All I Want For Christmas is...

Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Luke 12:15 

 

We are all familiar of the event known as "Black Friday" where stores open early to allow the public to fight over items at extremely low prices.  We've heard of people getting trampled to death, getting into fist fights, and even mugged in the parking lot.  Let's face it, we like having stuff.  LOTS of stuff.  Even if we don't need it or use it, we still want it!

 

I know several people will understand when I say one of my favorite times of year when I was younger was the day when someone on our street got a new appliance.  Why?  Because we got the box!  That box and our imaginations made for an AWESOME week!

 

I have now reached the age where the thing I look forward to for Christmas are the t-shirts, socks, and underwear.  Because they are practical and I use them almost every day.  

 

As we enter into the Christmas Season, let's remember that the KING of KINGS was born into this world in a feed trough in a barn with nothing to His name except His name.  While some spend their entire lives trying to get more and more, Jesus was content with what He had.  

 

Being content with the things that matter is always better than having lots of stuff and still craving more! 

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

James 1:17 

 

I have always been cautious of the "Name-It-And-Claim-It" theology, because I know that I have the propensity to develop a greedy attitude if I am always given everything I ask for.  Think about it, what happens to a child if you give them everything they want?  

 

I have had to learn the hard way that God gives me exactly what I need, rather than whatever I wanted.  You see, I have prayed hard for the health of someone I dearly loved to be restored, and ended up attending their funeral.  I have prayed with deep groans and heart wrenching utterances for a relationship to be restored, and instead, the distance between us grew ever wider.  I have prayed with all that is within me for the salvation of a dear friend only to be informed by that friend that I need to save my breath because he is fully prepared to face "whatever lies beyond."

 

But God gives us gifts every single day that we probably don't consider:

     * Every breath you take.

     * Every moment of sleep.

     * Every moment we get to spend time with our loved ones.

     * Every opportunity we have to make new friends.

     * Every opportunity we have to tell others that we love them.

     * Every opportunity we have to laugh with others.

     * Every tear we shed with someone in pain.

 

God showers us with blessings every single moment of every single day.  Focus on what God has given.  Thank Him for all these blessings and for the learning moments.  Let's grow and learn together.

And What Will It Matter?

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Romans 14:19 

 

When my brother and I were a bit younger, it was never a good idea to leave us in each others company for very long.  Why?  We would begin to bicker and argue about the most idiotic things.  And it got worse when we were stuck in the back seat on family vacations.  We would start the bickering almost as soon as we pulled out of the driveway.

 

"He's looking out my window!"

 

"He's breathing on me!"

 

"He's on my side of the car!"

 

"He pooted and didn't say 'excuse me'!"

 

"Make him put his socks and shoes back on!"

 

At the time, these were important topics of discussion for my young and agitated mind.  Now, I truly pity the trauma we put our parents through and, at the same time, admire the fact that they didn't leave us on the side of the road somewhere in the desert.

 

As I have gotten older, I still hear bickering over the most idiotic things.  But if we stop to think about it for a bit, the things we argue, bicker, disagree on...a year from now, will they what will they matter?  Imagine what a difference we could make if, instead of focusing on things that really don't matter, we focused on building each other up and seeking to be at peace with each other.  Yes, that will take us swallowing our pride and even sharing some of the spotlight, but aren't we worth it?

Topsy Turvy Message

Whoever makes himself great will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be made great.

Matthew 23:12 

 

We are taught from an early age that we have to put ourselves first in all things or else we will get trampled.  I will admit that I fell for that "wisdom" for a time.  I had to be first!  I had to be top dog!  I had to be in charge!  I had to do more!  And all I got for my efforts?  Exhausted!

 

Finally I realized that Jesus' seemingly topsy turvy message actually made sense.  When I stopped pushing myself to be first, and focused on being humble and helpful the relief was ENORMOUS!  It is more rewarding to do for others than it is to push oneself forward by stepping on others.

 

God's messages to us sometimes get ignored because they go directly against our human nature and what we have been led to believe.  Stop striving and be humble.  You'll experience life in a whole new and wonderful way.

Let's Consider Just How Awesome God Is

For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains,
    stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind.
He turns the light of dawn into darkness
    and treads on the heights of the earth.
    The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!

Amos 4:13

I was talking with a friend, yesterday, about how awesome God is and how often we take His awesomeness for granted.  We do, you know.  As we enter into December where we celebrate God's most awesome gifts to us, lets take a look at some of the things about God we take for granted.

Look at what Amos reminds us of...God shaped the mountains!  I couldn't do that, can you?  God's awesome creativity shaped the beautiful mountains.

God stirs the winds...  John 3:8 says, "The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit"  Only God knows where the wind comes from and where it goes because He is the one who stirs it.

God reveals His thoughts to mankind... That is pretty amazing!  If God didn't reveal Himself to us, do you think we could seriously come up with all that He has done, said, and created?

God turns the light of dawn into darkness... Remember when Jesus died? Matthew 27:45 says, "At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock."  Remember in Genesis 1 when God created the day and the night?  Can we do that?  

These are things we take for granted.  God is the God of all creation and He is AWESOME!    

Are You Okay?

The Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants.

Romans 8:25-27 

"Are you okay?"  How many times do we ask this question of someone who seems quiet, thoughtful, or perhaps depressed or anxious or both?  

The holidays seem to intensify Depression and Anxiety.  Why?  Partly because the Holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration and happiness, yet the person battling depression and anxiety cannot feel happiness or celebratory.  As a matter of fact, the person battling Depression and Anxiety may add guilt to the mix because they feel they cannot measure up to the expectations of the season.  This will cause the person battling depression and anxiety to withdraw from others.  The anguish and turmoil which roils within them can rob them of rest, sleep, enjoyment of any kind, will drain their energy, and even push them to the brink of suicide.  All the while, they may be wearing the face of one who is okay.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard someone responding to a suicide, "They gave no indication" "They always seemed so happy" "They were always upbeat" "I had no clue anything was wrong."  My question to those people is simple: "How well did you REALLY know the person?"  You see, when you truly know someone, you know their idiosyncrasies, their habits, you see behind the mask.

Here are a few thoughts of what is and what is not helpful when dealing with a person battling depression:

1. NEVER tell them to "get over it" or ask them "what do YOU have to be sad about?" or tell them to "quit feeling sorry for themselves".
2. Interact with them with the premise that they have either a chemical imbalance or have PTSD due to some tragic incident(s) they have faced.  Tread carefully.
3. Don't be afraid to ask questions: "I'm not sure what you are going through, but I would like to understand if you would tell me."
4. Allow the person to have their space.  Many will seek a place where they feel protected and safe.  I usually seek out a corner somewhere.
5. Understand that chemical imbalances and PTSD cannot be controlled for very long.  With chemical imbalances, medications can help, but I have yet to find a combination that fixes the issue.  With PTSD, some medications dull the senses, but do not fix the issues.
6. Might want to sit down for this one: Quoting Bible verses to them is highly detrimental!  Most already feel a sense of guilt for not being "normal" there is no need to further alienate them by telling them to "Just turn it over to Jesus and it'll all go away." Yes, I, as a Chaplain, and a sufferer of Chemical Imbalances as well as PTSD said this.  Scripture has its place and is comforting when used correctly.  Pouring salt in the wounds with Scripture is not helpful and lowers your credibility.
7. Help start a support group.  A safe place where the concerns can be openly addressed and perspectives can be offered. 

 I don't know if any of this is helpful, but hopefully coming from someone who struggles with these battles daily the information can be useful at least to help with understanding.
 

Performance Anxiety

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 

Matthew 7:1-2 

 

Have you ever considered how our society has become so competitive? We'll turn anything into a contest, won't we?  

"I can hold my breath longer than you" 

"I can spot more Buicks from out of state than you"  

"I am a better spouse than you will ever be"  

"I am a better worker than you can even consider"

 

We use our competitive nature to give reason to judge others.  Please don't misunderstand, standards are good and need to be in place, and they need to apply to everyone equally.  

 

I was talking with a friend from a previous employer last night because he was upset and needed someone he could vent to without getting into trouble.  I found one statement he made extremely poignant:  "The only time I see [my supervisor] is when I get chewed out for something."  You see, that kicked my mind into thinking mode.  How many times have I heard people tell me that their supervisor makes it a point to come tell them that they are appreciated and compliment them?

But how are we to handle people who only seem to bring negativity?  Well, there's a reason why Peter reminds us to: "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."(1 Peter 5:7).  Give this person to God EVERY SINGLE TIME they come to mind and every time they come to talk with you.  Give God the anxiety you have in dealing with them.  And here's the kicker (we've talked about this before) LEAVE it with God and let Him deal with those people.  

You see, we cannot control how someone talks to us or how they treat us; the only thing we can control is our response!

When you talk with someone, make sure when the conversation is over that each leaves with a positive result.  Make sure people know they are appreciated.

In keeping with that, I want to publicly state that I appreciate my Lieutenant, Maria Yturria for her positive attitude and calm approach.  I appreciate my Captain, Heidi Jackson, for her encouragement and for her positive attitude. I also declare my appreciation for my fellow Chaplains for their dedication, positive outlook, their willingness to work as a team for the betterment of each other and our Department.  Each of these, and so many more, have my respect, care, and love.

See?  That didn't hurt AND it's the truth!