Lights and decorations are starting to go up, invitations for thanksgiving dinners have been sent out or received, my 5 year old's Christmas wish list is almost complete. Menu planning is officially underway, and the schedule of events is getting denser as the days go by--and MAYBE there are a few family birthdays in the mix??
These are all happy wonderful things, right?
But did you know there's an actual name for a disorder caused by all these things. GAD is generalized anxiety disorder. It can be triggered by all the things I just mentioned in the first paragraph.
Maybe you've felt it, I know I've felt twinges of it.
So what's coming our way?
Thanksgiving: the act of giving thanks.
Christmas- remembering how God became man and began his human journey to become the ultimate sacrifice to pay for our sin and reconcile us to a right relationship with God once and for all. HOWEVER: it's turned mainly into a gift giving frenzy with an over hyped build up leading to "the day" that we open them.
I find it fascinating that Thanksgiving precedes Christmas. Partly because it makes so much sense, but partly because of how quickly we can easily forget all that stuff a few hours after the turkey is carved. So what are we missing in that transition that's making us so crazy?
Is it all the commercialism and hype? Well, men in our nation's history have tried to ban any joyful celebrations and cheerful decorations to keep things serious and focused on the "reason for the season," (no Christmas parties or pretty trees in the name of religion) and I can't see that any of those things made people better off-- it didn't last very long either.
Studies have shown that putting our minds in the right place can be life changing. Practicing a daily way of giving thanks can transform the way we view EVERYTHING. I call it keeping ourselves out of the "want swamp". You know what I'm talking about? Self-pity, constant comparison, complaining, and general discontent with life. Hey, I've even been there in the summer--Christmas isn't the only time tourists frequent the "want swamp."
Here's what I'm going to attempt this year:
I'm convinced that by keeping our eyes on what we want AFTER Christmas, we'll actually get what we need and want most throughout this special season.
There are SOO many opportunities for joy in any day. What we focus on grows, so I hope you find more and more things to be thankful for and fewer things to be weary of as each day ticks by until we reach a brand new DECADE together!
These are all happy wonderful things, right?
But did you know there's an actual name for a disorder caused by all these things. GAD is generalized anxiety disorder. It can be triggered by all the things I just mentioned in the first paragraph.
Maybe you've felt it, I know I've felt twinges of it.
What if there was a way to pass thought these last few weeks of the year and pop out into 2020 feeling refreshed and renewed?
Thanksgiving: the act of giving thanks.
Christmas- remembering how God became man and began his human journey to become the ultimate sacrifice to pay for our sin and reconcile us to a right relationship with God once and for all. HOWEVER: it's turned mainly into a gift giving frenzy with an over hyped build up leading to "the day" that we open them.
I find it fascinating that Thanksgiving precedes Christmas. Partly because it makes so much sense, but partly because of how quickly we can easily forget all that stuff a few hours after the turkey is carved. So what are we missing in that transition that's making us so crazy?
Is it all the commercialism and hype? Well, men in our nation's history have tried to ban any joyful celebrations and cheerful decorations to keep things serious and focused on the "reason for the season," (no Christmas parties or pretty trees in the name of religion) and I can't see that any of those things made people better off-- it didn't last very long either.
Studies have shown that putting our minds in the right place can be life changing. Practicing a daily way of giving thanks can transform the way we view EVERYTHING. I call it keeping ourselves out of the "want swamp". You know what I'm talking about? Self-pity, constant comparison, complaining, and general discontent with life. Hey, I've even been there in the summer--Christmas isn't the only time tourists frequent the "want swamp."
Here's what I'm going to attempt this year:
- Choosing activities that only facilitate refreshment and joy (could be through service with and for others, could be about seeing things through my kids eyes)
- Maintaining an intentional attitude of gratitude
I'm convinced that by keeping our eyes on what we want AFTER Christmas, we'll actually get what we need and want most throughout this special season.
There are SOO many opportunities for joy in any day. What we focus on grows, so I hope you find more and more things to be thankful for and fewer things to be weary of as each day ticks by until we reach a brand new DECADE together!
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