Merry Christmas To All!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!  May God bless you today and this next year.  May He show Himself to you in new ways, to encourage you, to help you along the hard paths, to restore your faith in Him (or draw you to Him for the first time), to lift you up when your heart is broken.

A song that I love: Hallelujah Christmas (Cloverton)

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the LORD."  Luke 2:11

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

"... if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.... Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10:9, 13

And Finally, Little Drummer Boy #4

And finally, this is Bob Seger's version of Little Drummer Boy.  I love this song.  And I love how he pours himself into it.  (But my favorite version will always be For King and Country.  I'm addicted to it!)

Little Drummer Boy #3

Here's a great a cappella version of Little Drummer Boy from Pentatonix.  How beautiful it can be with just voices.  Enjoy!

Little Drummer Boy #2

This is a very different version than Little Drummer Boy #1, but it's very beautiful.  Serene. 

Little Drummer Boy #2 by Lauren Daigle

We'll make it through this together!

I didn't know if I was going to bring this up again or not.  In some ways, I want to go about my days as if it never happened.  I don't really like talking about it because then my mind goes to dark places.  And I get into an emotional funk.  (You'd think I would be comfortable with emotional funks by this point.  I've had so many of them.)  

But in some ways, I have to talk about it (and write about it) because that's how I process it, how I get it out of my system, how I try to support others who are going through hard things too, how I try to turn it around for good in any way I can, and how I search for the silver linings.  

Little Drummer Boy #1

My all-time favorite classic Christmas song has got to be the Little Drummer Boy.   If I’m listening to this song and start to think too much about it, I start to well up with tears.  Every time.

My sons occasionally ask me why this is my favorite Christmas song.  

“It’s stupid and it doesn’t make sense,” they say.

I answer like this: “This song is about a little boy who’s poor.  And he wants to bring Jesus a gift.  But he doesn’t have anything to give him.  And so he gives the baby Jesus the only gift he has to give – a song.  And this poor boy is drumming his little heart out for the Lord, because that’s all he has to give.  But it’s enough.  And the baby Jesus smiles.”

Usually, I am trying to hold back tears as I share this with my sons.  But they simply reply that it's still stupid, before running off to play.

Greeting Card Headaches

Finding the right greeting card can be so frustrating.  

Like, where is the "I'm sorry you got arrested and will probably spend the rest of your life in prison ... but even though this terribly affected our family and friends forever, I love you anyway and hope you have as merry of a Christmas as you can, under these circumstances" kind of card?

Oh, the headaches of trying to find the perfect card!

(And, no, I'm not joking.  I mean, yes I am, to a degree.  But in a "if I don't laugh about it, then I'll cry" kind of way.)

Dealing With Daily Anxiety

Given all the stress that's gone on in my life over the years (especially the past 3), I face daily anxiety.  At times it's been nearly overwhelming.  Terrifyingly overwhelming.  But lately, it's been a simmering anxiety that is there the moment I wake up.  And I'm always afraid I am going to lose it, that something else will happen that will knock me off my feet.  And so I need to do what I can to get a grip on fear from the minute I wake up.

Of course, I've written before on anxiety and on ways I've dealt with it over the years.

But lately, my daily, morning "plan" (even before breakfast, because I've had a hard time eating lately from stress) includes praying (sometimes even just the Lord's prayer), reading my Bible and an inspirational godly book, and watching a Tony Evans sermon.  (I also have to remind myself that fear lies, and that with a little time, help, and effort, I've gotten past the fear every morning.)

I need to be nestled up to God and immersed in His Truth daily.  I need to call out to Him in prayer, even if I really have no words other than "Oh, God.  I need You."  I need to read God's Word, meditate on it, and hear it preached from someone I trust.  I need to listen to godly, encouraging music.  Sometimes, I need to approach it more deliberately as a "spiritual warfare" thing.  (Here are 80+ Verses for Spiritual Warfare.) 

Basically, I just need more and more of God, of Jesus, every day. 

I don't know how people make it through this stressful life without Him.

Parts of Psalm 18, with my small additions in brackets:

"I love you, LORD, my strength.  The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.  The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.  The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.  In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.... 

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.  He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, [from my fears] who were too strong for me.... 

With your help I can advance against a troop [of fears and trials]; with my God I can scale a wall.  As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.  For who is God besides the LORD?  And who is the Rock except our God?  It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.  He trains my hands for [spiritual] battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.  You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great.  You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.... 

The LORD lives!  Praise be to my Rock!  Exalted be God my Savior!  Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name."

Click here for a playlist of Tony Evans Sermons and click here for my own list of favorite sermons of his.  And here are a couple other posts I've written on dealing with anxiety: Help for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts and Getting Through The "Broken" Times.

(If you're tired of dealing with anxiety, of facing this life on your own, of trying to stand on your own two feet in the face of overwhelming trials that repeatedly attempt to knock you down, give Jesus a try.  You don't have to struggle through this life on your own.  What a hopeless, depressing thought that would be.  Life may be hard no matter what, but I'd rather face it from God's strong hands than face it on my own.)