Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas means different things to each one of us.  For some it is a heartfelt reminder of someone or something we have lost, to others it is the joy that only Christmas can bring and still to others it is simply another day filled with the marketing pizzaz of corporate america ensuring we continue to work for things.

Where are you along this varied pendulum?

I imagine the place one finds themselves is largely based on their experiences surrounding the Christmas holiday season.  If you have fond experiences/memories of this time then most likely you continue to fill this way and vice-versa.  For the faith community Christmas holds a special meaning aside from all of this.  It is the time when the birth of Christ is celebrated.  Although it is widely debated whether (or not) Christ was born during this time frame, it is largely accepted that this is the time to celebrate such an event.

Within my family we cover the entire spectrum of emotions.  We do our best to not let our emotions lead and try to ensure that we take the time to re-connect with each other over a good meal and laugh.  The corporate machine does indeed reach into our wallets but we have done our best to minimize this focus and instead point our children/teens/young adults to the spirit of family and community.  This is not to say that family drama has not rained havoc on our holidays at times - for it has!

For the faith community (which we are apart of), this is the very point of Christ's birth - FORGIVENESS!  We have learned to forgive some things and are still working on others.  We are having some of the difficult conversations so we can unplug the dam of resentment and allow love to freely flow.  The holiday season can be a good time for difficult conversations due to many being in a relaxed/good mood.

How will you spend your Christmas?  Will you seek to forgive, remove resentment or simply trod along as usual?

Merry Christmas to ALL!

Blessings,
-d

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Why am I so Angry?

Anger is a normal emotion when hurt, but the root of bitterness is a different beast all together.  It moves in and begins to callous your heart over so that the joy(s) you once felt are no longer, instead all you can focus on is the hurt, anger, disgust, etc... Many say they forgive only to leave the mold of resentment left to grow in that dark moist place called hurt.  The longer you stay in this place, the more the resentment grows until you are no longer the person you once were.

Hebrews 12:15 tells us that Bitterness not only troubles us but creeps out and begins to corrupt others.You become closed off to any true joy and instead live life on a very short leash believing that someone lies ahead waiting to crush your innards again.  Yes, you may run into someone who causes you pain again, but what about all of those you interact with who have no intentions of causing you pain. This is true for those of us who are still in a relationship with the person who caused our initial trauma. I have mentioned many times that we often need to place healthy boundaries around some of our relationships.

A healthy boundary is not cutting the entire world off (except your children). This is an extreme that only succeeds in causing you more pain because the wound can never heal. Step one is to recognize & admit you are harboring resentment.  This just may be the reason for your anger.

Life has much to offer, including the trials that help us grow, will you remove resentment, go out and begin to enjoy the gift of life?

Ephesians 4:31-32 - 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Blessings,
-d