The after Christmas blues....why does this happen?

Merry Christmas everyone!!! It's only a few days after the big day and some of you out there may be feeling the after Christmas blues.  I know, because I certainly have in past years.  I remember one year, and this was a long time ago, because I had not really heard from some of my family members, I hurt so bad I just wanted to run to a corner and cry.  Those were the days when Satan had a hold of me.  Yes he did and by God's grace he is never going to do that again.  See I used to listen to what thoughts Satan placed in my mind about how my family was jealous of me and that they didn't really care about me.  These were lies from the enemy, but after reading scripture and truly walking with the Holy Spirit,  I have learned that was not the case at all.  Yes, there may also be jealousy or bitterness on their part for something I said or did in my past, but I refuse to go backwards.  I want to live for the future and what God has in store for me.  Picking at old wounds only makes them bleed over and over again, and that is no way to live at all. Besides, we have been forgiven by Almighty God, if our own friends or family cannot forgive us, well then that certainly is not our problem.

People show love in other ways and not everyone is the same. I now pray for them and hope that the spirit of God will be in their hearts, and that they will experience the peace of God.  That is so important to me, having that peace means everything, because even when things are not good in a relationship, the spirit of God will comfort and keep you strong and the enemy will not get his way.  I will keep encouraging those I love, keep on loving them unconditionally and hope and pray that their lives will reflect the peace of God always.

Being truthful with yourself is so a very important, looking inside and figuring out what your motives are is what God wants us to do on a daily basis. To walk in love by showing God's love to others should be our main goal, not what we are going to get that day. It's taken me a long time to finally get that,  I realize that I will never please everyone, my only goal is to please God.  Then we have to remember that God's mercy and love is new each and every day.....which is what keeps me strong in my faith.

So, there are other things that bring on the Christmas blues, one is the cleaning up after all the festivities.  I had my family over for Christmas eve dinner and exchanging our gifts, it was so much fun.  But the mess afterwards at least in the kitchen, well was not fun at all.  My grand kids, bless their little hearts cleaned up the living room and put away all the wrappings, that was so nice and thoughtful of them.  I have been blessed with a wonderful family and I see God in each and every one of their hearts!

Then there are the blues you may feel when you did not receive what you truly wanted for Christmas.  Well I do not have any experience in this area, because since I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior,  I received that awesome gift of salvation, which is exactly what I needed, and that makes me not want anything else.   What an awesome gift it truly is, and it comes from loving and believing in Jesus Christ.  Each year it just keeps getting better and better and my love for him keeps growing.

I hope you are filled with joy because of what Jesus did for us, and not so much because of the gifts.  May your hearts be filled with the love of God for others and may 2015 be the best year ever in your finances, your relationships and in everything that God brings forth in your life.  God's grace be with you all, and a great big Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!!!

What does humility really mean?

Good question! Our Pastor in our church this past Sunday demonstrated the very act Jesus performed over two thousand years ago with his disciples, he washed the feet of three of our church leaders.  He washed the feet of an older very wise lady, of an African American gentlemen who does so much for our community, and a Hispanic gentleman who spreads the word of God to others like there was no tomorrow.  These three have given their lives to bring others to the Lord and our Pastor humbly washed their feet and prayed for them at the 9:00 service.  Wow this is humility at it's best!

I constantly ask God to humble me especially when I start to feel greed or bad feelings start to stir up in my spirit.  See lately my relationship with two of my sisters has been strained.  I don't understand their animosity towards me because I have always tried my best to show them love and respect and have shown them grace. But for some reason that grace does not find it's way back to me.  They are in my prayers constantly and what the Lord has shown me through this ordeal is humility.  He reminded me of James 4:10 "Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it".…bingo!! So, I got the message Lord, I am trying and with the help of the Holy Spirit I know I can overcome anything that comes my way.  Amen.  So I will love them from afar and will only want the best for them. Thank you Jesus for your word and how it helps me to be lifted when I am feeling sad or hurt.  You are my strength.

Now I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.  It's going to be a great year - a year closer to seeing our Lord and Savior - Blessings to you all.