Count Down To What? ~in His Love Advents
Today is December 1st and so many people are
working on Count Down to Christmas events! I thought about those days between Christmas
and the New Year. What do you do during that? What if you get all inspired to
live for Jesus, to celebrate Christmas, to join in with groups or families for
all kinds of baking and eating and singing and then, its all over.
I don’t know about
you, but I often feel a real let down on ‘Boxing Day”. I feel as if we
all ran up the hill and then dropped off the top of the cliff landing splat on
my back.
The plan is that this countdown will bring us gently to the
New Year. I hope!
So why not get started with a simple thought. What do you
think about as you begin the Merry Christmas month? Do you get all bogged down with what to buy,
or make or do? Or do you find peace rejoicing in the Lord?
I like to put on some worship or maybe Christmas music in
the mornings while I have my prayer and reading time. The following verses
always encourage me to think about the right things as I start off my first
days of December. Reminding ourselves of God’s love for us is a great way to
make it through a rough season, or even a tough day. Let’s face it people are
not always kind while they shop, they seem to take out all their pent-up frustrations
on the workers in stores or other people trying to serve them the best they
can. We can join the band wagon and get grumpy, or we can do what it says
below.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The
Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the
peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such
things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in
me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians
4:4-9
Why not start out with a good attitude each day by praying
for God to help us do these things, To rejoice, to be gentile to others, to not
allow ourselves to be anxious but when we do begin to feel those anxious
thoughts we can remember to fix our minds on the things we just read! We can remind
ourselves that there are going to be bad days, but good days are coming! Keep
your thoughts on the things that are true, praiseworthy and good. Then we will
receive that peace of God spoken of that keeps us from fretting and worrying. The
peace that tells us that God is with us, God is in control, and He will bring
us through it to the other side. I know
there are days when we don’t think we can go on or maybe we don’t want to give
God the glory. Those are the days we need to push through and just do it! Recite
the Words. Ask God to do the work in you.
May your days ahead be Merry and Bright,
In His
Love,
Teresa
Wilson