UPHILL DOWNHILL

UPHILL DOWNHILL

There are times in your life when things are just not going as great as you would want it to be. The worst of such moments can be one involving your relationships with people. Perhaps you are going through divorce or just heading into one or you may have just come out of it. Perhaps you are or have been a victim of domestic violence, been in abusive relationships or just escaping from one. If that is your situation, I fully empathize with you. And pray that God will send you His healing oils this Christmas.

Worst of all Christmas is supposed to be a great, happy, joyous, beautiful even a romantic period for people but not everybody experiences it like that. It has become a moment when so many marriages/relationships come under strain. A time when the pressure to perform, buy presents for family and friends increases your stress threshold and get your husband/partner wishing he never met you at all. If care is not taken, the very event-CHRISTMAS which was given to us as a blessing can by our collective ignorance become the very tool for trapping us or for wounding our relationships.

With the desire to match up with the Jones' many of us enter in debt, create more debt and increased credit card bills. Some of us will/has even spent the rent money, gas bill money and water bill money on Christmas presents which nobody appreciates or responds to with the passion with which we went about conquering Mount Everest to get them. So the question is who is ruining who? Who is giving you, your spouse, marriage or relationship all these pressure darling? Yes, tell me who?

Could it be that you are so willing to self thrill that you are the one getting excited all by yourself and so willing to wreck your finances and relationships over being able to get this once a year thrill? Or is it society and family who has compelled you to self destruct? Which ever choice it is, I am offering you a way out this Christmas.

Listen, this year you don't have to wreck your finances! You don't have to please Jack, Jackie, Sandra or the Jones'! No!

You don't have to buy them anything for them to appreciate you at all. And if they are that kind of partners, sisters, brothers, children and church folks that must see you come to ruin just to make them feel good, then get away from them now! Run as far and as fast as you can and go looking for other people who value you and will value you for who you are, presents or no presents.

In my lifetime I have received so many Christmas presents which I wish the giver didn't even bother at all. First of all, it is hardly what I wanted or needed. Second of all I cannot feel the love or sense the genuine caring spirit behind the gifts. I sometimes don't even want to open them at all. No! I am not a party pooper at all but true love should not seek to see you hurt, come to harm over your bills just to be pleased by you. No darling, this Christmas, I suggest you save your money!

Okay, I know some of you are sweating by now. But honestly, did Jesus' come so that you will become bankrupt. The gift sharing tradition came off the back of the generosity of the three Magi who blessed Jesus. They didn't use the credit card or go bankrupt over it. It was the loving spirit, holy admiration and caring spirit with which they came and gave that touched the heart of God.

So what are you really after this Christmas Season my beloved? What is your true heart desire or motive this year? Are you doing this to feel good about you? Are you fussing to cook this Christmas dinner so that you can feel good about yourself or is it better to just let the other people go do their own thing and not feel guilty or be forced to come to your house for 'The Christmas Dinner' as usual?

It may come as a surprise to you that other people would also love for you to just come to their house you know? Christmas dinner can be tasty too when shared or cooked by others apart from you. [I don't mean to sound so harsh...] But I need you to consider it for a moment. Is this Christmas about you?

Are you harming anyone this Christmas with your strong planning, fussy temperament, pushy, pressurizing, forceful catering style or is everyone around you really enjoying themselves at all, especially your grown up kids or your husband for that matter?

Maybe people just wanna just sit and talk and not feel they MUST come over to you and be with so many family members from the entire clan. Are your husbands, spouses, friends or children really happy this Christmas or are you just ignoring their loneliness, tiredness and frustration?

There are more lonely people surrounded by family, friends and a lot of church folks this Christmas as with every Christmas but is anybody you love one of them? Are you sure darling? Have you looked deep enough, asked well enough, searched close enough? Perhaps they are not all as happy as you think they are? Hmmm...food for thought.

So, this Christmas I am setting you a challenge, in fact I DARE you to!

1.Let somebody else cook that BIG dinner you alone have won the trophy for in your family year after year since creation.
2.Let people just give you simple cards, no gift at all but tell them to write you a letter each from deep within their soul and spirit & tell you how they are in life and what you mean or not mean to them.
3.I am encouraging you to go out with your whole passe this Christmas to spend time in the hospital, at the hospices with those who are hurting, trapped at home due to sickness or who certainly may never live to see another Christmas. Oh yes, there are plenty of those people in your community.
4.Make a list of people who you don't normally see, care about. then go out and see them. Of course you can make more list of different things to do also. These are merely suggestions.

There is no doubt, that if Jesus were here, alive in our world today, on His birthday that is where you will find him, with the broken, homeless, broken, lonely, helpless and suffering. The BIG QUESTION is, where would He find you?

Merry Christmas & A Happy thoughtful New Year!
©JSSHopewell/Senior Executive Editor
JSS Hopewell, is also a Minister of the Spirit Filled Fellowship Worldwide, overseeing pastors & members from various nations around the globe.

GREETING CARDS FOR PRECIOUS WOMEN !