Have you stopped and looked around you? If you are one of the ones who haven’t lost anything to fire or flood, you’re in a good place. Look around and see if there isn’t someone you can help this holiday season.

We also need less:

Less shopping, less trying for perfection, less spending money, less baking if it takes away from enjoying the holiday – and for sure, less worrying about what others (including children) will think. This is the season of LOVE, not stress.

More of this:

which comes from spending time like this:

During Christmas season, everyone seems to be hurrying along, hustling and bustling with personal agendas – gifts to buy, songs to sing, cookies to bake, parties to go to, and church functions to attend. Lots of to-do lists and not enough just sit-and-be-quiet.

In the midst of all this rushing around, it is very easy to rush right past the REAL reason for the season, Jesus.

If this is the ONLY life we have here on earth, where are we rushing to and what are we rushing for? When are we going to stop and enjoy this life we have? When will we have time for what is really important? When do we sit still and enjoy the Peace of God? When will we spend time in His presence?

Often the one thing that we don’t have time for is spending time reading our Bibles. We don’t have enough time to just sit in His presence and soak in His peace. We don’t have enough time to tell God how much we appreciate our lives. Truth is, if we are too busy for time with God, we are too busy.

I double-dog dare you to STOP this evening, grab a cocoa or tea, or your favorite drink, sit still for a few minutes, somewhere quiet and without your electronics. Seriously – turn off Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, cell phones, e-readers, and anything else you have. It won’t kill you. Really.

Just savour the moment. Quietly. Then begin to think of all you are grateful for. From big to small, there are things to be grateful for. Then – just tell God how grateful you are.

Maybe you might keep a gratitude journal for the rest of this year going into 2019.  It’s a nice way to begin your new year, being grateful. It does all sorts of nice things inside you, as well.

BE GRATEFUL: STOP AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE!