Christmas Time is Difficult for Many....And All Though Ours Too Did Not Pass Without Bumps or Bruises....
And your Christmas may have too...come along more swiftly than you would have preferred bringing visits that might not have been pleasant.
You and I if not careful...can allow the enemy of God to steal from us the pearl hidden within the tough hard oyster shell of attitudes that lack gratitude and have never truly loved before....
Life can be harsh for many no matter what time of year it is or where they must be on any particular date.
Jealous resentful ones raise their heads high with their sharp critical judgemental tongues every chance they get at us almost every where we go anytime of the year...a true Christian who shakes the dust of the unrighteous off him or herself frequently moving on...to the next church...the next town as Jesus instructed HIS apostles...go into each town blessing the house of the first person you meet and if they receive your blessing stay there do not move from house to house...your blessing will remain upon them forever.
But if they do not receive you...shake their dust as a testament against them..and go forth to the next town...the next church...
To the next place do not carry the bitterness, resentfulness or jealousy of those who reject you...remember they hated Jesus Christ Himself long before you or I were ever born....
And Jesus said: "If they hate me they will hate you." so why then would you or I ever base our happiness upon being accepted by someone who knows not how to love or let others love them???
Over our Christmas....we endured such from biological family members of mine who you would expect to be happy for us.
But my William & refuse to get into a contest with anyone....we simply walked away again rejoicing that we made a best effort returning to my parents home after having not been there in a very long time....and that at least my brother and sister in law are back in our lives.
None of us can make the choices of any other person but only ourselves.
Lets not set ourselves up for serious disappointment by raising expectations that are dependent upon other people and not controlled by ourselves and God alone.
For people will almost always disappoint because few people have the same goals, the same priorities and the same motivation.
And when any time you base your happiness on certain people agreeing with you, or certain people liking you or even more deadly and damaging to yourself....basing your happiness upon certain people truly loving you...regardless who they are...even if sadly someone who should love you the most and be the happiest for you...and never jealous at all....
You set yourself up to never find joy or happiness in your entire life.
For the Holy Scripture defines love in the Book of Corinthians this way: "Love is patient; love is kind; it never puts on aires....it is never self seeking."
Scripture also says that when we bless others....give alms we are not to let our left hand know what the right is doing.
This does not mean that when we give that we should never expect a return...but rather we cannot give expecting a specific return....this is not giving nor loving but is defined as a "Purchase."
But some people when they give or help someone...often their own family member particularly an adult child of their own flesh...biological son or daughter...
they do so with intentions that then they have the right to control their adult child and his our her nuclear family.
This is only one example of giving that is not giving freely.
Love has to not have strings attached for love or giving with strings attached like onto a kite that control the kites flight..left or right...higher...and higher...or lower in the sky.
For "Love" that seeks power or control is not love but coercion.
So I though our Christmas Season was not all that we hoped for relationship wise...
We rejoice that we received far more than we had dreamed for when visiting my parents....
My brother & sister in law who have not fallen away from their Catholic Faith as my father did long before I was born....my brother, sister in law, and nephews have rejoiced with us to be again in hugging each other with our arms and hearts and so Christmas for us Gustavsons was very blessed.
Let none of us regardless where on earth we are from or have been...or where we are headed...journeying to....allow anyone else to steal from us what is ours and belongs to no other unless we give...
That is our hearts, our souls joy and happiness regardless if we are married or single we will always meet and greet along every street sour grapers who will always judge us critically...
Be not rude...say that is your choice_____________, but as for me and my husband____________as for me and my wife_________ We will serve the Lord and never be blue over this or that and certainly not blue over you or your choices which are yours to make.
Then drive or dance away into the sunset...knowing you put forth your best effort to be peace makers...to be bridges between others not dividers....rejoice that HE makes each day new...and since like Doris Day always sang: "Kay Sarah Sarah...whatever will be will be..the future is not ours to see.... "
And add in your own versus: But you and I can choose the better things along our way each day as we keep seeking HIS Holy Face with our hearts always kneeling to HIM.
And when I our you on purpose choose to refuse to let others dictate how we feel, act or behave..or even control our decisions what clothes we wear, or how we style our hair...hats or no hats...
Without using profanity stating your decision of limitations...regardless circumstances....and cutting of those relationships which tried to divide you and your wife or husband or causing you to sin or slide...
You will like us become Esthers and Jacobs too....walking in the path towards righteousness and heaven....
On the road to be as Mother Angelica encourages all who watch and listen.... her Intro of her "Mother Angelica Live Program which can be viewed on www.EWTN.com
"We are all called to be great saints...Don't miss the opportunity!"
Amen Amen Amen!
EstherStephanada!
If you benefit from EstherStephanada's public writings....consider sending a gift to keep her online...her Internet service up and running to:
Mr & Mrs William Gustavson
PO BOX 1175
Madisonville, LA 70447
USA
And add your smiling face or silhouette to the FOLLOWERS list on this page by using Friend Connect.
Posts
