|
|
|
Christmas Shopping 101: Strategies & Techniques
There are a variety of opportunities for holiday shoppers,
including stores, catalogs and the internet. If you're heading
out to the mall this year, have your shopping list ready. It's a
good idea to shop early in the season because, if you wait...
Fill Your Heart With Christmas
FILL YOUR HEART WITH CHRISTMAS
by
Karen A. Lech
It is nearly Christmas Day, December 9, 2005, to be precise.
That leaves us sixteen days until 'THE DAY". I don't know about
your family or your life situation, but at my house,...
Memory Foam: The Perfect Christmas Gift Idea For Your Sweetheart
Memory Foam is everywhere and it makes a perfect gift for anyone
you know. Your wife or significant other would be absolutely
tickled with any one of a wide range of gifts available in
memory foam.
Memory foam sleep masks make a...
The 12 Birds of Christmas
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is joyful for some people and stressful for others. If you begin to feel pressured by a need to give just the right gift or the perfect holiday meal, perhaps these commonsensical birds of Christmas will...
The Cheapest Christmas Ever!
Have you ever said "I wish we didn't have to spend so much money on Christmas?" or "I wish we could have Christmas without going into debt!" Well here is your answer - tell your family that next Christmas no one is allowed to buy a new, expensive...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
If Christmas is Rotten...
Once we are adults, we can point to some Christmases,
where we were deeply disappointed. Or we went off to
do our own thing, and now feel broken and ugly. Like
we don't deserve any pleasant surprises or gifts,
and this colours our attitude to the festivities. You
might not be looking forward to the fuss next week.
Echoing in my mind are thoughts that were expressed
at the funeral I attended today, and I believe they
apply right to this problem.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, the Bible talks of having
this precious treasure - this light and power that
shines within us - held in perishable containers. In
the older translations it compares us to broken clay
pots.
The first time this image really got to me, I pictured
it as a painting, which I still would like to paint
one day, of some much-used clay pots off in a dark
corner. They have cracks down the sides, and large
pieces chipped out, so one might think they're useless.
But wait, through those cracks and chipped out spots
are tumbling bright sparking diamonds and jewels! How
the light catches them against the dark, and forsaken
looking pots in the corner.
We - you and I are those clay pots. The hard times we
have been through have worn us down, and given us
permanent scars.
How do I get that treasure, you may ask. What is
it?
This treasure is Jesus Christ Himself. When we choose
to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, come to earth
on that very first Christmas, He abides in us and will
walk and talk with us, if we surrender our wills
completely to Him. Devote yourself to Him 100% and
be unashamed about letting Him shine through you. When
the hard things come upon you, defer to Christ's way
of handling the matter.
Like if, Christmas should be a rotten time for you
this next week. Stop yourself short and consider what
would be Jesus' totally opposite way of coping. Then
do that!
People will notice, though they may not grasp what's
going on. you probably won't either, until you've done
it some time and then look back....
Why look at that! There's bright and lovely treasure
showing through those cracks and flaws in you!
About the Author
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ruth Marlene Friesen, makes friends everywhere,
just like her alter ego, the heroine of her novel,
Ruthe's Secret Roses. Discover the secrets of
intentional friendship that transforms lives
at http://Ruthes-SecretRoses.com. Subscribe to
RoseBouquet to drink refreshing rose dew!
mailto:RoseBouquet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
[Article may be reprinted only with resource box].
|
|
|
|
|
|