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Saturday, December 3, 2011

What Do I Give?

This question goes through my mind every year when my family draws names for our gift exchange. I am not very creative when it comes to gift giving. My practicality urges me to get something useful. Get something that person needs. It must be useful. These messages are part of my blueprint. Not that being practical isn’t beneficial. It does have its merits. Our blueprints can make it difficult to be flexible. I also realize that I am fighting the flesh. The flesh focuses on material things and resists spiritual things. I am becoming more aware of how the message of Jesus has been lost at Christmas. After all, Christmas decorations went on sale before Halloween in my area. I am not asking you to give up or change your holiday traditions and celebrations. I would ask you to shift more of your focus to the greatest gift of all. John 3:16 says that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son”. Let’s all try to give the gift that keeps on giving. The gift of love. Love continues to give forgiveness, mercy, grace, compassion, and acceptance. You don’t have to shop for it and you don’t have to stand in line to get it. It’s always available and as Corinthians 13:8 tells us “Love never fails”. Jesus won’t fail you. Read more about this by going to http://bit.ly/pBwc85 and read “Jesus the Gift of Relationship” in my archived articles.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Restin in the Lord

I didn’t blog last week during the week of Thanksgiving because the Sunday before Thanksgiving I had just returned from a parent camp in Wisconsin with Bryan Post. Catching up on four days of snail and e-mail and getting ready for the shortened week took all my energy and focus. I didn’t realize how emotionally and physically drained I was until the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I hadn’t slowed down and taken any time for myself. Even though Thanksgiving was a down day, it still involved travel and being away from my secure home base. I hadn’t taken the time to reflect and process my experience at the parent camp. Although always rewarding, parent camps are emotionally draining as I am challenged by my own issues being triggered. I am constantly telling parents to take care of themselves so they will be emotionally available for their children. I realize how hard this is. Sometimes it’s hard for me and I’m not raising several children with challenging behaviors.

I started this week out feeling refreshed and energized. On Monday I was able to accomplish a lot of tasks. My thinking was clear and I was able to focus and not be distracted by the interruptions that are always a part of my day. I am writing about this to simply re-enforce how important it is for all of us to take care of ourselves. Even Jesus took a break from the crowds to go rest. If it’s good for Jesus, then I believe it is good for us also. A significant part of me taking care of myself is maintaining and enhancing my spiritual connection. This connection is vital to all that I do. It leads, guides and directs me. In my “busyness” I had lost connection with the Lord. Make a commitment this December to give your self the gift of self care and resting in the Lord. To learn more about my testimony and integrating Biblical truths with Bryan Post’s Stress Model, go to http://bit.ly/oZ5uIO and get a copy of my CD “Spiritual Connection”.