BBD 11.30.06 Holiday Distractions
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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The Burning Bush Devotional
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11.30.06
Holiday Distractions
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness
be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. -
Philippians 4:4-7.
Where we live in western Oklahoma we are in the midst of a snowstorm and it
definitely looks like winter has arrived. Thanksgiving is over and Christmas
is ahead but you know that. I am into the holiday season and have arrived in
the writer block zone. Every year in December, I have trouble writing but it
has come earlier this year. It could be because there are many things that
are happening and many things that need to be taken care of. They are also
known as distractions - or as some have labeled them, "the tyranny of the
urgent."
Many are already sending Christmas cards and letters in addition to the
annual Christmas gift buying frenzy, which began with a bang last Friday
morning for many at midnight. Even in western Oklahoma, it was reported that
there was a crowd of 300 people at 5am at a Wal-Mart store to find the
advertised bargains. I stayed at home on Friday but did venture out on Cyber
Monday to buy a Christmas gift for Jeanie via the Internet. The gift has
already arrived!
There are so many distractions during this time of the year. We want to
spend time with our families and they want to spend time with us. For many
this involves traveling great distances and several days of time. There is
the preparation time for the family time and of course the buying of gifts.
Often there is also the necessity of the preparation of food for the holiday
meals. Along with all of that, there are the church events from nativity
reenactments to Christmas programs. There is also the hectic pace of school
activities where there is almost always a Christmas program of some kind and
basketball or other sports activities are going at a frenzied pace. For
those schools that have band programs or vocal programs there will very
likely be some special presentations during this time. It all makes for a
much busier pace of life for parents many of whom are working their regular
schedules and will have an office party or other extra events along the way
too.
I am sure there are many other things that could have been mentioned that
complicate our lives during this time of year. Life used to be simpler but
even Mary and Joseph had a few complications getting ready for the first
Christmas. They had to deal with the societal pressure of Mary being
pregnant out of wedlock. Mary had to make a tough decision to have the
promised child and she was ready to do whatever the Lord wanted. Joseph had
a tough decision to make but he did make it and made the right one. Then,
they were forced to make a difficult trip to during the very last of Mary's
pregnancy. After they arrived in Bethlehem, they had one more little
problem: there was no room in the inn. Jesus had to be born in the stables,
which many believe to have been just a crude cave.
I hope that you will not become distracted by the many events of the
Christmas season at least not too busy to remember to include God in your
daily lives. Let us rejoice during this time and remember the true meaning
of Christmas. There may very well be problems, distractions ahead for you.
They may rise up on the left and on the right. They may come at you head
on.but remember that the Lord can give you "the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding" to "guard your hearts and minds." God would
have you to rejoice in the midst of the Holiday distractions. As the apostle
Paul puts it, and he surely had his share of distractions, "Rejoice in the
Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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