Choose Joy in the Journey

The bathroom radio perched on my vanity table played uplifting Christian songs as I hunted in the drawer for my mascara.   I turned up the volume while I listened to a female calling in responding to the disc jockey's question; the course of my day changed with her message. The question:  What are you thankful for?  The caller responded how she had been in an accident a few years ago.  She sustained head injuries and lost some memory.  “I’m thankful for the accident.  I can’t remember the details of a hurtful time in my past so instead of rehearsing old wounds, I now spend more time praising God for saving my life.  I’m not bitter anymore.” Her courage to admit that spoke volumes.  I imagine I’m one of many listeners who took inventory of my soul to make sure I get rid of all bitterness as the holiday season begins.  It is freeing to welcome the upcoming days to Christmas with a clean heart. Each heart knows its o...

Have you ever entered the Christmas season feeling less than happy?  I had a bad attitude last Christmas, but I learned an important lesson from it. I knew the answer before I asked but I asked my husband anyway. “What do you think about buying a real tree this year?” He, once again, pointed out there is only one place for a Christmas tree in our living room.  True, it looks the best right across from the wood burning stove where roaring fires would dry out a live tree by Christmas Day.  Still I liked to dream about a full pine or balsam tree in our home with smells of Christmas everywhere. We unpacked our five-foot tree and fluffed the branches of the fifteen year old slender pine and placed it on its stand.  We stacked the boxes off to the side until morning when we would play Christmas music and decorate. Before I fell asleep, I prayed a quick prayer.  I asked God to give me a better attitude.  I didn’t want my spirit to sag b...