Watching images of “Black Friday” and listening to people around me, it’s hard not to wonder if people take “Deck the Halls” to literally as they push and shove and grimace.
We had wrapped up watching one of many versions of Scrooge and I couldn’t help but wonder, “Notice how many people tend to turn into one and not with money, but with emotions and time”.
Being weird as I am, I turned to reading “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens instead and and love this thought shared by Mr. Dickens,“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour.”
If ever there is a time we can use to share the “Good News” the most effectively, is this time of season of love and joy and words of hope and peace, yet it seems so easy to get caught up in everything else but that.
Phillipians 2:14 (NKJV) implores us to,”Do all things without complaining and disputing….“, but as we elbow each other in the stores and share how we really don’t look forward to spending time with family or friends.
Are we shining our lights in the world or are we just blaring our car lights and honking our horns sending the message, “Look out and get out of the way or you’ll be run over”?
Maybe I’m looking at the world through “Mary Colored- glasses” as others put on their “Martha Colored glasses” while trying not to run over poor Mr.Smith in aisle 10, but it just seems that the holidays have lost their cheerfulness in lieu for competitiveness.
We compete against each other.
We compete against time and as if we are in a race against the sun to beat it before it sets again on another day, but through it all, it’s hard not to want to put up a yield sign in the middle of the busyness and say out loud to everyone, “Slow down, relax, enjoy…really..it’s not a race”.
Is it really important that we decorate our homes in such a way that puts Martha Stewart to shame, buy that outrageously priced gift and through it all, roar at everyone like hungry lions?
“Relax………..”
“….that you may become blameless and harmless,children of God……”
I mostly write this as I observe loved ones and others around me complain and say that “…they don’t have time”, “…they’re too busy”, “…can’t enjoy”, and yet this is “supposed” to be the happiest time of the year.
I just find it funny as the holidays get closer, the stress seems to go up and the less goodwill there seems to be.
In the end, how do we not hurt ourselves more by assigning busyness in lieu of priority.
We sit restless while on vacation and complain we are bored and then when we work, we complain we need vacation and can’t wait for the holidays, but when the holidays come, then complain we can’t wait for the holidays to be over and so the cycle continues….
Maybe it’s time, this holiday, any day, to put an end to the complaining and remember our Father’s urging to “Do all things without complaining and disputing….” and enjoy the blessings that He has to offer at any time.
He is not a box that open and closes at one time of the year or on a set day or time, but every day and every time, and if all we had was Jesus and nothing else, can we find contentment and enjoy Him for Him without the trappings of the season?
Be like the shepherds that night in Bethlehem :
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
All the more when we walk about this holiday season, work to resist the urge to growl and instead embrace the urge ,”…..And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!””.
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says:
it’s so hard not to be wrapped up in Christmas commercially even when we don’t want to. I fight it every year.
This is such a great reminder V!
amydeanne(Quote) (Reply)
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That Philippians verse is so special to me (hence the “name” GlowinGirl). I seek to share a shine with others, and it’s amazing how far a joyful spirit will go . . . it goes against the grain of the grumbling we all too often hear (although I can be guilty of that as well). But there is so much for which to give thanks, and in so doing, we can shine!!
GlowinGirl(Quote) (Reply)
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This is a timely post, as the holiday rush is well underway. We need to remember who and what the season is all about! In that, we can find true peace.
Whidbey Woman(Quote) (Reply)
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Very true!!! There’s no need to complain. It’s not worth it!!!
Toia(Quote) (Reply)
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