Stewardship

Stress Free Christmas

I loved watching the old Tarzan shows on television when I was a kid. The hokey special effects were more than enough to impress an eight year old who thought adventure began any time you left the front yard. One of the more fascinating events that seemed to happen in almost every episode was quicksand. At some point, one of the characters inevitably fell into the mushy pit and began the slow descent to who knows where. My curiosity about quicksand made it the best part of the movie. I always wondered what it would be like to sink in a quicksand pit, confident that Tarzan would save me just in time.

The feeling of sinking in a quicksand pit might be the same feeling we often experience at Christmas time. The demands, expectations, obligations, and requirements of the season can cause a sensation of dropping into a pit that leads to who knows where. We know that Christmas should be the best time of the year. We can even remember when it was during our childhood days. But if we are not careful, we find ourselves overwhelmed by the holiday.

Fortunately, I am here to help you through the season. This is not a survival guide, because I think we should do more than simply survive the season. Christmas is really a time when we should thrive. Everything about our lives should have more meaning and significance because of Christmas. Here are my suggestions for how to turn survive into thrive at Christmas time.

Christmas Parables: Unwrapping the Gift of Hope

Years ago I began writing short stories to be read during the Christmas season.  These stories have been used in a variety of ways, and it has always been a tradition at our house to read them on Christmas Eve.  Ten of them have been gathered into one book that is available to you.  These stories will be great to share with your family during the season, or the book will make a great gift.  If you are interested in purchasing one or more copies, visit the website - www.christmasparablesbook.com. 

Looking for a Silver Lining

There are significant advantages to being a natural optimist. One of the biggest is that it lessens the impact of bad news. After all, how bad can something be when you have the ability to see the good? I first heard the saying, "Every cloud has silver lining," when I was a child. I have spent all of my life searching for silver linings, and to be honest, they are not difficult to find.

For the last few months, the economy has been the major item in the news and source of conversations in the office. Consequently, there has been very little that is encouraging. Yet, there are some good things happening, economically speaking, if we simply have the eyes to see. Things are not all bad. There is actually a silver lining in the economic cloud hovering over our nation. Consider these suggestions:

• This is a great time to purchase a new home. Perhaps the housing market has been hardest hit in the past few months. Although that has created some difficulties for many families, it has also driven down the price of a home. If you have good credit and some money for a down payment, this is an excellent time to buy a house.

• Now is the time to buy a new car, if you need one. The credit crunch has caused a significant decline in auto sales, which means that dealers are willing to negotiate. In spite of all the fears that there is no money available for car loans, if you have a history of paying your bills on time and some money for a down payment, getting a loan will not be a problem.