Christmas Is A Time For…

We are just days away from the most fabulous time of year… Christmas. A season, a day, an event…. All wrapped up with love, hope, and joy. Christmas is a time for many things – celebrating with family, celebrating the birth of Jesus, being thankful for your blessings, and giving back to your loved ones or community. It is a season that brings so much joy into my heart.
Find out where joy resides and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all….Robert Louis Stevenson
Last year at Christmastime, I wrote about Hope and Love and that peace that overcomes your soul. The Preacher’s Wife [movie] is a great reminder of how important hope and love is during Christmas. If you have not had the pleasure of watching it, please do so. It will certainly put you in the Christmas spirit (if you weren’t already).
This Christmas, I am hooked on the movie Last Christmas. Based on the infamous ‘Wham’ or rather George Michael’s hits – it is a story of a girl who has been ill, but really… joy has disappeared from her soul. Without giving away the plot (you really need to watch this movie!!!), she slowly begins to see the world a bit differently and glimpses of joy begin to return. The more she started understanding others, having more compassion for others, helping others and be receiving of love…. her soul began to fill up with joy.
How is your Joy Meter? Do you feel like your heart is filled to the rim with joy? If not, why? Yes, you can have your moments, your bad days, your stressful times, or your overwhelming breakdowns, but in all of that… you can still be joyful. Being Joyful is actually a choice.
How Do You Do That?
- Start your day with God. Pray, read your Bible or a Devotional. A good one at this time of year is Joyce Meyers – The Greatest Gift. Beginning your day in a peaceful, calm setting with God not only prepares your heart and soul for the day, but can prepare you for anything that may occur during your day.
- Stop and Breathe. At times, I can get overwhelmed, snap at my husband or kids or even lash out at others. When I start to feel those moments occur, I stop, pause and breathe. Most times, it calms me and those @#&%*#@ words don’t leave my mouth towards others. A helpful tip during family get togethers.
- Write down 3-5 things you are grateful for each morning before you leave the house and 3-5 things before bed. This gets your mind in a positive setting before you start your day and creates peace at the end before bed.
- Compliment others. Doing this will amaze you. The more you compliment others, the more content and joyful you will feel.
- GET RID OF THAT NEWS APP OR NEWSPAPER!!! You honestly don’t think that you will discover joy in there do you? You will find joy in the devotional you read, the Bible, that novel that has been waiting for you to pick up, listening to the stories of your elderly neighbour or an out of the blue phone call to your old high school friend.
The above are just a few examples of how I prepare my heart each day to create and maintain a joyful heart and soul. Doing this may require a new routine – getting up a bit earlier – rearranging your work schedule – or going to the bookstore to purchase some new books, but I guarantee that you will begin to fill up that joy meter, top up your heart with an umbundance of joy and maintain that joy year around on a regular basis.
So this Christmas season, my wish for you is not not only have the hope and love within your heart that creates that overall peace, but to also create an abundance of joy within you so that it is maintained all through 2023 and so on. To put you in the spirit of joy this Christmas, maybe watch one (or all) of these Christmas favourites. They always put a smile on my face and warm my heart and soul.



As I wrap up the last blog of the 2022 year, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Stay tuned for some new and exciting 2023 blogs and vlogs coming your way in January.
