Listen to this episode of the Focus With Marlene Podcast
“What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose,
for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
-Helen Keller
Christmas: a shining star – a break from the tedious schedules we find ourselves in.
But Christmas is more than a nice diversion – a blip on the radar screen of our hectic lives.
- For a moment in time, we escaped the drudgery, the pressures, anxiety, and uncertainties.
- For a moment in time, we celebrated with one another and shared gifts.
- For a moment in time, we humbly knelt before the Christ Child whose birthday we celebrate.
- For a moment in time, we laid down our heavy burdens of doubt and fear and unanswered questions.
And now Christmas is over for another year: the torn wrappings stuffed in bags ready for the garbage pickup, bows packed away to use again next year. Families have returned home, and we collapse in an easy chair, take a deep sigh and try to relax.
We are left with an afterglow of loving moments, age-old songs that brought joy to our hearts and rituals that filled our hearts with special remembrances.
An afterglow that brings hope into our hearts – that life doesn’t have to return to the way it was before – the same grind, same routines, same stresses. It is an afterglow that maintains the magical remembrance of those extra-ordinary Christmas moments.
As I pick up the gifts I was given – love, joy and peace – I find another one waiting for me; that final gift of Christmas: hope.
Hope: the glow that began at Christmas and extends beyond.
Hope
Hope takes those early tentacles of despair and hopelessness and reminds us there is a tomorrow and gives us the willpower to try one more time, or two or three or how many times it takes to reach our goals.
Hope faces the uncertainty of tomorrow and replaces it with an optimism that things will improve.
Hope allows us to stop running in circles, identify the problems we face and start looking for realistic, long term solutions.
Hope engages the spirit so we will put new plans of action in place.
Hope reminds us we are more than past efforts. We are the abilities not yet discovered or explored; the possibilities untried.
Hope reaches out and asks God to give us the strength and courage to go beyond defeat.
Perhaps, like me, you will be committed to take what we deeply enjoyed and cherished from this Christmas and apply it daily until it becomes a part of who we are.
Marlene Anderson
If you enjoyed this blog post, share with your friends.
Sign up today to receive the entire series: http://eepurl.com/baaiQ1
To Receive a Free Consultation for putting together a Personal Plan of Action for yourself, fill out the contact form beside this blog or send me an e-mail.
I am also available for speaking engagements, retreats or teaching workshops for your church, clubs or women’s groups on a variety of topics that affect our lives.