Health Care and Christmas 2013

Over time, people often forget the meaning of Christmas unless they are reminded through various ways, including exposure through media, religious organizations, holiday cards, and many other types of contact. For Believers, the reason to celebrate seems pretty obvious, but it really can be easy to take your focus off the main purpose of this time of year. When parties and presents and priorities get a bit overwhelming, the forest of activity can appear to be much larger than the individual tree of liberty and freedom. The Spirit of the Season can get lost in the sensationalism of the moment.

It�s really okay to be involved in various holiday events like parties, concerts and events, and shopping for gifts. There is no harm in doing those things, but they can get too demanding for your time and treasure. However, when the Christmas rush gets out of control, it�s time to take a step back and look at the importance of the true celebration of the event. Not all holidays are created equal. Christmas is one that mandates special attention.

Let�s take a look at how this holiday came about, starting about two thousand years ago. That seems like a very long time to look back, but when compared to eternity, those millennia are a brief passage. Mankind has been the same before and since, and the need for a relationship with a divine being has been the driving force since the first man and woman were created. Some people recognize that desire, but sadly many have and still do not. Fortunately, there is a plan that was laid down before the foundation of the earth, and all you have to do is accept it.

According  to the New Testament Bible, the book of Luke�a well known physician of the day living in what was to eventually be known as the Holy Land�penned words that have been taken to be the real story of the beginning of Christmas. More than the hymns and carols, more than the porcelain figurines in a cr�che, and beyond the understanding of most of the world, the events unfold in a time of great pain and struggle. Here are the divinely inspired phrases announcing the birth of Emmanuel�God with Us, from Luke 2:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place whileQuirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, �Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.�

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ �Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.� ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, �Let�s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.�

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Seemingly a simple tale of a young girl and her husband who gave birth to a baby in uncertain circumstances, yet the events that unfold here tell of the single greatest event in the history of mankind�a deliverer who would change the course of history forever, and a Savior that would one day give His life for the redemption of all mankind past, present, and future.

Seem impossible or too difficult to believe? To most people, yes. But to those who believe, the Christmas season is all about hope. The consequences of what you do on earth affect what happens after you are gone, not only for you personally, but for all those with whom you come in contact. Christmas is a wonderful time of year, and there are any number of fantastic opportunities for you to experience�music, food, gifts, friendship, and family.

And you know, it actually is better to give than receive. You won�t regret it. Be blessed by your generosity, even if it�s not expressed in monetary or tangible ways. Give those gifts that cannot be bought. Spend time with those who need an extra dose of good cheer. Show love and kindness to those who are lonely at this time of year. Seek to brighten the lives of those who could use encouragement. Pray for those who are having hard times. Share the news of the Christ child, and how He can give them hope, too.

It�s certainly nice to give and receive gifts, and to have a good time with family and friends at this time of year. But by all means, do not forget the Reason for the Season. Celebrate Christmas with hope and a new passion. Merry Christmas!

Until next time.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I wanted to take the time to wish all of YOU a very Merry Christmas and an upcoming safe and Happy New Year.  WOW�can you believe how the time has gone by in a blink?  Life truly is like that you know and it is so important to cherish every moment, and really take in the meaning of things.  We get so caught up in busy, busy, busy, that even relaxing has become a stressful event�WHAT???

Believe me, I used to be one of those busy people who felt that time was utilized for work and if I was not doing something productive every minute then I was wasting valuable time.  This can really create a self- inflicted guilt trip that dares a person to even place their backside on the sofa for a minute�back then, it caused too much anxiety.  So, I buzzed around like a bee all the time and I did not realize how much of life I was missing.  I was too busy trying to make a living and not make a life. I truly thank God for my older, wiser, better self who has slowed the pace of my life down to a healthy balance and I can now see the world and everything all around me with much more clarity for many years now.  It is absolutely awesome to take deep full breathes and not feel on edge about this and that, and let go of thing that really do not matter in the big scheme of life.

Lately, my husband and I have been surrounded by people in crisis through illness, death, and job loss.  Our hearts have been touched, pained, and our knees bent in prayer for those that we care about.  It is times like these that life does not make sense, and even can provide a fear and a desperate cry for protection of our lives, relationship, finances, and all things meaningful in this life.  There is no amount of money that replaces a person, and that is when it is realized that all that busyness is for nothing.  It is so important to have a heart of gratitude, and thankfulness because there are people out there who are praying for the very things that I/you/we have that are taken for granted.  I know this sounds like heavy stuff, but it really is just a share of how important it is to realize how important life is�it is truly a GIFT and there are no guarantees of how long the gift of being here will last.  I do know that taking care of this gift of life is what I am supposed to do, and taking care of my physical, nutritional, emotional and spiritual health are all a part of that plan.  That is what I share with you here on the Blog�ME to MOTIVATE you, and if I have touched one person, inspired, encouraged, or helped in some way to better the quality of life for someone�then I have accomplished my goal. 

As I sit here typing my thoughts to you, I wonder what you are thinking, feeling, and how your life is going?  Are you caught up in �too busy� and not making time to take care of you, missing out on family and friend opportunities, not making a call to that person that has been on your mind, and other meaningful things that you think about  but are pushed aside each day because that busy voice keeps taking over? We never want to be in a position of regret and saying, I wish I would have done this or that, because at that moment it is too late.  Life is about taking those important things and doing them now.  Tossing the �too busy card� is a necessity to have a healthy life and that is really what this post is about. 

I understand the importance of work, but we all have the ability to create a healthy balance of life through choices, changes of priority, and our overall mindset of what we think and feel about life.  My wish and gift to all of you this Christmas, is that you all step back and really allow yourself to relax and get into the moment, develop a heart of gratitude, see with the eyes of a child and play with such freedom of non-care that it is contagious, laugh until your belly hurts, and be REAL in your sharing with your spouse, family and friends.  Adapt such a balanced, healthy lifestyle that everyone will be asking YOU what you are doing to get healthy, because it all starts between the ears and shines through with your actions.  Take good care and Merry Christmas!

ME and My Girls

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Stay Healthy

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Darla