Spread some holiday cheer today and enjoy a smile and friendly greeting!
Savor the hugs and laughter and all the happy feelings of the meeting!
Settle in for a peaceful sleep, snuggle deep into your bed.
And drift off to dreamland tonight with sugar plums and sweet delights dancing in your head.
Merry Christmas Eve to all!
Praying blessings and joy come to call!
…for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Get ready to celebrate. Get ready to share some joy.
Even in the hardest moments, even in the deepest grief,
Someone needs your smile. Someone longs for your love, even if it’s brief.
No matter your tradition, no matter your religion,
Get ready to shower love. Get ready to share some cheer.
Even in the hustle and bustle, even in the busiest season,
Someone desires your embrace. Someone yearns to hear the true reason.
So, pour a glass of milk and set out the cookies.
Brew up the cocoa and drain a hot cup of Joe.
Share the purpose of peace and show them how to cope.
Share the story of Christmas and show them The Hope.
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. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
The holidays always bring with them interesting family dynamics and semantics.
For some, it’s just simply dealing with the edges of uncomfortable scenarios and conversations, but nothing real out of the way.
No harm. No foul.
For others, it’s complete removal from the dysfunction and toxic environment which accompanies family, celebrations and traditions.
Survival of the Fittest or Crabs in a Barrel.
For most, it can just be learning to navigate between the two extremes.
The Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Wherever you find yourself during your yearly festivities, strive to do better.
Better yet, don’t just strive to survive.
Learn to thrive!
Your thriving isn’t going to look like another’s.
So, do what you can do to succeed.
Their crazies aren’t yours, and yours aren’t theirs.
They don’t have to understand.
Happy Crazy Holidays.
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Psalm 92:12-15
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider thatthe longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they doalso the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know thisbeforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Too often, we work so hard to be kind to others that we forget to be kind to ourselves.
Sometimes, our focus is so laser set on what everyone else needs that shut our eyes to our own.
Frequently, we are so set to serve and fulfill everyone else’s wants, that we deny all of our desires.
Many times, we are so overly in tune with everyone else’s demands that we simply ignore as our body, our mind, or even our family is crying out to wake us from our oblivious yes.
Be good to you doesn’t mean you have to be selfish.
It doesn’t translate into having to be rude.
It doesn’t even suggest a response to be petty, mean and self-centered.
It only interprets and communicates:
“I am a person of value and worth just as much as you.”
Speak kindly to yourself. Balance it with truth.
Be honest with yourself. Balance it with compassion for all things broken.
Respond with the overwhelming grace that only He can bring.
Listen attentively.
Watch conscientiously.
React respectfully.
Both for you and for them.
And above all, let Christ rule and reign in your heart, in your mind, in your soul.
And let His will become yours.
Let His heart consume yours.
Let His eyes and ears become yours.
Let His voice speak through yours.
And only then, can your world become the peaceful paradise it was meant to be.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things arejust, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father beglory forever and ever. Amen.
Too often, we lie down in the muck and more of what life has given us, and we choose to wallow in it.
If you are going to be more than what is behind you and beyond what is around you, you must step up, step out, and make a new path for yourself.
No one said it was going to be easy.
In fact, there will be moments when you have to fight, and kick, and claw your way out of the mud and quicksand that threatens to overtake you.
But I promise you.
If you will struggle, you will advance.
If you will resist, you will move forward.
If you will fight, you will become.
As I heard a wise man say once, “If you won’t fight for it, you don’t deserve it.”
Brawl, grapple, wrestle, clash and attack.
Survive and then thrive.
It will be well worth it.
And your children and those who love you will thank you.
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Philippians 3:7-8
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
There’s an old song that says, “You can’t always get what you want,” and although I don’t necessarily want to promote the song or the singer, the statement holds some truth.
Scrolling through social media on Father’s Day weekend brings this truth to a glaring reality when you’re a daughter of a broken home and a not so idealistic parental relationship.
However, these are also the perfect moments for God to do what He does best. His Word says, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…” Psalm 68:5-6.
Throughout my life, He has brought incredible “fathers” to fill the void, and I am eternally grateful for them and for all He has done. ❤️
So, if you find yourself in a similar predicament, LOOK UP.
Your Heavenly Father loves you and is waiting for you.
And look horizontally, He will bring those father figures close when you need them. 💞
He heals thebrokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
I am a licensed psychologist based in Greece. My love for housekeeping has inspired me to create this blog about home management and family relationships. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!
Dedicated to movie nerdom, nostalgia, and escape. In the late 90s, I worked at Blockbuster Video where they let me take home two free movies a day. I caught up on the classics and reviewed theatrical releases for Denver 'burbs newspapers and magazines. Today, while raising two young, beautiful daughters with my amazing wife, I look forward to anything rated R and not Bluey. Comments and dialogue encouraged!
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