I've got the... after Christmas blues. Do you?

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It's been said that the first step in dealing with a problem is admitting that you have one. Last Christmas, after all the baking was done, the presents were unwrapped and the tree needed to be taken down, I was overwhelmed by a huge wave of sadness. I bumbled about for the few quiet days after the holiday and kept trying to shake the overwhelming sadness. It wasn't until I admitted to my hubby how I was feeling that I felt any better. For the most part I felt very guilty for feeling bad when I had so much to be thankful for. After taking some time to work through some of what was weighing my heart down, it became easier to deal with and the burden subsided. In all reality the less hectic more restful holiday gave me time to dwell on some things that I hadn't had the time to even consider in several years. The time of quiet allowed me to begin to come to terms with some long standing holiday related stuff.

This year, I've again had the benefit of having a restful post advent season and for that I'm very grateful. Again, in the quiet of an unplanned or scheduled Saturday after Christmas, I began to feel the sadness well up in my heart and overflow as tears from my eyes. The thing about holiday related sadness that is so hard, is that the more you try to ignore it the heavier and more difficult it is to contain. So this time around I let it flow. I was not hiding my sadness very well as my daughter came downstairs this afternoon and said, "HI Mom, what's wrong? Are you upset about...". She hit the nail on the head and insisted I go with her and her friend to the mall.

This goes to prove two things, I don't have a good poker face and my family is very perceptive.

I came across a book called, "I'm proud of you" by Tim Madigan recounting his friendship with Mr. Fred Rogers a day before I began feeling blue. In the pages I turned to, Fred was quoted as saying something like, "Feelings are just there. Trying to act you don't feel a certain way does not make the feelings just go away."
That statement so consistent with the Mr. Rogers I grew up watching on PBS. He had the ability to take something that felt so big or overwhelming and broke it down in a very accessible, burden easing way. This little book I'm sure will be a great read.

Thanks to Fred's words, it was a little easier for me to admit to my family that I was trying to shake the blues and for the most part they have started to subside. The pressure of what causes my post Christmas blues has been let loose so that I can see that it truly is a beautiful day in my neighborhood, even if the blues did stop over at my house. The blues won't be in the house for long now since I've announced their presence. You can't escape the blues, but you can find someone to tell about it. If it would help you to share a statement of some blues, feel free to leave a comment to announce a visitor that may be hanging around. We can always sing the blues together.

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Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w

Gifts we have to give

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

Uphill idealist

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