The Holidays bring a lot of mixed emotions for many of us. Most of us get to spend time with family and friends, while also missing our loved ones who have gone on before us. Some of us have to work, or live far away from our families. While others are worried about our loved ones that may be over seas. What ever the reason, and no matter who you are, we all have stuggles during the holiday season.
I love Christmas and everything thing that comes along with it. The busy bustle of the stores, the beautiful Christmas lights that light up the night, the white snow cover that makes everything look perfect, being able to be a kid again out side in the snow sledding and making snowmen, and so much more!
But I am no different, like you I have struggles. And sometimes I think that they seem to creep up on me the most during the holidays. I am surrounded by those that I love on a daily basis, yet I feel alone. And I often wonder why some of the things I want most in life have yet to happen to me. It is really easy to look around and see loving couples, and families that have everything together. And it is easier yet to throw yourself a little pitty party because you want what others have.
Sometimes I let myself have the sad little party, as do we all, but then I am reminded of how much I do have. I am reminded that I have the one and only thing that I really need in this life... a relationship with my creator! He knows all my stuggles, and he knows all the answers. I often have to remind myself that EVERY prayer is heard, and EVERY prayer is answered! The answer may not come when we want it, and it may not be the answer we are wanting (which is why I sometimes think He didn't answer it), but it never goes unanswered. If I spent as much time praying about my problems and hurts as I do talking or complaining about them, my life would be a different story.
The other thing that the holiday brings is resolutions! We all want to be a better person than we were last year. Most people keep up with their resolutions for a couple months, if that, and then they forget about it or it becomes to hard. I am doing something different this year! Instead of setting myself up for failure, I am setting myself up for a happier me.
I am going to pray that God would show me why he answered my prayers the way he did, and I am going to trust in the blessings that come out of that! I am going to work on listening to Gods voice and not just doing the talking. But most of all... I am going to have HUGE jar that I am going to put my blessings in. Everytime I see a blessing in my life, I am going to write it down on paper and stick it in the jar. That way when I want to have my pitty party, I will see the jar and how quickly the blessings add up when you look at the answer to prayers differently.
So I encourage you all to look at life differently during the hard times, and trust that God will send blessings in those times. Make that your new years resolution. I would love to hear of all the creative ways you use to see your many blessings, and I would love to hear about those blessings!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
