Merry Christmas! Christmas is a time to remember the greatest gift ever given: Jesus. He was given to us in the most fragile form, a baby. Helpless. Small. Weak.
Christmas is celebrated because it represents the birth of Jesus and even more so what His life would mean for all who believe in Him: More forgiveness, mercy and grace than any of us deserve; a love that is unfaltering and knows no end; and a life after death here on Earth! This is what Christmas represents to me and what I celebrate!
Yes, Christmas is a time of celebration but for myself and many people I know, Christmas can also be quite sad. Perhaps the sadenss is do to the breakdown of a relationship, or maybe it's the loss of a job, maybe it's fewer place settings at dinner because loved ones have passed on. I say to you my friends who are feeling helpless, small, and weak . . . You are special!!! You are loved! You are missed by someone! Where you are now, is Temporary!!!
As I've been reminded lately, every rough period we go through has lessons to teach us and one of those is how to appreciate the good! Not only will you learn to appreciate what you do have but you will also be able to help someone else through his or her tough times!
There were many times in 2010 that I thought I would not be able to get through this or that, it was all just too much, more than I could possibly live through. But I did live through it. I am still standing! And now looking back at this year, I have realized that even when things were at their darkest.... I was experiencing, I was learning, I was perservering, I was serving a greater purpose yet to come!!! The more people I listen tell their stories, try to encourage, even just smile at, that greater purpose becomes more and more clear to me!
If you're thinking to yourself, "She is all mushy because it's Christmas and she had a good day" well, yeah of course!!! But I challenge to you begin paying attention to when someone says to you "I miss you"! It's the one phrase that has put things into perspective for me. Perhaps it will do the same for you. For me "I miss you" means that in some way, shape, or form I have touched someone's life and he/she was better for having met me. Nice thought isn't it!? Now you try...Pay Attention...And when you hear it, File it away for safe keeping!
Christmas means so many different things to so many different people. To some people it means spending Christmas with Someone Special, usually a significant other. But what if that role if vacant? You can still spend Christmas with "Someone Special" . . .YOU!!!!!!! I spent my Christmas with "Someone Special"....me. I wasn't wrapped up in someone else, wondering if he was happy, did he like his gift, was he mad at me for something, was he ready to leave, and many other things that I have worried about in the past! It was a day appreciating everything I do have and not being sad over what I don't have. I believe that's called . . . Peace.
Only through the meaning of Christmas...could the helpless, small, and weak become a great gift to mankind. No One can ruin Christmas.
With love,
--IF
No comments:
Post a Comment