Yesterday morning our pastor mentioned that he had greeted some guests prior to the service. In their conversation he told them he hoped they were warm enough, to which they replied that they were from Minnesota. As a former resident of the frozen north, I can vouch for the fact that mid-30s is not cold to a Minnesotan! Remembering winters in Minnesota puts some perspective on what cold really is!
Last evening I had planned to bake a cake. I assembled all the ingredients. But there was a disaster in the kitchen, so no cake was baked. As I was pulling the mixer out from its corner, I knocked over the milk. My carefully measured buttermilk then went all over the counter and the floor and down in that narrow gap between the stove and the cabinets. The stove had to be pulled out of its place in order to clean up the mess. I confess that I did, in fact, cry over that spilled milk. I had quite a meltdown, truth be told, completely out of proportion to the situation. Thankfully, the light of day has given me better perspective, and no more meltdowns have ensued!
You may have been having a meltdown or two of your own during this holiday season. We get ourselves worked up over all sorts of things at this time of year. Cakes that don't get baked. Cookies that don't turn out right. Maybe you haven't done all the decorating you really wanted to do. Or you haven't done any at all. Maybe the neighbors have better decorations than yours and you're feeling a little envious. Maybe your calendar is too full, leaving not enough time to do what needs doing. Or to relax and spend time with your family. Or just to get enough rest.
Whatever your particular "issue" may be, we all have our issues. There are plenty of things in this holiday season that can rob us of our joy.
Maybe you're feeling some of that today. Maybe you aren't feeling much "Christmas spirit". Maybe you "need a little Christmas", as the song says. That may be true for all of us at one time or another.
What do we do when we need a little Christmas? When we find ourselves feeling stressed and pressured by what should be a joyful holiday, it's time to refocus. To find a quiet place alone and refocus our thinking. We just need to step back and take a deep breath. Or perhaps two. We just need to get some proper perspective on what this is all about anyway!
What do we do when we need a little Christmas? When we find ourselves feeling stressed and pressured by what should be a joyful holiday, it's time to refocus. To find a quiet place alone and refocus our thinking. We just need to step back and take a deep breath. Or perhaps two. We just need to get some proper perspective on what this is all about anyway!
Forget, at least for a while, the mistletoe and holly, the fruitcake and tinsel, the hustle-bustle, the cookie-baking-decorating-got-so-much-to-do. Forget, at least for a while, the things that are causing you financial stress or emotional stress or any other kind of stress. Set all that aside for a while. And remember.
- Remember why we are celebrating in the first place!
- Remember Who we are celebrating!
- Read the Christmas story from Luke's gospel.
- Listen to some Christmas music, particularly some carols about the Birth of the Christ Child. (Save the Jingle Bells for another time!)
- Reflect on all the reasons you have for joy and thanksgiving at this season of the year. Make a list!
- Talk to God about how you are feeling. If your Christmas spirit has gone missing, tell Him about it! Ask Him to help you get it back!
"And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger." (Luke 2:7 ESV)
No comments:
Post a Comment