And then there Is Christmas
Here at the Barnes' Estate the house is not fully decorated, the Christmas letter has not been printed, the Christmas cards are still in the box (list though is made), the menu for Christmas Day has not been decided on, haven't made my list of gifts yet, and have yet to start shopping! And guess what?!...Christmas is 5 days away!
Last night, over the telephone, I shared with a close friend how frustrated I was because I was so off my game. Oh, after the way we have spent the last three years I am not so worried about the decorations or the menu (look at my family...we will eat no matter what!), or even the shopping...I can make it happen if I put my mind to it. What is really bothering me this year there is no reason to be so melancholy! Russell is working (not just 1 job but 2), my son just finished paramedic school and passed his national registry test, his wife is working and happy, and Amanda is happy and has her new best friend (her dog) Cooper. Since Thanksgiving Amanda has been at home with me excited about Christmas...joyful, but for me I have just felt stressed and down.
There have been some joyful moments...when we finished decorating the tree...I felt that old Christmas excitement but it seemed like Amanda and Russell had to spoon feed it to me. Then when we finished our projects for the staff at Shock Trauma ICU, MCG...again that joy welled up in me and I thought aha! here it is. But to my dismay the joy, the excitement, the awe drifted away and I feel lost...overwhelmed. Over and over this Christmas I have felt this way even though life for us is going well.
Then after talking with my good friend last night I was praying and the Lord spoke to me. He remind me of some things I already knew but had just lost sight of. What exactly are we celebrating in 5 short days?! CHRISTmas..."okay Lord, of course I am blessed and Satan doesn't want me to be joyous, peaceful, happy, and in awe of the miracle that we are celebrating". Of course, Satan knows what CHRISTmas is and I let down my guard and he was right there ready to steal my joy, my peace, my awe, and to put a wall up between me and my Lord! 1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
As I said earlier something, up to last night, was off. It wasn't the work or the organizing, the shopping, wrapping, or projects...it was the way I FELT. That should have been my first clue..."Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". A lot of us during the holidays fight a spiritual battle. Satan doesn't want God to get any glory and Satan also doesn't want any peace, hope, assurance for us. Satan just wants to kill and destroy! And he does that one tiny bite at a time...just nibbling away!
For all of you who are struggling just like I have been, could you have a spiritual battle going on? The good news is you have a redeemer that came on Christmas Day just for that battle! You don't have to fight it. That is the whole meaning of Christmas! That tiny baby we celebrate grew up to fight those spiritual battles for us and WIN! "Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." Talk to our Lord, tell him how you feel, let him that you need His strenght and power...that you want JOY this Christmas and lay it all at his feet. Our Saviour promises to be there for us and to redeem us we just need to come to him and ask. "Isaiah 49:9... to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.
So I have four days til Christmas filled with joy, peace, awe, and wonder to anticipate the coming of this tiny baby that brought the biggest gift in the history of mankind... A gift that gave 2000 years ago and keeps on giving last night, tonight, tomorrow, and for the rest of mankind. Don't let another moment be devoured...
Last night, over the telephone, I shared with a close friend how frustrated I was because I was so off my game. Oh, after the way we have spent the last three years I am not so worried about the decorations or the menu (look at my family...we will eat no matter what!), or even the shopping...I can make it happen if I put my mind to it. What is really bothering me this year there is no reason to be so melancholy! Russell is working (not just 1 job but 2), my son just finished paramedic school and passed his national registry test, his wife is working and happy, and Amanda is happy and has her new best friend (her dog) Cooper. Since Thanksgiving Amanda has been at home with me excited about Christmas...joyful, but for me I have just felt stressed and down.
There have been some joyful moments...when we finished decorating the tree...I felt that old Christmas excitement but it seemed like Amanda and Russell had to spoon feed it to me. Then when we finished our projects for the staff at Shock Trauma ICU, MCG...again that joy welled up in me and I thought aha! here it is. But to my dismay the joy, the excitement, the awe drifted away and I feel lost...overwhelmed. Over and over this Christmas I have felt this way even though life for us is going well.
Then after talking with my good friend last night I was praying and the Lord spoke to me. He remind me of some things I already knew but had just lost sight of. What exactly are we celebrating in 5 short days?! CHRISTmas..."okay Lord, of course I am blessed and Satan doesn't want me to be joyous, peaceful, happy, and in awe of the miracle that we are celebrating". Of course, Satan knows what CHRISTmas is and I let down my guard and he was right there ready to steal my joy, my peace, my awe, and to put a wall up between me and my Lord! 1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
As I said earlier something, up to last night, was off. It wasn't the work or the organizing, the shopping, wrapping, or projects...it was the way I FELT. That should have been my first clue..."Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". A lot of us during the holidays fight a spiritual battle. Satan doesn't want God to get any glory and Satan also doesn't want any peace, hope, assurance for us. Satan just wants to kill and destroy! And he does that one tiny bite at a time...just nibbling away!
For all of you who are struggling just like I have been, could you have a spiritual battle going on? The good news is you have a redeemer that came on Christmas Day just for that battle! You don't have to fight it. That is the whole meaning of Christmas! That tiny baby we celebrate grew up to fight those spiritual battles for us and WIN! "Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." Talk to our Lord, tell him how you feel, let him that you need His strenght and power...that you want JOY this Christmas and lay it all at his feet. Our Saviour promises to be there for us and to redeem us we just need to come to him and ask. "Isaiah 49:9... to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.
So I have four days til Christmas filled with joy, peace, awe, and wonder to anticipate the coming of this tiny baby that brought the biggest gift in the history of mankind... A gift that gave 2000 years ago and keeps on giving last night, tonight, tomorrow, and for the rest of mankind. Don't let another moment be devoured...
Merry, Merry Christmas to All!
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