🎄'The Holidays are Upon Us!' 🎁

💚🦃🎄🎅🏾🤶🏼 The HOLIDAYS are upon us! 😳🎁🎈🎉...And, the reality that they are, means a bunch of different things to each individual person - all around the world! 👵🏾👨🏻‍🍳🤦🏼‍♀️🙋🏽‍♂️💃 The holidays trigger emotions in people, causing some to choose - happiness and joy, and others - to be sad, and - emotional, thoughts and feelings of ALL sorts, are prevalent - and, stirring within most human beings. 🎊 Personally, I deal with a variety of emotions, thoughts, feelings, etc. throughout this season, annually (they vary from year to year). 👩🏻 Many memories of past holidays often flow through my mind, which also bring - emotional responses - inside my being. 😢🤣😕😃 Some people - THRIVE - while enjoying - the shopping, cooking, and the such, while others, become -OVERWHELMED, and, STRESSED OUT, from the "pressures," that accompany this time. 😆 For me, being a Believer of Christ Jesus, the holidays, are a celebration of Jesus' incarnation (2 Corinthians 5:19), and, everything that correlates with - HIM and it!  I understand that, this time of year represents other things to people of other ethnicities, religions, etc., which, can be somewhat "tricky," in the USA (and, the beautiful "melting pot" that it is), while - trying to not offend anyone, and, living in the "politically correct" culture of "the day," in which we are living! I have opinions about such matters (political, religious, etc.), however, I choose to not share them on my blog.  And, I honestly - TRY to consciously respect my fellow "earth dwellers," despite our differences, as everyone SHOULD! 🌎☺️😊 Although, I really DO miss the days when we could celebrate the birth of 'The Savior of Mankind," publicly, and, freely, in the good ole 🇺🇸 USA!  😢✝️ Thankfully, we've come a long, positive way, in this country, with matters such as - civil rights, however, I miss the "good ole days," whenever, respect and honor, etc., were "the norm," toward humanity's 'REDEEMER' (GOD became flesh so that - ANY - human being - may be saved from Hell - JOHN 3:16), CHRIST JESUS!  HE deserves to be EXALTED above - everything, and everyone! 🙏🏼🇺🇸✝️🙌🏼 Back to the subject of "the holidays":  Some of my favorite (present tense) things about them, are:  observing the grandchildren enjoying themselves, listening to Christmas music sung by various artists, good - food and desserts, admiring the festive decorations, celebrations/parties - with loved ones, reminiscing about past holiday seasons, pondering upon the reason for the season (JESUS CHRIST / EMMANUEL / the Incarnation / ETC.), noticing and/or recalling, and thanking God - for the multitude of, blessings and provisions, ETC. with which HE has blessed - me and mine, sending and receiving - Christmas cards, giving - presents and 🎁 gifts - to bless others, and, precious unexpected "hugs" from the good Lord (an assortment), 'The Salvation Army Silver Bells' ringing - in the hands of generous volunteers - as the red kettles fill up - with donations from joyful people who - are expressing their Christmas blessing - through that giving, the people whom God has placed in my life - who are still here - with whom to celebrate, and, the "Christmas spirit," which, seems to illuminate from most people, ETC.! 😃💚❤️🎁 Speaking of people...they can be major blessings, and/or, "holy terrors," and, as the pressures from the various demands of the season intensify, the extremities of the people's (with whom we are socially connected) dominant characteristics intensify - also!  I pinned a post on 'Pinterest' yesterday, which says, "EMBRACE THE MOMENT," and, that is exactly what I ATTEMPT to do anymore - in my life, and, I must very often remind myself - to do so, especially, throughout the holidays, and, during other "stressful" times on this journey here on earth!  The devil uses people to upset other people, but, the Lord desires to use people to bless people!  I have to refresh my mind of the Bible Scripture which says that "we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood..." (Eph. 6:12+)!!!  I also oftentimes tell myself to cherish the peeps who God has put in my life, because, they are truly gifts from HIM to me!  And, to remember all of the loved ones who have passed away, and, how I wish (selfishly) that they were still here with me (I would not be dwelling upon their shortcomings - as I sometimes did whenever they were here)!  Then, I use those thoughts to encourage myself to choose and overlook the vices of the people who remain in my life, and, PRAY for HIS help when any of them "get on my nerves!!" HA!! 🤣😉🙏🏼 I depend upon praying - A LOT!  I lean on Jesus to help me - in all areas of life!  During the holidays, and, other stressful times, I get overwhelmed quite frequently, and, the anxiety with which I've been battling can go "Sky high!!" 😫 Thankfully, I am also learning to "cast all of my cares upon HIM" (1 Peter 5:7)! 😳🙏🏼 ENJOYING life is a CHOICE (Colossians 3:2)!  And, our Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy this precious life in which HE has given us (John 10:10)!  HE desires to help us actually DO SO! 🙏🏼✝️📖🕊 I am determined to continually choose to enjoy this holiday season (and thereafter), in which I find myself, as I hope that you do, also!  This very second is the only segment of time in which any of us is guaranteed, so, we would be wise to make the very best of it, and, especially - Believers!! 😘 After all, this is partly the purpose of the Incarnation of Christ (enjoyment of life)!  BOTTOM  LINE:  enjoyment of the holidays (anything in life) is a CHOICE!  The Lord wants us to enjoy the holidays (and ALL of  life's seasons), desires to assist us in doing so, and, has provided everything we need to actually DO it!  However, it is our choice - whether or not - we LET HIM help us! 😉😏 The prayer in which I pray the most - is:  "PLEASE, HELP ME, LORD!" 😫🙏🏼 I'll be praying this orayer - OFTEN - during the next month or so, because, I'm determined to enjoy this 2018-'19 holiday season!  Happy holidays, and, Merry Christmas, ya'll!!  🎁🎈🎉 I hope that - you too - CHOOSE - to enjoy ALL of it (the holidays, 🎄 Christmas, today, this second...ALL of LIFE), despite - ALL of the - aggravations, frustrations, circumstances, situations, ETC.!!😘 🙏🏼✝️📖🕊💖...👋🏼...until next post...