Well, here we are in mid January. Many are starting off this new year with fasts of one sort or another. Many have chosen one of the 'Daniel' fasts, not eating meats or sweets, but focusing mostly on eating fruits, veggies, and drinking water only. My husband and I are definitely eating plenty of fruits and veggies in our fast, but we also allow beans, grains, some cheese products, fish, and some chicken. You may say, that's not a fast, my reply would be, "if you saw just how off track we had gotten lately, you would know that it is!" I have also swore off coffee...(uugghh!) Definitely NO fast food, candy, cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc. (I digress...) It is my understanding, through quite a bit of research, that sugar really has no nutritional quality anyway, no redeeming feature except for flavor. It's one of the culprits (along with fat,) that we blame for undesirable weight gain, which we know can lead to so many chronic health problems and diseases! A friend of mine once handed me a list of 132 reasons why not to eat sugar! (Go ahead, google it.)
I'm jussayin! We have found it to be SO addictive in different seasons of our lives, that we found ourselves having to apply principles from our old 12 step program (gratefully introduced to us, at least 25 yrs. ago, now) in order to break free from it! Don't think your addicted? Try not eating any sugary goodies for a month...even 2 weeks, then we'll talk! Actually, many will be quite distracted (to say the least) by not indulging after only 1 day! That was myself and my husband.
Anyway, back to the fast...for some reason fasting really helps people to draw closer to God and focus on much needed prayer issues. They begin to believe God, (with more focused faith) for the many 'breakthroughs' needed, not only in the lives of family, friends and church needs, but also to pray for the many needs facing our beloved country!
Take this last reason that I've mentioned. Think about it. If we don't stay healthy - we may not be around to voice our opinions, and vote for all the changes that we so desperately need, in all levels of our government today. Our diets can literally cause us to experience 'pre-mature death' or enable us to live longer, more effectual lives. Imagine, all of a sudden feeling 'the call' to serve your community, or even state government and the opportunity is right before you, funds, committee and everything! You stand for all the right things...but, would you're health, and 'physique' be up for the challenge? I just recently ran for Riverside School Board, and I have to admit, I sure wished that I had been able to lose a few pounds first! Trying to find just the right thing to wear (that's code for: something that fits!) to all those candidate forums can be down right disheartening...even exhausting!
Hey, I'm jussayin! Look at dear Ol' Newt, for instance. Brilliant and scrappy as he may be, (which is a good thing,) don't we all keep wondering when that one button on his suit coat will pop off? I agree with alot that Rick Santorum stands for, but some have said that he doesn't look 'Presidential.' Could it be all those sweater vests he insists on wearing? What is he trying to hide:) When it comes to the presidency in America, unfortunately everything can matter! Some people won't vote for a candidate, for silly reasons, and then vote for a dog-gone Marxist with a pretty smile, without blinking an eye! Most don't pay much attention to the truly important issues. It might take them away from watching the Simpsons, or America's Got Talent. Well, that's our electorate. Hopefully, we will all realize that this upcoming presidential election will be for the soul of America, as Mitt Romney stated so well. Yes, it's time for fasting and prayer, that's for sure.
(2 Chronicles 7:14.)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
A More Christ-Centered Christmas
For those of you who desire to celebrate Christmas, rather than just a 'happy holiday season' but who honestly have to admit that they struggle in creating a truly Christ-centered family experience, I can relate. This year, my mother in law was flat on her back, truly sick with what turned out to be pneumonia. She wasn't able to do any of her normal shopping and preparations. I, on the other hand, was, like most people, working everyday, then out shopping till I was dropping into my bed late at night, packing boxes to mail out here and there, wrapping gifts, and overwhelmed with all I had hoped to accomplish for those I love here at home. Though our experiences were so different, when our family all finally got together at my home on Christmas Eve to celebrate and exchange our gifts, we found that she and I had amazingly been 'receiving' pretty much the same message from the Lord concerning this 'time of year' that Christians have chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The Bible doesn't dictate that we celebrate it, but since it is truly a world changing event - according to Christian Doctrine: God sending his only son, coming in the flesh! The one 33 years later sent to offer himself up as the ransom necessary for all, from the punishment of sins - suffering and dying in their place! Literally born - to die! Sounds worthy of celebration to me! Anyway, too often we allow the high pressured commercialism of our culture to busy us so, and distract us from that which we truly want to have as our central focus. Not to say that our hearts are not ALWAYS in adoration of our God and Savior...but even though we had attended a special church service and having a pretty substantial Nativity Scene on my hutch, I'm just sayin'...it didn't seem like quite enough when we gathered on that night!
The basic message of comfort that my mother in law received as she lay in her bed, sick, frustrated and distraught, was, "Simplify, it's okay." This registered positively with her and with us, as a 'back to basics' Christmas is what she has longed for, for quite some time. I too, kept hearing, "Simplify, simplify." She bought a honey baked ham for both of her son's families, and left it at that, which we all appreciated very much. We all shared ideas about how 'simplifying' could 'happen' next year. Some thought we should give up gift giving (except for the children) entirely. My husband thought that picking one name out of a hat, and giving one $25.00 gift card could simplify things for everyone, we all agreed. (No one knows who chose their name until gift exchange time when they opened their cards that night.) For those in our family who were gathered that night, we could do this. Even if we drew names in June or July, and then put aside around $4.00 a month, all would be able to purchase one gift card to exchange, with ease. After all, Christmas shows us that God so loved the world that he GAVE. In exchanging some type of gift, we are following his love-language example to one another, and gift cards could ease up the pressures of shopping for that special gift for each. Most importantly though, we decided that our gift giving time will only be part of our event next year, not the central focus. Each year, someone will be responsible for helping us all, in some creative way, whether through song(s), a reading, possibly a skit, or a movie...any creative avenue that will help us to focus our hearts and attention on Christ, as a family. We are looking forward to this new 'central focus' for our Christmas gathering, next year.
My sister's family and ours gathered the Sunday before Christmas. The adults were not to buy gifts for one another, but we did agree to enjoy a 'white elephant' gift exchange this year. We all chose something, either from our house that we didn't need anymore, something useful, old, or even whacky! If new, it was to be very inexpensive. Each wrapped their gift and brought it with them, and placed it on a central table in the room we gathered in. Names were put in a bowl, and drawn by the two oldest guests. All watched as one was opened, drawing either, oohs, aahs, or laughs! The next one could take it from them, or choose one from the table. The gag gift recipient has vowed that, "it will return - next year!" (Google white elephant gift exchange for different ways that it can be played.) We had a great time! I couldn't help myself, however, I did have a small 'participation gift' for each who played, (Christmas dish towels for ladies, and two (very)small bottles of Crew body wash for guys.) My sister was ready for my usual breaking of the No Gift Giving Rule, and whipped out a $20.00 Kohl's gift card for me! It was all a lot of fun! Next year, since some are musically inclined in that group, I will be suggesting that we prepare ahead, some worshipful Christmas songs to play and sing to wrap up our time together, next year.
Would love to hear how you 'simplify' and give Christ his rightful place in your family's 'Christmas' event, and any other ideas that can be of help.
The basic message of comfort that my mother in law received as she lay in her bed, sick, frustrated and distraught, was, "Simplify, it's okay." This registered positively with her and with us, as a 'back to basics' Christmas is what she has longed for, for quite some time. I too, kept hearing, "Simplify, simplify." She bought a honey baked ham for both of her son's families, and left it at that, which we all appreciated very much. We all shared ideas about how 'simplifying' could 'happen' next year. Some thought we should give up gift giving (except for the children) entirely. My husband thought that picking one name out of a hat, and giving one $25.00 gift card could simplify things for everyone, we all agreed. (No one knows who chose their name until gift exchange time when they opened their cards that night.) For those in our family who were gathered that night, we could do this. Even if we drew names in June or July, and then put aside around $4.00 a month, all would be able to purchase one gift card to exchange, with ease. After all, Christmas shows us that God so loved the world that he GAVE. In exchanging some type of gift, we are following his love-language example to one another, and gift cards could ease up the pressures of shopping for that special gift for each. Most importantly though, we decided that our gift giving time will only be part of our event next year, not the central focus. Each year, someone will be responsible for helping us all, in some creative way, whether through song(s), a reading, possibly a skit, or a movie...any creative avenue that will help us to focus our hearts and attention on Christ, as a family. We are looking forward to this new 'central focus' for our Christmas gathering, next year.
My sister's family and ours gathered the Sunday before Christmas. The adults were not to buy gifts for one another, but we did agree to enjoy a 'white elephant' gift exchange this year. We all chose something, either from our house that we didn't need anymore, something useful, old, or even whacky! If new, it was to be very inexpensive. Each wrapped their gift and brought it with them, and placed it on a central table in the room we gathered in. Names were put in a bowl, and drawn by the two oldest guests. All watched as one was opened, drawing either, oohs, aahs, or laughs! The next one could take it from them, or choose one from the table. The gag gift recipient has vowed that, "it will return - next year!" (Google white elephant gift exchange for different ways that it can be played.) We had a great time! I couldn't help myself, however, I did have a small 'participation gift' for each who played, (Christmas dish towels for ladies, and two (very)small bottles of Crew body wash for guys.) My sister was ready for my usual breaking of the No Gift Giving Rule, and whipped out a $20.00 Kohl's gift card for me! It was all a lot of fun! Next year, since some are musically inclined in that group, I will be suggesting that we prepare ahead, some worshipful Christmas songs to play and sing to wrap up our time together, next year.
Would love to hear how you 'simplify' and give Christ his rightful place in your family's 'Christmas' event, and any other ideas that can be of help.
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