Make room for new things

Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?   A big screen TV, a new outfit, handy tools, kitchen appliances, books, toys…… It’s nice to get presents but where do you put all that new stuff?

Christmas is  great time of year to clean up your home and make room for all those new trinkets and toys.  We all keep things that we don’t need or even want anymore.  Instead of continuing to clutter our homes, why not donate any good used items to a local charity where they will be appreciated and recycle anything that can be used again.  There are also websites where you can offer free items such as www.freecycle.org

Get the whole family active in sorting through stuff.   It helps keep your home clutter-free and teaches responsibility.  Getting  your children in the habit of donating their excess toys is a valuable life lesson in sharing and helping others.

Here are some suggestions:

• Sort through your closets and take out any items that you are no longer wearing – items that don’t fit, don’t match anything, you don’t even like anymore
• Look through your cupboards and take out any household items that you don’t need – the ones that are shoved to the back and you don’t ever use
• Check your shelves and cabinets for any items that are just sitting and collecting dust – ornaments you don’t like anymore, books you don’t read
• Check for areas that are cluttered, like basements and garages – sort through items and remove any that you no longer need, get rid of anything that is damaged or broken
• Sort through your child’s toys – there are probably lots that they no longer play with or care about
• Take any old electronics to an electronics recycling centre

While you are getting rid of material things, it is a great time to get rid of any negative emotions you may have stored up inside.  Are you keeping any anger, bitterness, jealousy or anything else that you really don’t need?  Try to release these negative feelings and forgive anyone who has hurt you.  Start the new year with an uncluttered home and an uncluttered heart!

 

Are you taking a trip?

This is an awesome story about a trip that we all take but should definitely reconsider. I’ve heard it before on the Joyce Meyer program and it really made me think.

Morning Story and Dilbert

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly.

This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it.

I’m talking about my annual “Guilt Trip.”

I got tickets to fly there on “WISHIHAD” airlines. It was an extremely short flight.

I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of what might have been.

No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town.

As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year’s most important event, the Annual Pity Party.

I wasn’t…

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Boxing Day Mania

Boxing Day is known to be one of the busiest days of the year for shopping.  Stores offer all sorts of bargains and people love sales.  Almost everything is marked down;  Christmas items, clothing, furniture, appliances, electronics.   If you are saving money on something that you really need, it might be a good idea to go out and fight through the crowds.  But if you are just looking for a bargain and buying things you don’t need, it’s a bad idea to even go near the stores on Boxing Day.

Shopkeepers aren’t interested in saving people money.  They just want clear out their stock and make a profit.  They will entice you into buying things you don’t really need.   It is hard to resist all those great deals and it is so easy to clean out all your savings and max out your credit cards.

Most people think that they need stuff to feel good about themselves and to be important.  We believe that our stuff gives us value and that we need things to be happy.  This is why many people feel good when they first get stuff and feel bad when the excitement wears off.  It is important to understand that we need to be confident in ourselves and have good esteem.  Our real value comes from inside ourselves and not from what we have.    Our stuff does not determine our value unless we allow it to do so and this is so wrong.

Be careful when you out shopping on this Boxing Day or any other day of the year and think about what you are buying.  Is it something you need or just something you want?  There is a big difference.  People fill up their houses with all sorts of things they don’t really need, creating a lot of clutter and confusion.

How do you feel when you have spent all your money and maxed out all your credit cards?  It might feel good taking that trip now, but if you have charged all the costs, it won’t feel so good 12 months later when you are still paying for that trip.

Keep life simple and keep your money in your pocket.  Debt is getting out of control for a growing number of people.  Don’t let your stuff control you!   YOU ARE VALUABLE, NOT YOUR STUFF!!

 

And so this is Christmas…..

In 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded a beautiful song which has been played over and over again for over 40 years.  The words are simple but very powerful and they ask a question that we should all think about…..what have you done?   I ask myself this question sometimes and wonder what I have done to help change the world.   When was the last time that I did something nice?   It doesn’t always take a big thing to make a difference in someone else’s life – just a smile, a few kind words, a hug…..

Merry Christmas and Peace be with you!!

So, this is Christmas and  what have you done?

Another  year over and a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas,  I hope you have fun

The near and the  dear one, the old and the  young
A very merry  Christmas and a happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one, without any fear
And so this is Christmas, for weak and for strong

For rich and the poor ones, the  world is so wrong
And so happy  Christmas, for black and for  white

For yellow and red ones, let’s stop all the  fight
A very merry  Christmas and a happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one, without any fear
And so this is Christmas and what have we done

Another year over and a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun

The  near and the dear one, The old and  the young
A very merry  Christmas and a happy New Year

Let’s hope it’s a good one, Without any fear
War is over, if you want it, War is over now

Are you ready for Christmas?

 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

 

Christmas is almost here.  Are you ready?  Have all the preparations been made or do you rush out today to pick last-minute gifts and food items?

People seem to have forgotten what Christmas is all about. People spend all their time and money gathering gifts and wearing themselves thin trying to…to…to do exactly what?  Do we know why we go into massive debt every year buying stuff that we really don’t need and sometimes don’t even want after we get it?

Many people spend so much time getting ready for the holidays that they forget to stop and enjoy time with family and friends.  Christmas is not just about eating and unwrapping gifts,  Christmas is about love and sharing; a celebration of Jesus’ birth.

I pray that everyone will have peace during this most wonderful time of the year!  Merry Christmas to all!

My favourite Christmas quotes

Read….consider…..enjoy…..

Christmas is a necessity.  There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.  ~Eric Sevareid

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.  ~Roy L. Smith

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.  ~Burton Hillis

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.  Don’t clean it up too quickly.  ~Andy Rooney

There has been only one Christmas – the rest are anniversaries.  ~W.J. Cameron

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!  ~Author Unknown

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.  ~Peg Bracken

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!  ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time.  Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?  ~G.K. Chesterton

I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day.  We try to crowd into it the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year.  As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year.  And thus I drift along into the holidays – let them overtake me unexpectedly – waking up some fine morning and suddenly saying to myself:  “Why, this is Christmas Day!”  ~David Grayson

Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.  ~Janice Maeditere

Christmas is the season when you buy this year’s gifts with next year’s money.  ~Author Unknown

How do you celebrate Christmas?

We all have different holiday traditions and we celebrate according to our beliefs.  Many families gather together to share a meal and open presents.  Others travel to a vacation spot to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.   Some people don’t celebrate Christmas because of various reasons and it is just another day for them.  Then there are those who don’t have anyone to spend Christmas with because their families live too far away, they have no family, there is conflict or all their loved ones have passed away.

Most of us have high expectations of Christmas.  We want to spend time with family and friends, enjoying the season.   When this doesn’t happen we feel like something is wrong and we react in a negative way, often hurting ourselves in the process.

Christmas can be a difficult time if you are alone.  However, being alone does not have to result in unhappiness.  Many people spend Christmas alone by choice and they are not lonely or miserable.  It is all a matter of perception.

Instead of feeling bad about the season, try making a list of things you like to do and then take action.   Here are some ideas:

1. Watch some favourite movies, read some books, listen to music.
2. Call some friends and invite them to come for coffee.  They might feel lonely too and enjoy the company.
3. Consider getting a pet if you don’t have one.   They are great companions.  Find one that suits your needs and is easy to care for.  Having a dog is a great excuse for taking a walk.
4. If you belong to a church, make sure you attend Christmas services.  If you don’t, consider attending one as it will help you feel part of the celebration.
5. Organize your home or start a new project.
6. Do something creative.  Starting writing, drawing or do some crafts.
7. Play a game like solitaire or do crossword puzzles.
8. Visit a mall while they are open and watch people.
9. Help volunteer at a soup kitchen or visit a senior home and share yourself with others.  This is guaranteed to bring happiness to all.
10. Always be positive about life.

These ideas are great for anytime of year.  If you fill your life with positive activity and surround yourself with positive people, you won’t have time to feel lonely.  Treat yourself like the special person you are and have a very merry Christmas!  Love to everyone!  🙂

This is the message of Christmas:  We are never alone.  ~Taylor Caldwell

Not a Santa fan

This post touched me and I wanted to share. I wondered if it was true and apparently it is. It happened in December 1997, according to the author Susan Leonard whose husband was professional Santa Claus. So many people don’t believe in miracles and this is sad because there is so much power in prayer. God has performed miracles in my own life and I would not be alive today if not for his overpowering, unconditional love. I’m not particularly fond of Santa anymore – a few years ago I heard an announcer on the radio say, “Oh no, it’s not going to snow for Santa’s birthday”, and it upset me that some people actually don’t know what Christmas is all about and don’t care. However, I guess God can make all things work for good as he did with that particular Santa. God bless all and Merry Christmas!

Morning Story and Dilbert

Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at the McAllister Mall in Saint John. The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl.

Who is this?” asked Santa, smiling. “Your friend?

“Yes, Santa,’ he replied. “My sister, Sarah, who is very sick,” he said sadly.

Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue. “She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!” the child exclaimed. “She misses you,” he added softly.

Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy’s face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.

When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted.

“What is it?”…

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Christmas joy

It’s almost here,

 That time of year,

A celebration,

Throughout the nation,

A time to care,

A time to share,

Christmas peace and Christmas joy. 

~Brenda Silveira

Only a few more days until Christmas.   My husband and I were out today picking up our last gift and now everything is done.   While shopping, we stopped to enjoy a coffee in the food court.   People watching is a new sport of mine; I find people very interesting and they are all so different.  Looking around, I noticed few really happy, smiling faces.  Most people seemed tired or stressed and not really enjoying themselves.  I try to figure out what people are thinking and wonder what is happening in their lives to make them appear so serious and sad.

Christmas has not always been a happy season for me.  Past difficulties often took away the joy and brought only misery.  One Christmas not too long ago was spent totally alone by choice because I just couldn’t face anyone.  It was this particular Christmas that I realized I was never alone – God was always with me and I discovered that joy came from within myself and not from anyone else.   Nobody has the power to control how we feel unless we let them.  We have our own power to control how we feel and no matter how difficult life get, we can still keep our joy.   It’s all a matter of how we see things and keeping a positive perspective about life.

I hope you can spend these last 5 days preparing for your Christmas joy.  Don’t get all stressed out trying to have a perfect Christmas – there is no such thing.   Instead of rushing around, take time to enjoy the season with family and friends and remember what the season is really all about.

Merry Joyful Christmas!

What are you thinking?

Did you ever wonder how many thoughts you had each day?  Research shows that the average person thinks about 25,ooo to 50,000 thoughts a day.  Everything you do starts with a thought.  As soon as you wake up in the morning, you are already thinking about what you are going to do that day.  What will you wear?  What will you eat?  Are you going out somewhere?

Your mind never stops working and those thoughts keep pouring out.  This is what keeps you going every day.  If you weren’t constantly thinking about something, you would never do anything.

Did you know that about 80% of your thoughts are negative?  Now this is a scary thought!   This means that out of 50,000 thoughts per day, we are thinking 40,000 negative thoughts and only 10,ooo positive thoughts.  No wonder we aren’t happy with our lives.

In order to have happiness and success in life, we need to think positively.  Many people don’t believe that they can change how they think.  It isn’t easy, but it is possible if you work hard to control your thoughts.  Try to pay attention to what you are thinking and identify any negative thoughts.  Do something that will stop you dead in your tracks when a negative thought pops up and allow yourself time to focus on positive thoughts.   Writing your thoughts down in a journal is an excellent way to actively work on stopping negative thinking.  You can review your journal at the end of each day and determine what triggers those negative thoughts.  Then cross out any negative words, replace them with positive words and read your new thoughts out loud.  Hearing our own positive words will reinforce positive thinking as we listen more to ourselves than we do other people.

Surrounding yourself with positive people and things will also reinforce positive thinking.  If you can actively focus on changing your thoughts, you will be well on the way to having a more positive attitude towards life.

Here is a great article on how to take action in converting your negative thoughts into positive thoughts.  http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/depression-doing-the-thinking