Not only at Christmas time do we need to ‘make spirits bright’, but all the time, each and every day.

In junior high around Christmas time many of the girls were so much more friendly and would say ‘Hi’ –  when normally they would just pass on by. They seemed more joyful and more fun to be around. I commented to my mother one day saying, ‘I wish the girls were friendly like this all year’. Perhaps the anticipation of fun family times, parties, new clothes, presents, baking cookies all made them happier inside, causing them to be happier outside towards others. I liked the noticeable difference it made.

When our minds and hearts are weighed down with all kinds of cares, worries, and fears, we lose heart. We aren’t as fun to be around. We don’t notice others around us and their needs. We forget about others.

Why wait for a holiday to have a happy spirit? We can have a happy spirit about us every day if we choose. But I can’t. I have too many problems. I don’t know how to be happy.

Several years back I read a small book by John Kralik, “The Simple Act of Gratitude”. He was a failing attorney, divorced twice, distant from his kids, overweight, living in a small apartment with no heat or AC in California. The thought came to him perhaps his life could become at least tolerable if instead of focusing on his losses, he began to be grateful. He set about to write one thankyou note per day for the next year and see what happened. His whole life changed around! It was the simple, but hard, shift in his thinking. That’s all it was! He didn’t have to run around the block 10 times each morning, eat brussel sprouts for 2 weeks or wear uncomfortable shoes. All he had to do was change his mind! And that changed him!

So yes, we can choose to have brighter spirits each day. The hardest part is the mind part. Just begin somewhere. Our body, mind and spirit all work in unison. One follows where the other leads. If we get moving, however slowly, in the right direction, who knows what we might accomplish and see changed!

How do I need to begin redirecting my life today?

I can do it! Yes I can!

Civilization has been through alot over the centuries of existence…most of it caused by ourselves.

How did we get into so much trouble? We’re just minding our own business…it’s all those other people!!! Why? Why? Why?

‘Lady, if you don’t stop talking about God, I’m not going to read your blog anymore! You know we’re not supposed to talk about God. It’s private and personal.’ That’s OK. God is already talking about you and to you…how you can have a better life and get through all your problems and afflictions.

Originally, way back at the start, was a beautiful garden. Who wouldn’t love to live there? All the needs were provided, temperate climate, no bugs or vicious beasts to eat you. God said it was good…very good!

But wait! The tempter came and said God might be holding back something good from the people and they began to wonder…oh the trouble with overthinking instead of just doing the right thing! So they did the wrong thing, they knew it and ran and hid. Haven’t we all done this too!

God saw it all. He called for them and said, ‘Let’s make this right.’ He didn’t say, ‘That’s it! No hope for you. You should have done what I said.’ He is not a condemnatory God. He will use our mistakes and turn them around for our good…because He is a good God.

People don’t hear about the goodness of God. They hear about wrath, punishment, purgatory, buying their way back to ‘get in good with God’…always living in fear. So they treat other people like that – family included!

Man-made gods are mean, judgmental, critical, accusatory. That’s why the real God said not to follow them. Stick with Me and you’ll be OK. Funny people that we are…always trying to do things ourselves, our own way, getting into trouble we don’t like. Then we blame God!

What if we shifted over and said, ‘I don’t think I’ve heard the whole story about God. Maybe He isn’t really what popular opinion says He is. We have this beautiful planet to live on, good food to eat, water to drink, we can make whatever we want, clothes to wear, place to sleep…friends and family. Maybe I need to rethink some things…’

Let’s contemplate today. Maybe the good God has been given a bad rap!

Growing up, especially in my pre-teen and teen years, so many times I felt (was) weak.

I feared losing friends if I wasn’t like them, not realizing they were going through the same struggles. I was so inward focused and self-conscious – it’s a horrible place to be…really a selfish place where I couldn’t see what other kids might need and if I could be a friend to them.

On school mornings it would take 1/2 hour to decide what to wear…going through mentally who all might see me and whether they would like what I wore. We didn’t have a lot of money and my wardrobe was mostly thrift shop or handmade, not fancy matching sweater and skirt sets like other girls.

Because I was so concerned about me, I couldn’t even think about others so I would avoid being around people. It wasn’t until my early 20’s I began to wonder why I was like this. I was convinced every time people were talking in a group they were talking about me, but suddenly I realized it was all a lie! I wasn’t talking badly about them. Why did I think they were talking about me? Isn’t it crazy how our thoughts can tell us things that aren’t true!

When I saw the inferiority feelings for what they were, that I was no different than anybody else, I decided to move forward and on purpose go up to people and talk to them. It was hard, but each time it became easier and over time I looked for people who might need someone to befriend them.

I’m still tempted from time to time to go hide and avoid being around people. That is when I know I must! I must not give in to feelings of self-consciousness or inferiority. People across my path need my ‘new found strength’ of friendliness to help them be strong…goes back to being a load-lifter doesn’t it?

Weak or strong, we are all needed to help lift others higher.

Do you have a weakness you could turn into a strength to comfort someone else?