While
grocery shopping this weekend, I saw a woman with four little girls.
The little girls were chatty and full of energy, yet the woman was quiet
and her face was full of frustration and fatigue. As I walked out of
the store, I saw her sitting and immediately said a prayer for her. I
wondered how many times I looked like that woman without being aware of
it - you never know who is watching you.
The holiday season is here and
there will be more than a few faces of frustration and fatigue. I refuse
to be one of them. The holidays are supposed to be full of
joy, peace, and love - at least that's what the greeting cards say! It's
so easy to get caught in the hype of shopping, grumbling, and having no
peace of mind. One good thing about getting caught in the hype is the
stress. The stress can be used to remind me to place my focus back on
the joyous reason for the season. The stress can remind me to check
myself, my spending, and event planning. The stress can remind me of
what's important. I will remember that I create my own stress. If I
become frustrated and fatigued, it's my fault. I don't want to be Santa
Claus making my list and checking it twice. I want to be like a child
full of joy and anticipation for the big celebration instead of being
full of anxiety and dreading the occasion. Yuck! It takes being
in tune to God's Spirit to create an atmosphere of joy, peace, and love
in the home - anytime of the year. The atmosphere in my home is a
reflection of God's peace in my heart. I want His peace not only during
the holiday season, but every day of the year. The hype will pass away,
but the joyous reason for the season lingers throughout the year.
