...and a Happy New Year: Peace Overshadows Worry!

The Christmas holidays carry a weight that is paramount to almost any other time of year.

Individuals that experience the holidays for the first time without a significant member of their lives due to loss, families that experience financial strain to provide all that our children desire, and the general chaos that abounds with trying to balance work, family, and the holiday cheer.

And who could forget the most incredibly embarrassing moment we all try to avoid; wearing your tacky Christmas sweater to a non-tacky party!

So how do we successfully navigate the journey from a "Merry Christmas to a Happy New Year?"

Free your mind from worry!

In the Christmas narrative Mary and Joseph were both approached by an angel making a bold declaration of a miraculous birth. No doubt they were both shocked and in awe. Mary's response of "how can this be?" sheds light on just how quickly anxiety can begin to send one's emotions spiraling in so many different directions.

Once Mary and Joseph's nerves were settled and they listened more intently to the angel's speech they both chose to act in faith and receive the plan God had placed on their lives. Mary's humble response, "I am the Lord's servant, let it be done according to your word" seems to manifest an overwhelming peace that could only be provided to someone in complete surrender by Someone in total control.

Our lives are no different. Chaos constantly abounds. News given to us that we never would have asked for. Placed in a position to fret, worry, become anxious, and fearful. Yet, given the opportunity to simply reply "be it done according to your word" we begin to feel the weight of worry dissipate under the undeniable presence of God's peace.

Worry is simply the evidence of our doubt that God is not control. As if, by some chance, He doesn't have this. That maybe our situation has escaped Him or is beyond His control. Or maybe He doesn't have our best interest in mind.

So, in many instances, we begin to pull back the reigns, rake our chips back across the table, start devising our own plans for how we're going to make this better. And all the while, because we've been down this road before, we know that our plan will be insufficient, unsuccessful, or only provide temporary relief for the heartache heading in our direction apart from His intervention.

So, how do we gear up for a Happy New Year? Remember that God is transcendent; He's above space and time. Yet He is also imminent, ever drawing near. The Christmas story reminds us that by Jesus coming to earth there would be a new day dawning; a day when His peace would overshadow every worry in this world! Don't feel victimized or paralyzed by the fear, worry, or doubt that your circumstances create; let peace, His peace, rule your heart that you might have a Happy New Year!

...and a Happy New Year: Love Overshadows Hate!

Now that Christmas Day has come and gone and we are relishing in the new toys and gadgets we received from our favorite Santa figure, we are on to making our New Years' resolutions.

Whether this year was kind to us or one we hope will never be repeated, what can we do to ensure that this next year is a "Happy New Year?"

Free your heart from hate!

You may be inclined to say, "But I don't hate anybody or anything at the moment!" While this may be true, after some more serious reflection, I've learned not to respond so quickly.

I recently shared this thought from the Christmas story with a group of recovering addicts and individuals down on hard luck, "I think I'm more like King Herod than I really want to admit!"

Herod was the one wanting to kill baby Jesus. While the wise men and shepherds were being led by bright lights and bringing expensive gifts as an act of worship, Herod was devising a plan to ensure his kingdom would not be dismantled.

Seriously, how many of us feel our kingdoms being threatened by the presence of Jesus? Giving up this idealistic world of control, comfort, and convenience that we've harbored all to ourselves seems to be a foreign concept most of us are not willing to concede.

And because we feel our kingdoms being threatened we put up our defenses; rationalizing our own behavior and becoming judgmental toward others. And what grows out of those attitudes is envy, bitterness, and contempt that eventually leads to hate.

Now, we don't usually call it hate. We're much more refined than that. But whatever expletive you sense your heart screaming as you blunder into a heaping mess of life or stare at others as they snuggle up close to the life you've always wanted it becomes evident that it's not leading you down the path of your own happiness.

Very simply, here's my first New Year's resolution for all of us; know that love and forgiveness will rob hate of its power. Forgive yourself. You have a past. And so do I. We can't change that part of our story but we don't have to let it continue to cripple us moving forward.

Forgive others. Hurt people hurt people. We're human; imperfect people. Flailing our arms in the air screaming obscenities because life's not fair will not move us any closer to the happiness we desire.

But the essence of truth required to forgive ourselves and others is to realize that we've already been forgiven. The Christmas story isn't just about the happy experiences of Santa, family, meals, and presents. It's about that baby being born and the happy life that He would offer by establishing His forever kingdom!

No Average Joe: The Father of Jesus

He was told in a dream to retreat to a land where his ancestors were once enslaved with fear and degradation; Egypt. But why? That doesn't make any sense.

With no significant accomplishments, wealth, or titles to his name; Joseph was just a common, ordinary, Jewish laborer, a carpenter.

And while engaged to be married he found himself at odds with reason and fate. Mary was pregnant with someone else's child and according to the law he had every right to leave her, expose her, even have her stoned. Surely thoughts of betrayal, unfaithfulness, and selfishness flowed through his mind.

But there's something revealed about Joseph that can easily be missed if not read carefully. The Bible says he was a righteous man. So he decided to put her away secretly; not to expose or extinguish her. His decision was endowed with dignity and respect.

But in a moment of contemplation an angel appeared to him in a dream and declared that he not divorce her but in fact marry her, name the baby Jesus, and step into the role of becoming the step-father of the Savior of the world. And Joseph obeyed. Why? Because he was righteous. Not just a rule follower or a law abider but righteous.

Again an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to depart from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape the evil intent of King Herod whose kingdom felt threatened by the presence of Jesus.

Twice more an angel appeared to Joseph to part ways with their current home in an effort to fulfill the Scriptures by moving from Egypt to Israel to Nazareth.

According to Matthew's Gospel that's about the extent of Joseph's involvement in the Christmas story; a righteous man being visited by an angel four times and each time, he obeyed. When his actions would have been justified to put Mary away; he chose to trust and obey. When he could have claimed a hardship on traveling to other cities, he chose to trust and obey.

Joseph, the step-father of Jesus, accepted his role in the background so the bright lights could shine all around the lead role of Jesus coming into the world. He simply did what the righteous should do; he did the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.

How can we be more like Joseph? When life offers us opportunities to live in judgment of others' actions or fear of God's calling we must learn to be wise and choose to do what's right. It's not always easy or attractive but it always puts the focus on the greater story being told; not our story but the story of Jesus.