Christmas Is Just the Beginning

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By some standards, Christmas is over. The radio stations have gone back to playing their usual selections. Stores are putting out Valentine’s Day merchandise, and kids are settling down to play with their new toys from Santa.

For Christians, though, Christmas Day is just the beginning. The celebration of Christmas is our reminder of Whose we are, Whose example we claim to imitate, and Who gives us the power to imitate Him. 

These reminders spur us out of our complacency. Now is not the time to go back to our old way of doing things, as the radio stations have done. Rather, now is the time for us to examine how closely we’ve been following our Lord and His example. Now is the time to set fire to our lukewarm faith and let it propel us toward Him and everything He lovingly commands us to do. It’s time to abandon any practices or habits we’ve slid into that have pulled us away from the people we love. It’s time to start giving more of ourselves to those in need in specific, measurable ways. It’s time to take concrete steps to strengthen our relationship with our Lord, through prayer and the sacraments, so that we may become even more like Him in the new year. We know that doing these things will bring us the happiness we’re craving.

Listen to what our Lord may be saying to you today:

I want you close to Me. I’m with you. Do you notice?

It doesn’t matter what others are doing. What are you doing?

It doesn’t matter what your past looks like. You can still start again today.

Step toward Me. Look for Me. 

Look for Me smiling at you when you first look outside in the morning.

See Me trying to get your attention with the unexpected surprises you encounter in nature.

My blessings are all around you. Do you notice them?

Is today just like any other day or are you looking for Me?

Are you willing to give up something that’s precious to you so that I can replace it with something better?

Are you willing to empty your hands and heart of those things you’re attached to that have wedged their way between you and Me? Do you even see the distance between us?

I want you close to Me. I want to show you all the joy that living in My love can bring you. That’s why I came to earth: to show you a better way – the way that will give you the joy and peace you’re so desperately seeking.

Christmas Day was just the beginning. Let’s use today to start anew by giving more of our time, our resources, and our very selves to our Lord.

“The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep His commandments. Whoever says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar.”  –1 John 2:3-4

“Lord, show me the way toward 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!

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P.S.

Pray for peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Let Joy Fill Your Heart This Christmas

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There’s a joke that makes the rounds this time of year: “Yay! It’s December! Oh, wait… I’m a musician.” The weeks leading up to Christmas are busy for us musicians, full of opportunities to share our talents with others at all kinds of events. Performing Christmas music for others and seeing their broad smiles and shining eyes brings us great joy!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” – Luke 2:10-11

How do we experience this ‘great joy’ today? Listen to what Christ might be saying to you:

I came to earth to show you what Love looks like. I love you! You are precious to Me! Keep that thought new in your heart; don’t ever let it become ‘old news.’ 

I was born in a dirty, smelly stall. I made that place holy by being present in it. There are parts of your life that are messy and smelly; I know this and still I love you. Let that penetrate your mind and sink down into your heart. Spend time with Me and you’ll see that because I live in you, I want to make you holy – more like Me – even with those smelly areas, just like I made the stable holy by being there. 

Let Me soften your heart and fill it with joy. Let Me help you carry that burden. Let Me show you all your goodness – that flicker of light inside you that is your most loving potential. Allow Me to stoke those glowing embers in your heart and you’ll experience My joy and peace like never before.

Share what you have – your possessions, your talents, your time, your very self – and you will see that giving away what you have, what is most precious to you, makes room in your heart for more of My love. Every time you share your gifts with the people around you, you bless them and you become more like Me. Do this, and you will experience joy no matter what circumstances you’re facing.

Christ is with us, now, 2,000 years after the angels announced His birth. Let’s remember that every time we give of ourselves to others, even with music, we become more like Him. 

That, indeed, is something to be joyful about.

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth… May the sea roar and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. May the rivers clap their hands, may the mountains sing together for joy.” – Psalm 98:4, 7-8

“Lord, let me celebrate with joy that You are with me, this Christmas and always.”

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

Please share this with your friends. 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.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace in Ukraine, in the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Make Peace Happen

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They say, “If you want something to happen, make it happen.” So often we hope, wish, or pray for something in particular without taking action to make it happen. Sometimes we put all the responsibility on God: “If it’s God’s will...” We sit back and wait for the right time or the right opportunity and then wonder why nothing is happening.

Between the internet, the library, and our favorite book stores, we have many resources available to us if we want to learn how to do just about anything. Learn how to knit, stick to a budget, or play the harmonica? There are books and YouTube videos that will show us how to get started. Strengthen our body or our relationships? There are resources for that, too. If we want to accomplish anything, we have to put in the effort to make it happen.  

The same is true of our spiritual life. Are we using these weeks of Advent to recognize God’s peaceful presence with us and to share His peace with our world, or are we simply scrambling to get things checked off our list? 

Yes, there is much to do. Don’t let the to-do list smother the peace our Lord came to bring. Don’t let the to-do’s wreck the love you’re trying so hard to express through gifts. Sit quietly for a few moments and ask our Lord to guide you. What gifts can you give that are both simple and meaningful? Is there someone who could help you with the shopping, baking, meal prep, or wrapping? 

Don’t wish for peace these last days before Christmas; make peace happen. 

Pray for the person you’re shopping or baking for. Thank God for them and ask Him to pour His blessings upon them in a tangible way.

Slow down and notice the people around you. Greet cashiers and other shoppers with a smile and “Merry Christmas!” Make it a game and keep count of how many return the greeting!

When you do your tasks God’s way – with peace in your heart and love as your goal – you’ll bring joy to both your preparations and your celebrations. 

So, stay mindful of Christ’s presence with you as you shop, bake, and wrap. Share His peace with others and, in the process, you’ll bring joy to yourself and the world around you. Your final days of Advent will be holy and not simply a race to the finish line.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” –Matthew 11:30

“Lord, help me share Your peace as I prepare for Christmas.”

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.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace in Ukraine, in the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Loving Holiday Greetings

Happy St. Nicholas Day! Did you know December 6 is a holiday?

Saint Nicholas is how Santa Claus got started. Nicholas (c. 270-343) was orphaned at a young age. Taking Jesus’ words to “sell what you have and give to the poor” to heart, he used his entire inheritance to help the needy. In some European countries, St. Nicholas Day is the day kids get excited about; it’s when their gifts arrive. Christmas is a holy day. So, if someone wishes you a Happy St. Nicholas Day, whether you celebrate it or not, feel free to cheerfully return the greeting!

Years ago, I worked with a woman who I thought might be Jewish because of her name and facial features. When writing out Christmas cards, I found a cute one with snowmen on it (I love snowmen!) and wrote ‘Happy Holidays’ in my greeting. A short time after that she told me they were Christians. I expressed my surprise and told her why I didn’t write ‘Merry Christmas’ in the card. We both laughed and no offense was taken. Hanukkah begins at sundown on Thursday, December 7 – so if someone wishes you a Happy Hanukkah, whether you celebrate it or not, feel free to cheerfully return the greeting!

In October while walking down our street I saw a large family gathered on their front lawn to take pictures, dressed in vibrant colors with turbans and scarfs on their heads and the red ‘bindi’ dot on their foreheads. I asked if they wanted me to take a group picture for them. One gentleman happily handed me his phone. I took a few pictures of their smiling faces and then asked him what the occasion was. He said it was a Hindu holiday where they ask for blessings upon their family. I smiled and said, ‘Have a nice holiday!’ He thanked me and I continued walking. A few blocks down another family was doing the same thing, so again I offered to take their picture. They kept saying, “Thank you!” As I handed the phone back I said, “Have a nice holiday!” and reflexively one of them answered, “You, too!” We all laughed, and then I continued on my walk, happy and grateful for those chance encounters.

Christ was born to show us that God loves all people. For many, Christian or not, Christmas is a special holiday to celebrate with family and friends and express their love with gifts. If you want the world to know about Christ and the true meaning behind Christmas, start by loving all people. Listen to them; find out what’s important to them. Show them through your actions that they’re worthy of your time. Wish them ‘Merry Christmas’ if you celebrate it. If you’re doubtful they celebrate it, wish them ‘Happy Holidays.’ Above all, greet them – and treat them – with love. 

“Here I am, Lord. I come to do Your will.” – Psalm 40:8,9

“Lord, may my actions show Your love to everyone.”

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.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

The Smiling Rainbow

Photo credit: Elizabeth Marino

We stood together on an overlook in the Bedford Reservation last Saturday morning, the clear blue skies and bright sunshine adding a gorgeous backdrop to the scenery. I was holding my 4-year-old granddaughter when she leaned back, looked straight up at the sky, and shouted, “A rainbow!” We all looked up and saw a small patch of color in the distinctive ROYGBV pattern. We all started shouting, “A rainbow! Without rain!” “Look, it’s getting bigger!” “Look! It’s upside down! It looks like a smile!” “Look, there’s another straight one coming off of it!” “Now it’s a double rainbow!” “IT’S NOT RAINING! How is there a rainbow without rain??” My daughters whipped out their phones to take pictures, as did my son-in-law even while he held the baby. Over the next several minutes we watched the rainbow grow bigger and brighter as the picture-taking and exclamations of wonder continued. We then noticed a few hikers approaching the overlook; when we called out to them, “Look! There’s a rainbow!” they just stared at us as if they were trying to figure out the punch line to our joke. Then they looked up and saw this smiling bow for themselves.

Later that day, we saw four woodpeckers flying together and landing on trees near each other in the woods. This also was a treat, as we couldn’t remember ever seeing that many woodpeckers in the same place.

It was difficult to write off these unusual occurrences as mere flukes of nature. Instead, we thanked God for sending us these gifts from heaven, for finding yet another way to let us know that He’s with us, right here and right now.

We never know when our Lord will make His presence known to us, do we? When we hear any reference to our Lord’s coming we assume it’s talking about the end of the world. Maybe sometimes that’s the case, but that’s not the only meaning behind the phrase. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray, ‘Thy kingdom come… on earth as it is in heaven.’ We pray for His kingdom to be brought to earth now, don’t we? And if we ask for it, why wouldn’t it happen? Why wouldn’t He find ways to come to us now? 

And when we encounter Him in these mysterious ways, how do we respond?

He might show Himself to us as a confused teenager. When we patiently listen to her, we bring His kingdom to earth.

He might come to us as an aloof coworker, who could be dealing with a difficult situation we know nothing about. When we’re friendly to him, we bring His kingdom to earth.

And, of course, He just might show Himself to us through His wonders of nature – including a smiling rainbow – to remind us that He’s with us, here and now. 

“Keep watch, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” – Matthew 24:42

“Lord, help me keep my eyes open for Your presence here with me.”

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.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Whether you’re at home, traveling, or working this Thanksgiving Day, I hope you experience many moments that put a smile in your heart. As you celebrate the holiday, may you feel contentment and gratitude for all of God’s creation and those priceless gifts we call family and friends. If you’re grieving or struggling, if ‘celebrate’ is the last thing you feel like doing, may you sense our Lord speaking His love to irreplaceable you through people who wrap you in their love and appreciation today and in the days ahead. 

This Thanksgiving Day, may you notice many things to be grateful for:

Thankful that you can stay in the comfort of your own home, or thankful for the time and means to travel.

Thankful for work to do, and thankful for the people who will benefit from your work.

Thankful for good health, or thankful for those who care for you while you recuperate.

Thankful for struggles that have brought out an inner strength you didn’t know you had, and thankful for the individuals who helped you get through those trying times.

Thankful for all the people our Lord has blessed you with.

Above all, thankful for God’s unconditional and ever-present love. God is Love; whether you’re aware of it or not, this Love is always with you to guide you, strengthen you, give you hope, and bring you joy.

May you have a spirit of gratitude that is deeper and richer than a mental ‘attitude of gratitude.’

I’m thankful for all of you who read my reflections, pass them on to others, or give me feedback on what I’ve written. God gets all the credit: I thank Him for giving me the ideas and the words to write. If something I’ve written touches your heart, it makes me happy to know that I’ve conveyed the message clearly.

May this special day of giving thanks remind us all of God’s goodness and fill us with joy. Happy Thanksgiving!

“In all circumstances, give thanks…”  – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Thank You, Lord, for the countless blessings You have given to me.”

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.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Let Christ Join You This Thanksgiving

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I thought I had another week! Somehow that ‘one week between now and Thanksgiving’ is upon us! So, the preparations have begun; for you, too, I presume. If you’re hosting dinner, you’re probably going to spend the next several days cleaning, shopping, decorating, baking, and figuring out how everyone will fit around the dinner table. 

Maybe you feel both excited and anxious when you think about how many people will be gathered. Maybe you also feel a bit tense about one person in particular who tends to be difficult.

Try this: In addition to planning for the usual guests, make room for Christ at your table, too, figuratively speaking. Make room for Christ in your heart, literally speaking. How?

Imagine our Lord saying to you:

I know you mean well. I know the gratitude that’s in your heart for all I have given you. I see that. I see how you want the day to be relaxing and happy, with everyone sharing a day of love together. You want them to know how much you love them, and how much I love them.

Put away your expectations of how the day should go and invite Me in to be present with you. Picture Me standing next to you, and listen to what I whisper in your ear. The loving and insightful thoughts that come to you come from Me. Let Me guide you and your day will contain more love and peace for you than it has in the past. 

I know you’re dreading part of the holiday. I know you have difficulty with that one person. Guess what? She’s having a rough time. It has nothing to do with you. Let Me handle the situation. You were created in Love, in My image, and so was she.

Let My love speak to your heart. Let My love flow from your lips and bring peace to your difficult relationship. This isn’t magic, and years of estrangement won’t evaporate in a day. But I promise you, if you listen to Me and offer My loving words, the tension between you will be lessened. I can’t promise that the other will respond in kind to your attempts. I gave each of you free will. But I do promise that if you offer words of love to the other, you will find more peace in your heart than if you continued as you always have: with fear and dread.

I created both of you in My image. Take a different path – try a different tactic from the usual – and experience My peace.

You are good. So is she.

Invite me in and let me show these truths to you.

“...the image of His own nature He made us.” – Wisdom 2:23

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” – Psalm 34:18

“Lord, I invite You to join us when we celebrate Thanksgiving.”

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.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.