Finally A Stress Free Christmas

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." --Matthew 6:34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" --Matthew 25-27

This past year has been a year of multitude changes for my family. (Click here to read about the changes). For a time this fall I had stressed myself out worrying about our finances that I made myself sick!

I am so thankful that we have a heavenly Father who knows all our needs, our thoughts, our fears, our problems, our illness, our desires and our wants. We are to bring it all to our Father and He will give us rest for our weary souls, peace in a world of turmoil, hope when life seems hopeless, strength when we feel we cannot go on.

This Christmas season is the first stress free Christmas I have ever had! I do not worry that I did not bake homemade sugar cookies and other holiday treats for my family to snack on; for I am thankful that we have food and nourishment for each new day. I am not stressed over the fact that we do not have a big tree with lots of decorations inside and out; for I am thankful for the little table top tree and the few cherished decorations that are sentimental to us. I am not upset that we do not have a slew of gifts under the tree; I am thankful that God has provided for my family as a need came about.

As my family celebrates Christmas this year with my newly widowed mother, I am thankful that God has provided a way that we can live near my mom and other cherished family members in their twilight years. I may not be able to bring them presents as we visit them these next couple of weeks, but I can give them something they have not had in many years….my presence. Hummm, sounds like I finally realized what Christmas is all about!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" --Psalm 27:1

"The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." --Psalm 18:2

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." --Isaiah 40:31