Hope for the Holidays!

Do you feel overwhelmed and stressed as the Holidays near? It may feel like there’s not enough time to send Christmas cards, make baked goods, and cut out Christmas cookies to share with neighbors and friends. The elf may not do something extravagant every night and you didn’t have time to make the Gingerbread house with the kids. On top of all that stress, you now must make time in your normally hectic schedule to get together with family.

Christmas becomes such a busy time of year for so many. This year try simplifying your to-do list: pile in the car and go look at Christmas lights, sit down and drink hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie, and allow yourself peace. Choose to be present with your family this year. This season choose to make new memories and share past memories that have brought you where you are today.

Working at a funeral home, I see many different emotions and faces of grief after the loss of a loved one. I see pain, guilt, and tears, but mostly what I see is unconditional love. Why do so many of us hold on to those feelings until someone is no longer with us? Go ahead and free yourself this Christmas of those busy to-do lists and concentrate on the meaning of the season and spending time with those whom you hold near. We are only here for a short time with those loved ones. Wanting something good and true to happen is the sheer definition of hope. Trying to work through hardships and loss during the holidays is extremely hard, so fill yourself with hope and trust that the comfort of joy and peace will surround you this year.

There’s always room in our hearts to have hope for the Holidays. Giving is receiving.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”~Romans 15:13