| |
| |
|
Holidays Information |
|
|
|
Maybe This Christmas Will Be Different....
Have you always dreamed of a Norman Rockwell Christmas - where everyone is singing Christmas carols and there is joy in the house? Alas, your Christmas memories are often filled with Uncle Joe getting drunk and your parents ending up in a fight. By the end of Christmas day family members are mad and no one is talking to one another. Christmas can be very difficult if you grew up in a dysfunctional family and you choose to go home for Christmas. Often the holidays bring out the worst in families instead of the best. Old arguments that have never been resolved are reignited. Old wounds that you thought were healed are ripped open once again. Is there anything you can do to truly make this Christmas different? Here are a few suggestions: 1. Pray that God will give you the wisdom to know when to speak and when to stay quiet. Many times you won't win the age old argument. Is it worth the fight? 2. Have realistic expectations about what will happen at your family gathering. Often we dream and envision things will be different and our dreams are crushed once again. 3. Limit your time or choose not to place yourself in toxic situations. If you will be putting yourself or your children in physical or emotional danger you may need to choose to stay home. 4. Remember and be with your "adopted family". Often people from dysfunctional families have extremely close friends who feel like family. I have had several people tell me about a friend who is like a sister or a mother to them. You may choose to spend Christmas with your "adopted family". 5. Remember your heavenly Father loves you unconditionally and that he can meet your needs, even when your earthly family does not meet your needs. 6. Recognize that there is a difference between forgiveness and acceptance of actions. You can and should forgive family members and others who have hurt you. That does not mean their actions were acceptable. Also, you can be cautious of putting yourself into situations where you could be emotionally or physically harmed once again. 7. Don't be too hard on yourself. You may have made great progress in your own spiritual and emotional growth and find when you go home you are right back where you started. Dysfunctional family patterns have a tremendous pull. You can realign yourself when you return to your own home. 8. Make a conscious choice to raise your own children and live your life in a more healthy family. Decide what new Christ honoring traditions you want to start for your family. 9. Be open to and aware of other people who come from hurting families. You have a story you may choose to share of the healing that has occurred for you. You can give others hope. 10. Be aware that your own addictions may resurface. Those could include overspending, overeating, drinking, or drug use. Often we try to soothe our emotional pain by overspending or overeating. Above all I pray you will be kind to yourself. Have realistic expectations of what Christmas will be for your family. Create your own good memories with your own family or your "adopted family". Remember Mary's first Christmas was probably not what she expected. She probably did not plan on delivering Jesus in a barn, but what a blessed and glorious night. May God be your peace and joy this Christmas. © 2004 Kimberly Chastain About the Author Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in helping Christian women make the most of their lives. She is the author of the on-line course, "I Can't Say No" and Pearls of Encouragement for Christian Working Moms, a free e-book. If you suffer from "I Can't Say 'No" Syndrome, visit Kimberly's site today for the details on an exciting email course that's sure to set you free! http://www.christianworkingmom.com/online.htm. The Text Information Box above MUST be included for reprint privileges. You may reprint this article in it's entirety with the attached text box.
MORE RESOURCES:
Holidays - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
10 Reasons Santas Broke This Year 1. Santa Spends More Than He MakesSanta's paychecks are nothing to sneeze at, but he stays focused on his next raise. Tropical Christmas I can recall from my days in England, watching television at Christmas and seeing how others celebrated across the world. At one time I used to think about people in Australia, who seemed to be featured on the news every Christmas Day: "it's not like Christmas, hot weather and going to the beach". Making Gifts A Pleasure As we reach the time of year when Christmas items start to appear in the stores, and thoughts of vacations start to wind down with the shortening daylight, it is a good time to think about gifts. Not only the gifts, though, but also the practise of giving. Creative Christmas Gifts Christmas is always the time of year we consider to be the best opportunity to give something special to someone and show how much we appreciate him or her. The mall is full of wonderful, shiny and delicious gifts and the Internet offers countless items that we can send to someone without ever seeing the product in person. Gift of the Month Clubs: The Lazy Mans Guide to Gift Giving If you are like me and are a very lousy shopper and always end up getting everyone the wrong gift at Christmas time, think about a Gift-of-the-Month Club. G. Christmas and New Year Celebrations: How Significant? I remember vividly as if it were yesterday when I was only a little boy; I looked forward to Christmas and New Year holidays with an air of relief, satisfaction and relaxation. Relief, because I had the rare chance of putting a pause to the hectic and daily school schedule; satisfaction because it was a time to show off that cloth that 'daddy' bought for me and relaxation because I would go out with my family and friends to have a nice time. Fireplace Decorating Tips for Easter: Give Your Rooms Natural Focal Point an Easter Look Sure you decorate your fireplace and mantel for the winter holidays, but don't forget this important focal point in your room as Spring approaches. Here are some nearly-instant ideas for springtime and Easter fireplace decorating:Daffodils in crystal or glass vases on each end of your mantel bespeak the coming of Spring. Holiday Gift Ideas For Antique Lovers 1. Knowledge is Power. 5 Most Popular Styles of Christmas Ornaments Traditionally Christmas ornaments were bulbs of all the same color which were placed randomly throughout your Christmas tree. Over the past few decades, Christmas ornaments have developed into elaborate pieces of art which are delicately planned out and placed throughout the Christmas tree. Father's Day Gift Idea: Do-It-Yourself Backyard Pond Kit This Father's Day, sit back and enjoy a nice cold drink with your father, while he's beaming with pride from ear to ear. You are both relaxing next to the sounds of trickling water emanating from the new water feature that he just installed himself. Get Organised for Christmas... NOW! Hasn't time flown? Only six weeks to Christmas!Now you may think that you're too busy to even contemplate that far ahead, however if you don't get your act together and prepare well in advance, instead of enjoying that time you could end up being totally stressed and miss valuable opportunities.Your Business ChecklistHave you planned and booked the venue for your team break-up?Do you know who will be having holidays and who will be working?Do clients, suppliers, colleagues etc. Tips For Less Holiday Stress Holiday Stress? Some Tips For Having LessWe all dream of having wonderful holidays. We start each day full of the spirit of the season. Is Labor Day Passe In a word, yes !Labor Day, which started in 1882 to honor "the working man" or "little guy," has dengenerated into one of many meaningless paid employee holidays, and it is celebrated now by sailboat races, family picnics, and shopping sprees.Labor Day is a marker, signifying that summer is supposedly over, even if it's still 90 degrees outdoors. Valentine's Day Ideas for Singles Maybe your significant other is overseas in the military. Maybe you have suffered a recent divorce. Importance of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year.Oh, sure, Christmas is grand, and I know it has many, many fans. Nine Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Head To The Office Party One thing you can count on during the holiday season is the obligatory office party. No matter what the size of the organization, there is always an effort to bring coworkers together for one more moment of merriment. Rubber Stamping and Scrapbooking will Bring the Family Together During The Holidays No matter what celebration you and your family will rejoice in this holiday season, the common thread is family unity and the joy of sharing in the relationships with others.Remembering the past is always an important part when bringing the family together. Celebrate the 4th and Help a Soldier My good friend, Rae, just called and suggested having a Fourth of July cookout that supports our troops in Iraq. "How?" I asked, feeling somewhat guilty that we can drink margaritas and play lawn games with our families on Independence Day, while our troops in Iraq are risking life and limb. Tips For Singles on Surviving (And Enjoying) The Holidays Here you are, facing the holiday season alone. Have you been thinking about?*how alone and lonely you feel*excuses you can give family members as to why you can't come this year*what friends may be available to spend those long days with*how another year has passed and you are (still) single*how unfair it is that everyone else seems so happy and connected*how you will handle the office holiday party- single, take a friend, not attend*going to a far away (tropical?) place to escape it all*hiding out, alone, in your own homeIf these thoughts sound familiar it is probably time to reflect on your feelings regarding this holiday season. 5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Depression While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed.
|
| home | site map |
| Web Site Development - Search Engine Marketing: Dream Team Media |
