Christmas time. Holiday gatherings. Gifts. Christmas can be stressful; especially when your heart is larger than your pocketbook. You wrestle with the premise of gift-giving, and you wrestle with materialism. How do you find the right balance for your family? Consider the gift of time. Time to write a note. Time to write a poem. Time to make a hand-made gift.
During this holiday season, surround yourself with people who love you. You may not be a millionaire; yet, God knows you feel like a million bucks when you are spending time with family and friends. You will not be judged for not having the “perfect” gift. The “perfect” gift is presence…not presents! And, for family members who cannot be present for the holidays, give them grace. Wish them well. Love them from afar.
God wants you to keep your mind open to new ideas and new beginnings. Use this holiday season to refresh. Pause. Take a moment to reflect on where you have been, where you are now and what the future may hold. Whether you stay in your hometown or are led to a new and exotic place, God will be with you. God will guide you. Say, “Yes!” God is in you, and you are in God. God wants to give you the gift of time. You deserve to take a break and work on something uplifting…that will fill your heavenly basket.
God wants you to feel peace. God can do miraculous wonders. Keep the faith. Rest your body. Think more clearly. See the light. God’s light. The sun will shine. Be creative. God wants to you explore new ideas. Think differently. Dwell on what can be and not what is. You are a work in progress. God is molding the clay, and the vessel has not been completed. God loves you and is providing support and encouragement. Walk beside God. Receive God. Be reverent. God knows you are struggling. God is the peacemaker. God is the healer. Trust God. And, be worry-free! 
Remember, God is the author of your destiny. So relax, be at peace and be free. Free to follow God. Give all your cares to God because God is the creator. Each person is designed to yearn for God with the ability to open their heart. Many reject God; yet, goes after each lost sheep and is saddened when a sheep turns away.
God knows that you want peace. Less drama. And, more space. Different space. Fresh air. Relaxation. Freedom from anxiety. To be closer to God. Wherever you are. Whether or not you are in a peaceful place. You have learned that you can quiet your mind and enter God’s presence. You can be close to God where ever you are. All you need to do is focus, and create a space to commune with God. Communion requires discernment. Discerning what thoughts are Gods, which ones are yours and perhaps other people too! Choose to open your mind and your heart to God. Trust God. Ask questions. God hears you. It takes faith to trust God. It takes more faith to feel God’s presence. Still yourself. Open yourself. Seek God with a grateful heart.
s world, God wants you to be a light. God wants you to light a path for other people. God’s word is a lamp for your feet and a light on your path. (Psalm 119:105). You become light through introspection. Take inventory. What are your strengths? What do you excel at? What comes easily to you? Are you creative? Are you contextual? Do you have a focus? Do you relate well to others? Are you light? Or, are you darkness? Do you walk on the dark road? Do you have secrets? Do you tell lies? Do you humiliate? Are you disrespectful? Are your stagnant? Or, do you desire personal growth? It is your decision. Choose the light because you deserve to grow. You deserve to flourish. You deserve to glow. Let God’s light shine through you. Let God illuminate your path. Let God direct you. Surrender yourself to God and let God soak you with light. Be bright. Be brilliant. Shine. Be the Light!
In the depth of your soul. Dig deep through the rubble so you can experience God’s light. God’s glory. The sunshine that warms your soul and spirit – that is God! The difference between your soul and your spirit is hard to explain. Your soul is what you are born with. Every human being has a soul. Even the most unlikely people. The spirit is different! The spirit is God’s connection with you. The spirit can be from God or the evil one. The Holy Spirit is God. The evil dark spirit is from the evil one. There is a lot of evil in this world. More than anyone really can comprehend. Evil is everywhere. And, so is God.
I and Thou Reflections 