Are you ready? Have you completed your list? Ready for Christmas morning?
I know whats going through your head....THE LIST! Your checking it off aren't you?
Tree
Cards
Cards
Ham
Lights up
Christmas Photo
Stockings
Stockings
Stocking Stuffers
Invatations
Hostess Gifts
Hostess Gifts
Yep yep yep the list goes on and you only have two more weeks.I don't know about you but money is VERY tight this year and just got tighter because I missed a week of work being sick. So the list just got shorter. Its actually been making me blue. I have new friends I want to buy gifts for. An amazing family to buy for. I wanted to decorate. Instead I am sick and missing work. Ba Hum Bug.
I look on the internet and see all the amazing decorations my friends are putting up. I read and hear about all the huge shopping trips. The electronics bought both for gifts and for themselves. The trips, the parties etc. The green friend envy was creeping in.
I've been doing a pretty good job feeling sorry for myself and getting my panties in a wad.
Then I had a thought....
....is that the most important list? What about the "list" of Advent weeks:
I work so hard to remind people that material things are not what its about, that I forgot myself.
I look on the internet and see all the amazing decorations my friends are putting up. I read and hear about all the huge shopping trips. The electronics bought both for gifts and for themselves. The trips, the parties etc. The green friend envy was creeping in.
I've been doing a pretty good job feeling sorry for myself and getting my panties in a wad.
Then I had a thought....
....is that the most important list? What about the "list" of Advent weeks:
Hope
Peace
Love
Joy
I honestly almost forgot this myself. Then while writing my blog about God and church being on the internet I was reminded of all of the above.
I think I'm back on track though. I mean I just listed it above didn't I , I have friends family, a home and faith. What more do I really need.
If I have doubt that God and real friends on the internet exists, my mail lady can help me remember they do. Christmas cards and DVD's arrive daily.
Real life friends?.....It took my GF a loooong time to tell me about every one at work asking about me and how they sent love.
My inbox is full of get wells.
We (Christians) may have "chose" December 25th as the date to celebrate Christ's Mass so we could steal pagan thunder. But I also like to think that God had a little to do with it....for a lot of the world it is in the darkest coldest bleakest time of year. What better time to celebrate Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy!!! (mmm maybe that's why ancient folks celebrated their holidays then too!)
Thank you to all who read my blog....if you to get down some times this time of year, remember your not alone. Remember to look to the star or the manager or which ever symbol gives you the hope you need to have peace , love and joy in your heart. Maybe your lucky like me and rarely feel this hopelessness (normally I don't) . Or hey maybe you never feel it...if so spread the good cheer!
Maybe the actions can be the same for both, help in a soup kitchen, write a few Christmas notes, if you can afford it get a toy or two for a group like toys for tots, make a little extra for dinner to night and take it to that older lady down the road that you know will have nothing more then a cold bowl of cereal for dinner. I think no matter if you are on the sad blue side, or the happy cheer side these will help.
I know my friendly discussions on facebook about faith and joy, and going to the mail box and getting a Christmas card, calls of concern about how I feel from Jamie's mom, Jamie getting home safe from work, along with all the well wishes from work friends have has helped mine. (Oh yeah and snuggles from TEDDY!!!)
LOVE< PEACE<JOY<HOPE to you my friends and thanks for sending it my way!!!
1 Corinthians 13:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I'm so very blessed to be loved.
Amen and Shalom
I'm so very blessed to be loved.
Amen and Shalom
3 comments:
It is in our human nature to want material things, especially this time of year. Everywhere you turn advertisements for merchants and vendors shove it down our throats. And we like flashy and beautiful decorations, a tradition we learned even in our mothers' womb (we probably felt her joy as she put up the Christmas tree). One cannot help but to get caught up in all the holiday hoopla.
Me and Joe went to Speedway in Lights and our admission was given to us free. "A random act of Kindness" and was asked if we could pay it forward. So we made a deal, me and Joe, would go to Kroger's and buy food boxes with the money we would have spent there. We drove thru the lights in the chilly truck and laughed and talked and reminisced about when we were kids and our fishing trips and our love and life together so far (will be together 4 years tomorrow). He made up a love poem in the truck and told it to me. We had a great time, spent no money and felt truly blessed. Simple togetherness with the one you love! What a better Christmas could there be than talking and learning and laughing with your best friend. That is, my freind, MY LIFE'S BLESSING-my Joe!
ANd you and Jamie are a blessing to me. You both are great gals and i enjoy our conversations and I am truly blessed to have friends like you!
I'm so glad you and Joe Claus had such a good evening!!! Yay for sweetie time! Random acts of kindness warm the heart and really do make us want to pay it forward. :)
WE love you too!
I have experienced having money and not having money and the person I am in when I am poor is a more wonderful person indeed. I am amazed how the important things in life are so easy to see during those times. It is much like setting on top of a mountain above the fog and seeing for miles. I don't know why it works that way for me, but it does. There is faith, hope, and joy, but the greatest of these indeed is love, for when you have that, all the others fall into place.
Post a Comment