It's Christmas Time

Ho Ho Ho ~ it’s that time of the year again…I’m in denial … again! It can’t be … can it? (lol … I never change – in some things)…

The lead-up to Christmas is an opportunity to reflect on the past year and take a look back over the highs and lows. It is a valuable time to take stock of what our purpose for this past year amounted to, and evaluate our personal goals. So how did you score? Did you achieve what you set out to achieve?

That’s why Christmas newsletters are so good. It gives us a chance to hear each other’s highlights for the year (and sometimes the low points ~ don’t worry…we’re all in this together ~ everyone has them). I want to thank those of you who diligently put together the family Christmas newsletter and let you know that yes, we do read them and we value them. It is such a wonderful way to keep in touch and updated.

This year, I would like to share something that’s been on my heart lately, and, as Christmas is looming, my two bobs worth fits in quite nicely here. This is the season to be jolly and I wanted to share about a powerful three-letter word…joy.

Christmas Spirit – Joy

The ‘big day’ means many different things to all people. Beside all the obvious family togetherness, the real purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

My prayer for all is that, Christmas is a time for joy, no matter what your circumstances may be. And I continue that prayer to encompass all times…for joy is not meant to be contained and hidden away.

During our toughest and enduring times, do we always remember the things we have; the ones who love and care for us here on earth, and importantly, the One who is in Heaven? Are we joyful?

Material things are nice, but how much importance do we give them? This year, think about giving something that is truly special this year ~ your time. Spend some of your valuable time with those you love and care for, and maybe think too about spending some time with someone who is lonely. Time is one of the greatest gifts of all. Time is important and it means so much when it is shared with us. Time spent with others creates special memories that perhaps will be remembered for a lifetime.

Just a thought: I wonder what Christmas would be like if, just once, we didn’t buy commercial gifts, but rather gave of our time, by either spending time with others, or making something special for them? A lot can be said for handmade gifts. They generally come from the heart. What joy might be found in making time and giving of it freely, especially in our time-poor society? Who, along with me, derives much joy from giving?

Joy is markedly different from feeling happy. We can still feel joyful, even when we feel sad or we are having a tough time.

Knowing God helps in this area of life. Knowing that God is always there for us, and living by faith, and not by sight helps us to be joyful.

Joy is an important gift that we need to share in this world.

Hidden joy is a sin of humanity.

A smile costs us nothing, yet it can leave someone feeling immensely uplifted. A kind or gentle word can sometimes be enough encouragement for someone to believe in themselves. How do you feel when someone takes time to smile at you? I know it makes me feel good.

Smiles these days seem harder to come by. A lot of people put their heads down and walk on by. We are all so busy and it seems society dictates the standard where people feel the need to live more privately and cocooned. Privacy is valued, but reaching out to others is a way to experience joy.

The reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to give thanks for why God sent Him to be with us. ‘And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Luke 17 (NLT). Let’s all try to remember to be joyful for what we have in life and give thanks with a grateful heart.

My prayer for all is that you experience joy during this coming Christmas season and into the coming new year. I pray that if each of us makes an effort to share joy in this world, we will all be winners, for instantly, we will have made our world a better place to be. Just something to think about… God bless xx

Fancy That

For some reason whenever I take a trip or go on a holiday I seem to get caught up in taking photos of nature's wonderland.

I don't show any interest when I am at home, probably because I'm too busy with everyday life, but send me on a holiday with a camera and suddenly I aspire to be the next Ken Duncan. Not really, but I don't know where this inspiration comes from.

Could there really be a little bit of fantasy mixed up in this urge? We all know that when we are away on holidays, we can be almost anyone we want to be.

Maybe pretending to be a hot shot photographer is one of my fantasies. I've never really thought that one out loud before, but perhaps it is tucked away in my inner soul just longing for the next holiday to reveal its hidden talents.

Or maybe is is just simply about stopping to smell the roses.

Whatever the reason, it is an enjoyable way to spend some of my 'rest' time, taking notice of the intricate ways nature interacts with its world.

On one trip up north last year we were blessed to spend some time on the coast. There's a lot to be said for kicking shoes off and feeling the sand between your toes. You can literally feel the healing properties of the sun's rays penetrating your soul.

The time spent on the beach allowed me to get up close and personal with nature first hand. I sometimes felt like the paparazzi of nature, instead of movie stars.

I am a mere mortal when it comes to taking photos, but on holidays, I actually start to think about the shot; the position of the subject, angles and light. This is a little different to the snap photography at home; quick head shots of friends and family members doing life.

I actually enjoyed getting down close to the earth where I could smell the salty sand and vegetation to take my photos.

On a trip out to Mt Isa earlier this year, my significant other took me for a drive to the deserted township of Mary Kathleen. What an interesting place. Here, my interest in nature sprung to life as I tried to capture every imaginable angle of the many gorgeous ghost gums I discovered in and around the many old foundations of the once vibrant uranium mining town.

The smooth, cool white of the trunks stood out in contrast to the rough and tumble of the surrounding relics and scrub. I saw beauty in every tree, each unique in its own way.

Ghost gums are my absolute favourite type of tree and if I ever contemplated hugging a tree, it would definitely be a ghost gum.