Not Stressed at Christmas Anymore

by Pat Fisher
(Shreveport, La.)

I use to get stressed many years ago at Christmas. But claiming God's scriptures of
wisdom, peace, not worrying, He has changed
me.. I preplan, shop all through the year for
gifts, and do alot of baking Old Fashioned Fudge and homemade cookies for gifts, too...It is easy and I receive joy by seeing
their faces when eating the sweets. And since retiring and not
having the money to buy for all who I use
to buy for, I am blessed that I can afford to bake...
I give my love mainly about sharing
what Christmas is really about....Christ's birth.
I am making a birthday cake for Jesus and we are all going to celebrate His birth. Reading the story of His birth and
so forth. HE is Love. Christmas is about His loving us...
and showing others that without Christ, there is no hope, no peace, no joy, no love.
Praying that one might be saved through
sharing of Jesus' love. Letting my light shine always, so others
will see my joy in the Lord...
Our Christmas is not about money or gifts,
but Christ....Love......
Stress no more, by claiming God's scriptures.
He gave me much wisdom to never stress again.
Thank you Jesus.....and Happy Birthday..
Pat

Teach Kids to give,,,they will pass it on.

by Mrs. M. Qualls
(Ohio)

I have often wondered myself what else could we possibly do so that Christmas is really Christmas...this year we are planning to allow the children to spend their money on something someone else needs .. whether it be Samaritans Purse or something closer to our neighborhood. Let you kids know we have all of our basic needs met everyday.. yet others some even in our own town could use some basic items. Go to your local Salvation Army go to the Angel Tree,, just do something for someone else... that is the basis for Love....like Jesus said love one another...doing this not only brings contenment , but joy, peace, and happiness... all the words that describe Christmas itself. God Bless, Give it a try!

Choosing the Right Gifts

by Susan
(Sacramento, CA)

Our family recently eliminated unnecessary spending by choosing one person from the family, and making them our gift person for the season.

All during December we do special things for the person we've chosen. By the time the month is over, relationships are better and the money we've saved is amazing.

Gift Baskets Distribution

by Heather
(Detroit, MI)

My family and I always set aside time to work helping fill gift baskets for needy families. We see many families who come to pick up the baskets who drive cars that are barely running. Many times the kids have no gloves or winter coats.

Going home gives a whole new perspective about how blessed we are. My kids are much more appreciative.

Gearing up for the Holidays

by Denise Mistich
(Mt. Juliet, Tennessee)

Can you believe it? Here come those crazy holidays again. It seems that no sooner than we get over one holiday season, it is time to gear up for another one.

Moms are gearing up by putting toys on layaway, clipping coupons and recipes out of their favorite magazine, shopping for that holiday dress and practicing for the Christmas pageant at their church. They're already thinking about the money they will need to cover the expenses and the credit card bills that will follow.

Single ladies are gearing up by hoping they'll have a special someone to spend the holidays with. You know the drill, no matter what your status is, you are probably gearing up; if not physically, at least mentally.

Last year, after the big event was over, I had a week off from work to recuperate. This gave me a chance to sit back and ponder the countless conversations I had had with people, who were tired, stressed, depressed and angry throughout the holidays. Very few were happy and uplifted.

Most were looking forward to the end of the whole affair. Instead of hearing stories of happy times spent with family members, I heard stories of sickness, death and suicide.

Yet, every time someone asked me how my Christmas was, I responded the same: It was the best Christmas I've ever had. I enjoyed my holidays so much that I felt guilty telling all those sad, depressed people about it. What was the difference between them and me? I changed my gear!

Now, all of those sad and depressed people know that Christmas is Jesus' birthday and that we were SUPPOSED to be celebrating with Him in mind, but what they are missing is how to make the Christmas story become a reality in their lives.

One way to explain it is cookies. (From Gear to Cookies? Bear with me.) Not Gingerbread cookies or Christmas tree shaped, sugar cookies.

I am talking about those nasty little cookies that get deposited on my computer hard drive when I access the Internet. Those cookies are little pockets of data that get stored on my hard drive, whether I want them to or not, each time I go online. Their purpose is to lead me back, quickly to where I was last on line. If I don't clean them out frequently, they bog my system down so much that it doesn't function correctly.

In much the same way, every event in my life, every time I watch the news, hear a story or read a book, I get a cookie or a little pocket of data stored in my mind. If someone abuses me, I get a cookie. If I see something frightening on television, I get a cookie. If someone simply hurts my feelings, I get a cookie.

Much like my computer cookies, these mental cookies will quickly lead me back into the past if I let them. If I don't clean them out frequently, they will bog down my system so much, that it doesn't function correctly and before I know it, I'm stressed, sad, depressed and angry.

It's very easy to get rid of the cookies on my hard drive. But how do I get rid of the cookies in my mind?

Rom 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs, but be transformed (changed) by the entire renewal of your mind by its new ideals and its new attitude, so that you may prove for yourselves what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you. AMP

It is that simple. Those data pockets have got to go. They have got to be cleaned out and replaced by good, positive information. Reading and believing God's word is how I keep my mental hard drive clean and my attitude restored and fresh.

Now, on my computer, there is a button I can push, that will prevent those cookies from getting in. Can I do that with my mind? Absolutely, it's all in the gear!

Eph 6:13-17
13 Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day of danger, and, having done all the crisis demands, to stand firmly in your place.

14 Stand therefore hold your ground, having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,

15 And having shod your feet in preparation to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news of the Gospel of peace. Isa 52:7.

16 Lift up over all the covering shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
AMP

Gear up for the holidays this year, by changing your focus to Jesus; not just the nativity scene. Focus on how He filled His mind with God's word until it manifested in His life. Focus on how he took all the wrongs and hurts with Him to the cross.

Focus on the fact He forgave all; whether you did it or someone else did it to you. Then toss your cookies! Once those bad memories are gone, fill that space in your mental hard drive with God's word so that you can keep those cookies out. Once you have done that, you are all geared up and ready to go.


Comments:



by: SBrant
Outstanding Denise...

Praise God for his Word, and the your willingness to allow God, to do his Mighty work.



by: Janet Reeves
Great reading!!

Great reading and thought provoking. I felt calmness descend over me as I read this.

Thank you!!



by: Annette

Thanks be to God that I've never been much of a consumer of sweets! Despite that, I sure do collect a lot of cookies and sometimes could rival Nabisco, Keebler, and Famous Amos combined!

Such a wonderful analogy and so timely as the season is rapidly approaching.

Love the words and how you put them together.

Absolutely awesome!



by: Joyce Sexton
I know this will bring help to many. I pray that GOD will continue to use you in a mighty way.



by: Angela

Great analogies, Denise! I really enjoy your writing style. This will definitely stick in my mind as I prepare for this special time of the year!



by: thelma

Denise.....this couldn't have been said any better.




Thank you for the reminder....and I must get those cookies out of my computer, more importantly, the cookies out of my mind also.




Thank you and God bless,




Thelma