Time to Breathe…
Yes, I’m giving you permission to breathe sans the harangue. Just this once, just this time of year.
Breathing is good. Cookies are good. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t taste so dagnab wonderful.
Faith is a blessing, but it needs nurturing. Feeding. “Miracle-Gro” for Christians should be a daily concept.
Grumbling at people because we stress ourselves out should be outlawed. Think stable. Manger. Baby. Child of the poor. If you doubt the magic, the miracle, the mindset, read Max Lucado’s The Crippled Lamb out loud to children. Watch the glory of the Lord shine through those trusting eyes.
Clear the clutter and the chaos. Find a quiet center. Pray. Decorate. Then pray some more. Pray for you, for me, for our children, for our country, for our world.
And then give thanks for the blessings of the season. Your chance to write, your ingrained talent, your breath of life, your family, your heart, your soul.
Eat some really good things and bless God for the opportunity. Diets are for January. Skinny people that are wet blankets about good food should not be invited to parties. End of discussion.
Leave comments on Seekerville, be part of the fun and warmth and grace surrounding this zany bunch of women and possibly win cool things like my upcoming delightful book, Winter's End... I'm going out on a limb and telling you right now it's got an "Awwww...." factor of 10 on a 1-to-10 scale.
Pray for supermodels. They’d be happier if they ate the occasional cheeseburger and fries. Really. I know this to be true.
Pray for babies. For those wanting to conceive, for those with babies on the way. What better time for baby prayers than at Christmas, the greatest gift of all, the gift of a child?
Bless your children, and your neighbor’s children with warmth. Humor. Smiles of understanding. Today’s smelly kid might just be tomorrow’s romance author.
Hey, you never know.
Richard Warren has a new book out, The Purpose of Christmas.
It looks wonderful. It gives permission to celebrate, to enjoy to spread the Good News. Why do we need permission to celebrate our God, our Savior, our lives???
Got me. But give yourself that permission. Talk nice, play nice, write when you can and treat all service people, cashiers, sales clerks and waitresses/waiters with gentleness and class. They deserve it, even if they’re having a bad day. Your warmth and generosity could be the gift that turns that day around, the pay it forward God blesses them with. Be brave. Do it.
And above all, have a blessed and wonderful holiday season. The gift of life, light and hope is yours. Cherish it.
Ruthy
