Joyfull Living

 It's almost Happy New Year! This week of the year always feels like a week held up in suspension.  It is the last week of the year, Christmas has past, and a new year will begin in a few days. This is a great week for reflection over the past year's accomplishments, memories, situations and/or crisis that were walked through. Pondering the good times, identifying things looking back we may have handled differently. We may have seen choices and consequences, striving and achievements, victories or simply living each day.  While the memories are fresh in our minds, we have new year of opportunity just within our reach. The freshness of the new year calls us to ponder what could be. What are new habits we would like to see in our lives, what opportunities do we want to embrace or what can we focus on to make a difference in our realm of life.  This is a perfect time to evaluate where we are going in life and if are we on the best track. What would it take to improve? What do we n

 When the ' Elf on a Shelf" became popular, my boys were too old to appreciate the fun having an elf appear in the home in a variety of places and poses! I still have "Elfie", but he stays in one place the entire Christmas season! A recent devotion I read talked about putting "Self on a Shelf" . There isn't anything wrong with having traditions and doing fun things, even things that necessarily don't have a spiritual aspect, but I don't want to spend so much time on trivial things at Christmas that I miss really showing the love of Jesus through my life.  Selfless living should be the focus of what Christmas is about for us as Christians. Not living for ourselves but for the Christ who came to be born, live, and die for us. Self shouldn't have any part in us as Christians. If we are really going to celebrate Jesus and why He came we are going to have to follow His example. He ministered. He served. He was humble. He put Self on a Shelf. We

  It is less than 10 days until Christmas and the excitement and activities are going full speed. Most of us are filled with anticipation and preparation of time with family, food and sweet fellowship.  This is also a year that we are probably are acquainted with or a part of families that are struggling with grief. The loss of a loved one is always painful, but the holidays seem to magnify the feeling of loss. There is a huge, gaping hole in hearts, homes and families. The traditions and events that can add so much joy and meaning to the season are punctuated with painful reminders of the person we love who is not here to share in it. Traditions will be different, there is an empty spot at the table and it becomes apparent, things will never be the same. For those who’ve recently lost someone they love, the holidays can seem more like something to survive than to enjoy. While those of us who surround grieving people can’t fix the pain of loss, we can bring comfort as we come alongside

 For many centuries, the Church has identified the beginning of the Christmas celebration with a time of reflection and expectation called Advent. The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival" and, when used in conjunction with Christmas, reminds us of the anticipation and expectation held over hundreds of years by the people of Israel for their Messiah and promised King. As we enter the Christmas season, there is an air of expectancy all around us. But it has transitioned from the traditional Advent - to one filled with expectancy of the things the season holds - the beauty of lights and sounds, time with family, gifts. Christmas is coming and we often get lost in the preparations and our expectations fades.  But Christmas is a magical time, there is a song in the air, if we allow it, the atmosphere changes. Christ has come into the world and we celebrate His birth!  Luke 1:78-79 " Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has vi