw the first Christmas decorations of the season.
It’s still early enough to make wise decisions about how we’ll celebrate Christmas this year.
If it is stressful, why not fix it? Let’s cut out the crazy. Simplify our plans. Figure out stress-less ways to save money and tame social schedules. Let’s take angel advice from the first Christmas and go right for the joy.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10, NIV)
Christmas? “No! Not again?” Yes, again…and again… and again, or at least until the Lord Jesus returns.
Prayer- Thank you, Lord, for giving us the common sense to celebrate what really counts–Jesus. Amen.
It’s Christmas time, but Cecile is surrounded by heat, dust, strangers, and death. If she’d accepted Colin’s proposal and stayed in Canada, she would be enjoying a “normal” Christmas. Instead, she’s stranded in the middle of the Kalahari Desert, serving as the lone nurse at a mission clinic, faced with medical emergencies she wasn’t trained to deal with. Little has changed despite months of hard work. Cecile has never been a quitter, but she’s tempted to just pack it in and return home. She wants her life to make a difference. Did she mistake God’s calling in her life?
By— Ruth L. Snyder, who was privileged to spend the first ten years of her life in southern Africa where her parents were missionaries. She now lives near Glendon, the pyrogy capital of Alberta, Canada with her husband Kendall and their five young children. Ruth enjoys reading, writing, teaching piano, photography, crafts, and travel. She is a member of The Christian PEN, The Word Guild, and InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship. Learn more about Ruth and her writing at http://ruthlsnyder.com.
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