My Cup is Plenty Full - Thoughts in Hindsight

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

I can't imagine life without a faith and a relationship in a loving God. The day after Christmas I often find myself finally taking a breath and saying, "Ah, we made it through and enjoyed it and were blessed." And then I looked ahead at the calendar and thought, "Oh gosh, there's still New Year's."

A part of me is often slightly nervous facing any of the yearly holidays. So much has the potential of either going wrong or not going the way we planned it. Often my imagination creates ideals of how I would like my Christmas and New Years to be spent, and not to mention Valentines or Mother's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, or even weekends for that matter. It's no wonder that some of us turn into workaholics or even busy "Marthas", perhaps so we won't have to deal with the various traps that free time and holidays can put us in.

It certainly isn't God's plan that we are put under this much pressure on Christmas. In fact, God's plan is that we are surrounded and reminded of His ultimate love for us.

But the pressure comes more from us, doesn't it. Some pressures move us further away from His loving plans. The squeeze of the commercial side of Christmas. And the squeeze of the relational side of this and any holiday. And even the squeeze from our own expectations.

And it's not so much that we are under pressure either. As I reflect back at getting ready for Christmas, it does take a certain amount of risk to be in a position of giving and receiving. There are risks in relating with others and making sure we understand one another and others understand us. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we blow it. And then sometimes others blow it, and we end up suffering those consequences.

However the holidays unfolded, and I was sure to take the time to be thankful to God for all that was certain and all that was enjoyed. I made the best tasting lemonade with the lemons I was dealt throughout the year. Because God is bigger than any holiday or what we do to it. And nothing can take away or diminish the true goodness and blessing behind each holiday.

You'll find more thankful expressions at Lynn's...