Take a Day to Unwrap Your Gifts

 

“The sabbath was made for people…” –Mark 2:27

When our four kids were little and I was a stay-at-home mom, I needed to make Sundays different from the rest of the week. Otherwise, the week would feel like one long continuous day, without a break. So, Sunday was the day for church, an easy supper, and no laundry. Church: I set aside one hour a week to formally thank God for everyone and everything we have. Supper: The family God gave me needed to be fed, and on Sundays I kept it simple. Laundry: This never-ending chore could be done the other days of the week. Making Sundays different helped me feel a bit rested come Monday morning.

What does this verse in Mark’s gospel mean, ‘the sabbath was made for people’? Look at it this way: What would happen if you didn’t insist your toddler take a nap or go to bed at night? Is it cruel to demand that he stop playing and go to sleep? No; you know that the child needs to rest to have the energy to run and play when he’s awake.

God designated the sabbath as a day of rest for our benefit. We slow down to relax, talk, listen, and laugh with each other, and thank God for gifting us with each other. Also, He wasn’t talking about neglecting the people around us (see Mark 3:4). For example, there’s much work inherent with raising children that could be called Love in Action: tasks like feeding them, reading to them, hiking and playing with them, and teaching them. If you love to cook and it doesn’t feel like work to you, then this could be the day the whole family shares in the creative fun of preparing dinner together. And if your employer requires you to go to work on Sunday (or Saturday if that’s your sabbath), and not showing up would cause you to lose the job that allows you to provide for your family, then you may designate a different day as your sabbath. 

There’s more to it than not working, too. It’s acknowledging that God created all people and all of nature. It’s ‘taking church outside’ by making space in our hearts for the people around us and seeing the wonders of the natural world as exactly that – wonders.  

The point is to set aside time to rest, recharge, and refresh our bodies, our minds, and our spirits so as to strengthen our relationships with each other and with our Lord. 

It’s taking one day a week to unwrap and see as new the countless gifts God has given us, and thanking Him for all of them.

“Lord, thank You for insisting we take time to rest.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

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p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

You Don't Have to Have all the Answers

“I delight to do Your will.”  –Psalm 40:9

There’s something about hanging up the January calendar that offers us a bit of tranquility, along with hope and anticipation. The rows of empty squares are a welcome sight after the holidays: the hustle and bustle are over and we settle back into familiar, comfortable routines. Also, you may be looking forward to discovering what the new year holds; you may look inside yourself and contemplate what you’d like the months ahead to look like. 

Even if you’re content with life on the outside – your job, home, and leisure activities – there’s something deep inside of you that wants to BE more (see the reflection I wrote last week). You know from past experience that you feel most fulfilled when you give of yourself, and you’re looking for some direction as to what that could look like in the coming year. No matter your work or state in life, you have a deep desire to feel that you’re contributing to the good of your world. You’re longing for peace.

 “Be still, and know that I am God.” –Psalm 46:10

Christ is goodness, love, generosity, patience, and kindness. Take some time each day to be quiet, and trust our Lord to guide you. Take each day, each moment, as it comes, and choose whatever it is that is most loving, generous, patient, and kind in that moment. Each step will bring you closer to the Peace you’re longing for. 

Keep in mind that you don’t have to see the end of the tunnel before you take the first step. You don’t have to have all the answers before starting. You don’t have to have everything in your own life figured out and straightened out before you can give to others. Just take the next loving step. 

Remember that Mary and Joseph didn’t have all the answers when baby Jesus was born. Even they had to take life one moment at a time. Jesus grew up like any other boy, learning from His parents how to get along with others, learning a trade, and learning about God. They trusted that God would guide them, one day and one step at a time, toward Him and His plan for their lives – to teach us how to find fulfillment and peace by serving others… 

…one moment at a time.

“Lord, help me choose what is most loving, one step at a time.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Focus on Being Instead of Doing

 

“...we shall be like Him…” –1 John 3:2

Early January is as good a time as any to make a new year’s resolution. Many resolutions revolve around making some kind of change in what we do. Exercising, quitting smoking, picking up a hobby, and spending less money are a few common goals people set for the coming year.

While those goals may be healthy and valuable, how about trying a different approach?  Make a resolution that focuses more on your interior and less on your exterior. Strive to be more rather than to do more. 

We know that we were created in God’s image. If we want to ‘be more like God’ – and God is Love – then we want to be more loving. 

What does this look like?

“Love is patient and kind. It’s not jealous, it doesn't brag, it’s not arrogant, it’s not rude, it doesn’t seek its own interests, it’s not quick-tempered, it doesn’t brood over injury, it doesn’t rejoice over wrongdoing…”  (See 1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

Choose one virtue to cultivate this year. Choose the one that struck a chord with you when you read this verse from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. This will give you a starting point.

Do you want to be more kind, considerate, generous, and helpful? Do you want to be less arrogant and less self-centered? Do you want to be a better listener and break the rude habit of interrupting when someone is speaking? Making a deliberate decision to grow in a particular virtue will help you be more mindful of your actions.

Also, be sure to encourage yourself. Look in the mirror and smile! See a patient person, a kind person, an even-tempered person. It’s amazing how much we believe what we tell ourselves, and we act according to what we believe. So, remind yourself often that you’re becoming a more loving person, and let Christ fill you with His joy and His peace over this. Your desire to become more like Him is something to celebrate!

Be mindful of your goal and over time the virtue you wanted to cultivate will become a greater part of who you are. Then, at the end of the year, you will be able to look back and see that, yes, you have grown. You are more like Him: you’re more loving, more joyful, and more peaceful. 

What a wonderful way to be through the year.

“Lord, shine Your light on how I may be more like You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome!

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

P.s.  We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:  https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Christmas Is Just the Beginning

 

 “The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”  –Luke 2:10

For most children, Christmas is all about the presents. Specifically, it’s about getting presents.

As we mature our perspective changes. We still enjoy receiving gifts; we appreciate the thoughtfulness behind them even more. We know, too, that a gift isn’t always something. It could be a favor done, a visit, or an experience shared. Also, accepting a gift of any sort from someone is a gift to that person.

Above all, when we’ve outgrown our childish self-centeredness, we feel great joy and excitement in the giving of gifts. We love to see another person’s eyes light up when they unwrap something we’ve chosen for them. 

“But wait,” a child might say. “You don’t get anything from giving! You spent your time, your energy, and your own money on those presents. How can giving something away make you happy?”

We would answer, ‘we feel that way because God created us that way.’ Christ came to earth as a helpless baby Who was dependent on the love of others to care for Him. When He grew up, He taught us His humble Way of Love so that, by imitating Him, we could find true joy. 

In other words, the day Jesus was born was just the beginning.

What Christ teaches us – what God-With-Us teaches us – is that when we give more, we receive more. We learn that loving others with humility – by giving away our gifts, talents, time, energy, and finances – allows us to experience His joy and His peace. These go deeper than the superficial happiness we feel when we take everything for ourselves. 

The notion that giving will bring us joy goes against what most of modern society tells us. We hear from the rest of the world that getting a new anything will make us happy, that being successful means having more, that getting what we want shows we’re important and powerful, and that all those things will fulfill us. However, we know from painful experience that all of that only makes us want more, and none of it brings us the true Joy and Peace we’re seeking.

Reject the empty promises of our society and, instead, carry the lessons of Christmas with you through the coming year: Give more than you take. Go out of your way to lend a hand, and do so gladly. Offer before being asked. Open your heart and your wallet to those who can’t pay you back. Consider what others need more than what you want. 

Let Christmas be your starting point. Remember, it is in giving that you receive. Give of yourself and make room in your heart to receive the joy and peace that the world cannot give. 

“Lord, You created me for love. Help me to give every day, not just on Christmas Day.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Different and Wonderful

 

“How can this be?” – Luke 1:34

They say that stress is caused when reality doesn’t line up with our expectations.

The loss of a loved one, an illness, any other hardship, or even the weather might be affecting your preparations and plans for Christmas this year. Maybe this Christmas feels different; it’s different from how you imagined it, and you don’t like it. You want the hurt to go away, you want to feel better, and you want things to go back to ‘normal.’

Mary was making plans to start her life with Joseph when the angel Gabriel came to her and everything changed. Giving her fiat to Gabriel meant letting go of her own plans and trusting God and His love for her. The reality of what her future held was different from what her expectations had been. She had to trust that God’s plan was still going to let them experience His love, joy, and peace.

God’s plan for you is to experience His love, joy, and peace, too.

“’For I know well the plans I have in mind for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for your welfare and not for woe, to give you a future of hope.’” –Jeremiah 29:11

What does this look like?

Christ shows His love for you in the kindness and comforting words of the people around you. If you didn’t get around to your usual baking, His joy will reach you when you appreciate simple Christmas chocolates or store-bought cookies. Whether they’re humble or elaborate, you can experience His joy through decorations, gifts exchanged, and meals shared. His peace will touch your heart when you cherish the time together with your loved ones, even if you’re missing someone.

Letting go of our expectations and adjusting our thinking to embrace what we have frees us to find Christ’s peace and even His joy in the new circumstances. This Christmas can be different and still be wonderful.

Jesus was born in a humble stall, shared with smelly animals. He slept in a manger – a food trough. No plush hotel, no clean medical facility, no crib with a soft mattress. He wanted to show us that none of those externals matter. What matters is that Christ is here with you and His love never changes.

Let go of your external expectations. Welcome Christ – welcome Love – into your heart. His Love is all around you.

Merry Christmas!

“Lord, let me seek out Your love, joy, and peace this Christmas.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome!

 Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

 

Let Peace Find You

 

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  --Romans 1:7

This persistent respiratory infection has slowed me down quite a bit. You’d think that would’ve put me in a tizzy – who has time to be sick in December?? But I don’t have the energy for a tizzy and so, odd as it may seem, this slowdown has been a blessing.

Our Christmas tree still isn’t up but I know we’ll get to it eventually. In the meantime, the other decorations around the house are making me smile. I appreciate online shopping like never before! On the few occasions when I have gone shopping, I’ve had to go at an unhurried pace and in small blocks of time. This isn’t COVID but I keep a safe distance and wear a mask to keep my germs to myself. Instead of thinking of ALL I have yet to do, I try to focus on the ‘now’ and thank God for the one person I’m shopping for in that moment. Yes, I’m sad that I might miss some festivities in the next week or so; I can’t deny that. I also can’t dwell on it. Instead, I’m taking care of myself and thanking God for what I can do. Overall, I feel a great sense of appreciation and peace. What a blessing.

When we slow down, act mindfully, and thank God for His gifts and people around us, we invite His peace to settle over us. We let His peace find us.

Try this: As Christmas gets closer, especially this last weekend before Christmas Eve, resist the urge to get caught up in the frenzy that seems to infect most of us and spread like a nasty virus. Before you pull out of your driveway, pray a short prayer; keep it simple, like, “Lord, keep me kind and patient.” When you’re out shopping, slow your walking and breathing as you make your way through the store. Then – and this is the fun part -- see how many people you can make smile. Make it a game and keep count! When standing in line, remember that no one likes to wait and everyone else has other things to do, too. So, instead of joining the others who are sighing and impatiently shifting packages around, catch someone’s eye and smile. Practice friendly small talk. A little effort on your part could create a minor epidemic of joy and peace to the other shoppers.

Yes, you have much to do; it won’t get done any quicker if you’re grumbling the whole time.

So, slow down and let peace find you. You just might spread it to others – and even get them to smile back.

 “Lord, bless me with Your peace as I prepare for Christmas.”

 

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

 

Even With Illness, We Wait With Hope

 

 “See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” –James 5:7-8

 

“Not again….”

I thought by now we’d have the Christmas tree up and decorated and at least some of the gifts purchased and wrapped. Instead, my husband and I have spent the past week or two battling a severe respiratory infection.

I’ve had this kind of virus many times before, in various degrees of severity. This time, I’ve felt it spiritually as well as physically. I felt discouragement set in when I looked at the calendar and saw how close we are to Christmas and all the festivities that go with it. I’m also keenly aware that many others are battling greater illnesses and struggles than I am, and I feel compassion for them. And while I didn’t feel festive or energetic, I made myself put out some of the Christmas decorations, even if it took a couple days instead of a couple hours. Doing so lifted my spirits.

A farmer plants, waits, and looks forward to the day when the sprouts poke through the soil. His waiting could be described as ‘confident hope,’ the kind of hope that knows for certain that what was promised will come to pass. We adopt this same sentiment of anticipation during these weeks of Advent, and we can remind ourselves of it when we’re feeling flat spiritually. We remind ourselves that Christmas means God-with-us, and so our preparations for Christmas are both active and contemplative. He’s with us whether we feel His presence or not. He’s with us whether we’re able to put up decorations or just manage to take care of His gift of ourselves as we wait for the illness or struggle to pass. He’s with us when we’re the ones in a position to care for someone else. He’s with us when we plant seeds of love through our words and actions, and even when we don’t see the fruits of our labors. We trust that He’s working ‘underground’ to bring forth growth from our efforts. And we’re hopeful that our imitating Christ will make us more like Him.

While we acknowledge the difficulties of today, we remind ourselves that God never changes, even when our health, moods, and circumstances do. We look ahead and do whatever it is we can manage, one day at a time, to prepare for Christmas. In this way, we wait patiently with confident hope.

“Lord, help me not get discouraged by life’s challenges. Help me keep my focus on You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...