Can We Be Content Amidst Christmas Changes?

Can We Be Content Amidst Christmas Changes?

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein be content.”

Helen Keller

C hristmas may look different this year
H oping and praying for the best for you
A ngels surround you and your home
N o glory given but to Him, our Lord
G reater things He will do than you ever dreamed
E ternity will reveal things that were hidden here on earth.
S o be happy be blessed this Christmas season.

 

Let your complications and changes help you to be content this Christmas season.

 

C hrist’s birth should make us content

O nly in Him will we find relief; mentioning God’s goodness every day

N ot in people, places or things

T hanksgiving every day

E verlasting love is ours through Him, enduring hard times even with the chaos and complications of life

N ever alone or forsaken, never giving up

T reating people with kindness; there is always enough love to go around

 

Is your Christmas going to be complicated or contented? As with most things in life, the choice may lie within us. I think the word for today could be complications; families are complicated, some are hurting, sad, broken yet our Lord is Lord over the complications. This we will believe in our darkest night of the soul, in the most complicated issues, in the wildest storm, You Jesus Christ our God and Father are Lord over the complications. You know the beginning from the end, the Alpha and Omega, the beautiful pattern of tapestry. Why would we think we can go through life pain-free when you suffered ultimately? Though it doesn't make us feel good to go through things, we know we have fellowship with Your suffering. We will believe the report of the Lord today that this is the day that He has made and in that we can find some small thing to rejoice in.

 

Everyone reading this has the gift of life, everyone reading this is able to find someone to bless in some small way, if not a large way, everyone reading this can be thankful for something today. If we have lost family members thank the Lord for those we have left, if we are in pain in one part of our body, thank the Lord for the parts that don't hurt, if we don't have an abundance of provision thank the Lord for what we do have. It's a "give thanks" day if we think about the great gift given this season. Christmas is a time of gift giving as we think about the best, most precious gift of the Man, Jesus Christ our Lord, being given to us. What do you do if you don't really feel like you have a gift to give, a song to sing or a light to shine?  Pray for contentment amidst the changes, complications and chaos of life.

Merry Christmas from Donna Collins Tinsley 2017  

Praying for your family strong this day, to be in peace and contentment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK8xB1opuQ8

IT’S BEEN A LANDSLIDE AROUND HERE THIS YEAR!

IT’S BEEN A LANDSLIDE AROUND HERE THIS YEAR!

 

Recently I had about a two-month bout with sickness. I guess with not being able to do what I want lately, it makes me reflect on “changes” in life. One thing I see is life changes daily and if I can’t change with it, I’ll become inflexible. I may become something or a type of person I don’t want to become or someone that no one wants to be around.

I’ve had to change some things and some dreams and even give some up. What worked years ago, won’t work now. Even Christmas celebrations.

With my health and Bill’s chronic pain even getting the house decorated hasn’t happened yet. Bill works so hard and I keep thinking there is a better way for him, that something is going to change; he cannot continually do the physical work of his business. Something can change in a moment with Jesus. The Lord wants us to fulfill the destiny that Christ had in mind for for all of us before the foundation of the earth.  For this I pray.

Change comes. Change hurts, sometimes. Change must occur for help to come. A phrase I use a lot it seems is “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”  It’s recovery related and can mean, if you keep doing the same old things expecting different results, it’s not going to happen. Change is essential to life. And life as we know it, will never be the same, it seems. But it can be better in Jesus name.

Even old traditions like the Grandkid’s Gathering, or my pre-Christmas celebration with them is changing. Years ago, when they were little it consisted of a sleepover, and a few times, a Christmas Scavenger hunt where we collected food for the needy. I think those things were more for me, than them, but we can still look back and rekindle those good memories. When it’s all been said and done memories may be the only things that don’t change.

This year instead of a night gathering for the grandkids, we will do brunch, as Aubrey works at night. (Give her a holler at Olive Garden Daytona). I’m storming my brain for something fun and Christmas related to do besides eat. We can’t go look at Christmas lights, that’s for sure, unless they want to stay until the evening to do that and I’m cool with that.

Having been sick for about eight weeks now, I find I have to pace myself. Even a little outing may take the energy out of me for a day afterward. Right now, I’m breathing in scented Frankincense oil in a diffuser, (even anointed myself with it again as Shiloh did recently) running a Himalayan Salt lamp to clean the air and praying that the Lord will cleanse my system of any residual infection of  the pneumonia /bronchitis. And I’m listening to a song about changes.

 

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life~~~

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6IA4U09qQo

The title of the song is LANDSLIDE and maybe that’s another word for this year. I relate to the lyrics of building my life around my children but children do get older and so do old moms.  Lord, be my mirror in the sky and show me how to maneuver the seasons of my life. Give us a season of grace this year and although not picture perfect, a semblance of family. A family dreamed of with love and covered continually with prayer regardless.

A verse to pray and hold on to. I don't remember ever seeing this version of the verse: Matthew 19:26 MSG

 [26] Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."

Matthew 19:26 Amplified Bible (AMP)

 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”