Greetings My Friend,
The statement going around is about the holidays are not that exciting for everyone, for some the pain of all the loved ones that are no longer here is very painful, for me I have started to allow the birth of Baby Jesus bring me comfort as I focus on the reason for His coming into our sin filled world. I don't stay at the manger anymore at Christmas, I tend to take myself through His life, death and resurrection finding comfort in the resurrection. Junior and I came to our marriage traumatized with the getting ready for Christmas, the yearly fights and we have not really wanted to do the work of putting all the things away afterwards. For many years I put out a manger, today I have a snow globe with the manger scene, crosses with the manger scene and I have crosses throughout the house. These are my reminders that I am Jesus', He is who I live for and I feel His presence with me all year long. He is the reason I wake up in the morning to try one more day, He is there with me in the middle of the night when sleep evades me and the nightmares of the past attempt to flare. Junior and I will attend Christmas Eve services at church, will spend time with Debbie and Boogie and I can count on Brenda and her son stopping over for a bit as well. I find great comfort in not having to stop by my son's house and finding that he has invited his father by while Junior and I are there. I don't have to worry about my ex following me around trying to be my best friend, telling me all about his family (which my son has already told me). For this reason I am grateful that I am not around my family at this time of the year. It hurts, but I have learned it is what it is. Being with people who love me for me, even for my warts feels wonderful. With my Parkinson's I can go as much as my body will let me and then relax as my body needs to relax. God has been teaching me to take care of my needs and in so doing I am able to do much more than if I kept trying to push myself beyond my limitations. Come the day after Christmas I will be able to resume my routines and not have to have 3 days to recoup as I have needed in the recent past. My prayer is that I will wake up Christmas morning, take time to do my daily time in the Word of God, to spend time thanking Jesus for the gift of His life, death and resurrection for my life. For me this is the true meaning of Christmas and Easter for me I can't have one without the other. When I keep my focus on Jesus instead of all of the hoopla I find the peace of Christmas in my heart and that peace is not portrayed in all the cards, commercials and the glitter. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet
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