“This is the season for caring. This is the season for sharing. That’s why we’ve come to you tonight to make your Christmas bright.” This melodious line from the Smurf’s Christmas Special randomly popped into my head as I sat down to write this post. Each December, I watch the Christmas shows my family taped off of TV for me in the 80s – T’was the Night Before Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and several more (old commercials are a special treat too)! Watching these old cartoons is the kick off to my holiday season. The familiar … [Read more...]
How to Give When You Do Not Feel Like Giving
There is a story Eric recounts from Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages to our clients and it touches me every time he does. It goes something like this: A woman visited her therapist and told him, “I hate my husband. I want to leave him, but not only that. I want to hurt him deeply.” Her wise therapist replied, “If you want to hurt him, do this. Go home and treat him like gold. Give to him, love on him, and make him feel as special as possible. After a few months of that, just up and leave him. That will hurt him the most.” So, she went home and began working on her fiendish plan. Several … [Read more...]
Christmas Fun: Christmas Clues!
Every Christmas and birthday, I ask the same question, “What do I buy Eric?!” He is notoriously difficult to shop for (though he profusely denies these allegations). Simply put, he does not want or need much at this point in his life. “Honey, what do you want for Christmas?” He responds, “Can you give me a can of sleep?” or “Time, I need some time for Christmas.” Lest you think it is all me, I can assure you my mom, aunt, and sister-in-law struggle to shop for him as well. And, by the time I give them some gift ideas, I am left with nothing! He should know, no matter what he opens on … [Read more...]
Prepare Your Relationship for Christmas
Do you remember when Christmas was simple? You enjoyed the decorations around town. You made a wish list. You visited Santa. You gobbled up cookies at ten parties. You stared in awe and wonder at your glowing Christmas tree (and the gifts wrapped neatly under it). Then, on Christmas morning, you ripped open packages and enjoyed a shower of new and colorful stuff. It was magical! Other than visiting Santa (I was not a fan), the above was pretty much my childhood experience. Nothing was better than Christmas – absolutely nothing! It took forever to come and then it was over too soon. That … [Read more...]
Create a Blessings Advent Calendar
When you were a child, did your family ever put up an advent calendar in December? That was not a tradition held in my home, but I have seen a friend do it with her children. It is so much fun for them to run to the calendar, mark off another date, and watch Christmas come closer and closer! They can be a lot of fun for adults too (even if we do not so readily admit it). Chocolate for my Girl! When I was a teenager, I purchased a small advent calendar for a little girl I simply adored in our church. She is twenty-two now (which is making me feel all kinds of old)! Each date on the calendar … [Read more...]
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