Today on Twitter I read the following tweet by Pastor Jonathan Miller:
A balanced friendship requires equal distribution of loyalty, love, trust and communication. Lopsided friendships collapse.
This got me to thinking about relationships and how so many people struggle with broken bonds in their lives. It is my belief that God has placed people in our lives for His purpose.
Remember:
*It is better to be loving than right.
This means that we let pride go, especially in a situation where we may be right. It is far better to love than to win!
*When someone has done something that hurts you, let them know right away.
That way you can clear the air immediately. Be sure you talk about the situation ONLY to the person who offended you, not to everyone else! And get on with living instead of binging on bitterness.
*Be genuine.
Friends want the real you, with all your fears and failures. Rejoice with them when they are happy, and be compassionate when they are struggling.
Pray for your friends~past, present, and future!
This morning I was thinking of Christmas traditions. I have never been one to be stuck on rituals. Don’t get me wrong, I put up a Christmas tree every year, just not on the same day. We decorate it all together, not necessarily with same decorations from the previous year. My daughter and I enjoy baking together but usually it’s whatever we want to at that moment! This year she chose to make Oreos wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough! (Plus lots of other goodies!) Sometimes I send out Christmas cards (the old-fashioned kind, via snail mail!)-but not this year! Simply because there were things that got “bumped” off the to-do list. I believe when that list becomes a burden and steals time away from the people in my life, things will get bumped. Because people are always more important than things. And the people I would be sending the cards to are well aware of that, so they understand.
There are some things that we do during this time of year that can be considered traditions.
We drive around our neighborhood together to see all the beautiful lights. We have done this since the kids were little and they had sippy cups with warm chocolate in them! Now as young adults they still enjoy it, but they take hot chocolate or coffee!
We play games. Cards, Wii, Crosswords, etc. These do vary by year! It’s the time spent together that I cherish.
We watch movies together. I especially enjoy the movie Elf! We watch old Christmas movies but we also make it a point to go see a couple of new releases at the theater.
We go ice skating. By we I mean the kids. The last time I joined in on a group activity that included a slippery surface was in 2005, when we were in Taos snowboarding as a family (this quickly became a non-tradition!)
We cook together and have fun doing it, each adding our own flavor! We all enjoy cooking so it makes it a great event.
I take lots of pictures. Just ask my daughter-in-law!
We visit family and friends. And since we have lived in so many places, we have learned to do this creatively-via phone, skype, facetime and photo-journaling and of course, when possible, in person!
And we attend church together. This for me has become a sacred and meaningful time as a mother. Because my children grew up in church, when they all moved out on their own I missed them most on Sunday’s. So when we go to church on Christmas and I hear their sweet voices singing and praising God, and see their hands lifted high in worship, that blesses me beyond words.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing this Christmas, make memories, cherish your time, take pictures, and love like Jesus does!
