upward & inward

…Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:12b-13 Merry Christmas! What do you want to accomplish this Christmas? Give the right gifts? Get the right gifts?   Just make it through the season? Here’s an idea! Let’s just be different this year.     How different?   Consider the quality of… Compassion.   Let’s open our eyes and ears to those struggling among us.   By helping in whatever way we can, we show… Kindness: putting others’ needs ahead of our own. Whether in listening more closely, smiling more often, or providing warm meals, kindness requires us to seek… Humility. There is so much of “self” in the world, “self-serve” has a whole new meaning! And, when we’re humble, we show… Gentleness: “Power under control”. Speaking words that lift up, not tear down. Taking actions carefully

Merry Christmas! For those uncomfortable with that greeting, maybe you prefer...   Happy Holidays! Either one works for me.   Why? When someone says “Merry Christmas”, it’s as if she says,   “I'm celebrating the birth of Christ! I hope that your celebration is merry!” When someone says “Happy Holidays”, it’s as if he says, “I'm celebrating the Holidays! I hope that your celebration is happy!” Essentially, I believe these phrases are one and the same. Why? What’s a holiday? It is a Holy-Day .   A Holy-Day is a Day set apart for Divine (that is, Godly) purposes. In these Holy Days, we celebrate the first arrival of the Christ – the Son of God. The plans for this arrival began at the very beginning.   After creating the world, God simply wanted to have a relationship with His creation: with you and with me – with the whole world.   He s till does. And although that plan was interrupted by the rebellion of those created in His image, Go