Super Saturday: Let's Focus on Reruns

Do you like reruns?

We usually like new things better than a repeat of something we've seen or done before, but there is value in reruns.

Reruns can show us something we missed when we saw it the first time.

Reruns can introduce someone to something they weren't even around to enjoy the first time it was produced.

Reruns can seem brand new when you get old enough to forget the first time you saw it. (We've been watching some of the Marvel movies recently and I'm amazed at how often I don't know what's going to happen next, even though I know we've watched the movie before.)

So I'm going to do a sort of "rerun" for my blog post this week. 

If you're feeling like me, you're maybe a bit stressed about all that has to get done before Christmas arrives on Tuesday.

Last Sunday I sang my "It Is Well" Christmas Stress Song in church. I wrote it for Gary five years ago and he asked me to sing it for our new congregation. 

It's a good reminder for all of us as we prepare for that special day. Gifts, cards, and meals are all good, but the most important thing to focus on is Jesus. Keeping him first in our minds and hearts can help us put things in perspective and bring a little more peace into our lives during this busy time.

I'll keep this short for those of you that have heard me sing it recently, but I'll print the words below and include a link so you can see me when I sang it for the first time back in Allison, Iowa in 2013.

Merry Christmas to you all!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

Are you stressed out about Christmas? How can focusing on God help you to feel more peace in the days ahead?

"It Is Well" Christmas Stress Song (by Robyn Mulder)

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

"It is well, it is well with my soul"

It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul

(to the tune of "Good Christian Men, Rejoice")

Christmas is almost here

I tremble with great fear

Cards aren't mailed and gifts aren't wrapped

I think I'll have a heart attack

Have to make that great big meal

And stress and strain are all I feel

I can hardly say... I can hardly say...

It is well, it is well with my soul

I have to change my attitude

Change it to one of gratitude

Set aside the things undone

And focus on the only one

Jesus Christ the newborn king

Is more than all these other things

I can almost say...  I can almost say...

It is well, it is well with my soul

I think my Christmas joy will start

I feel a peace within my heart

Gifts and food are good to give

But this is how we really live

Giving thanks for everything

Now my heart can truly sing

Christ is born today...  Christ is born today

(to the tune of "It is Well with My Soul")

When Christmas is coming and my stress level climbs

Let this be the thought that controls

The babe in the manger was born for these times

And his life was lived here for our souls

It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul

*Here's a link to the song on Youtube.

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Christmas

It's December 22. Just three days until December 25.

Am I ready for Christmas? No.

I finally got the kids to help me put the decorations on our tree tonight.

There is one measly wrapped present under the tree, and it's for Erin from Blake.

I haven't sent a single Christmas card.

We haven't made Christmas cookies yet.

I haven't freaked out about all of this, but I'm kicking myself for not getting started sooner on the things I could have done weeks ago. Obviously some of this will have to wait until after Christmas next week.

When I went to pick out a background for this week's graphic, I typed "Christmas" into Google images and picked out this pretty picture:

Before I started adding text, I suddenly realized I was making a big mistake.

Pretty Christmas decorations are definitely part of the Christmas celebration, but they are not the best representation of this special holiday.

As a Christian, the nativity scene is the best image for me to use when we focus on Christmas. 

Jesus was born in that lowly stable. Mary and Joseph welcomed God to our world in the body of a tiny human baby. That baby grew up and died on a cruel wooden cross to pay for all of our sins. Amazing!

It's nice to put up a Christmas tree...

See the one pitiful present? It's not all my fault - the kids mostly want money this year.

sing carols, bake cookies, enjoy the pretty light displays, and exchange gifts with friends and family members, but the most important part of Christmas is worshiping God by focusing on His Son Jesus. 

My Grandma Morrison gave me this nativity scene for Christmas many years ago.

If we do that, we can have a truly wonderful Christmas, no matter what does or doesn't get done from our to-do lists.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 NIV)

Are you ready for Christmas? How can focusing on God help you to relax and enjoy the real meaning of this holiday instead of becoming stressed about getting everything done? 

*A few years ago, I wrote a song for Gary and sang it in church for Special Music. Check out my "It Is Well" Christmas Stress Song on Youtube.

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Christmas

It's almost Christmas. Are you ready?

You'll be happy to know that we finally decorated our tree last weekend:

I finally got online and ordered some presents for the kids, but they're not wrapped yet.

Our Christmas letters are not done (I can partly blame a broken printer for that). They'll wait until next week when we get a new printer.

My depression has flared up a bit over the last week or so, but I'm doing what I can to stay on top of it and not let it get worse. Part of the reason I'm feeling down, I think, is that my knees have been bothering me since our hiking trip in the Grand Canyon, so I haven't been exercising very much. It really makes a difference!

As you've probably figured out by now...my Focus Friday posts usually contain things that I'm thinking about or struggling with. I wish I could just write a cheerful entry about the joys of Christmas, but I have to acknowledge that it can be a stressful time of year and many people may struggle with emotional problems around the holidays.

If you are experiencing any of that, try to lower your expectations and focus on the real reason for this season: Jesus Christ. 

God came to earth as a tiny baby. It's almost too much for our human brains to comprehend, but if we stop and really think about what that means it can help us get our perspective back. 

Jesus lived and died here on earth for us. And it all started in that stable many years ago.

So, I have one more day to get ready for Christmas, but as I wrap presents and bake cookies and write my Christmas letter I'm going to think about that baby and how thankful I am for his birth, his life, and his death. He did all of that for me, and that gives me hope. 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

"She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21 NIV)

Do you get too stressed out around the holidays? How can focusing on God help you to feel more peace and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Feelings

Merry Christmas!

It may seem logical to focus on Christmas today, but I want to turn our focus to something else. Don't get me wrong. It's important to focus on the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I love Him so much and I will be thinking often today about how God the Son came to earth in the form of a tiny human baby. It's amazing that He lived and died for each of us.

Something happened today and I wanted to write about it. At first I thought about waiting a week, but then I realized that it just may help someone else dealing with similar feelings during this holiday season.

Today I found out that someone was really hurt by something I said a few weeks ago. I didn't find out from the person who was hurt. I heard it from someone else. I was so shocked to learn about this that I could barely concentrate on the rest of my friend's story. My brain started to race as I contemplated all aspects of the situation.

I can't remember saying anything hurtful. What did I say? I've seen this person several times since then. I didn't think anything was wrong, have they been wondering why I don't seem more bothered by the "situation" I didn't even know about?

Most of all, I thought How can I fix this?

I asked Gary about it and he suggested that I just let it go. It might make things worse if I brought it up. I think he's right, but I need to do some intense praying about it. I hate it when I've disappointed someone or hurt them unintentionally. It may also be a bit of a pride thing, because part of my reason for wanting to go "fix" it was so I could defend myself and explain that I hadn't meant to say something hurtful. The fact is, even though I can't remember what I said, someone felt hurt by my words.

I was going to try to let it go and forget about it, but I did think about it quite often today. I think there are some things that we can learn from this, especially as many of us spend time with friends and family during this holiday season.

1) Be careful with your words.
    In my situation, I really don't remember saying anything hurtful, but someone took it that way. All of us need to be careful to speak kindly to others. We don't have to be paranoid about saying the wrong thing, but we can be thoughtful as we interact with others and be sensitive to how someone may take our words.

2) Try to think well of others.
     Let's not automatically assume that someone is trying to hurt us when they say something. Sometimes the other person is just trying to make conversation or they might even be attempting to joke around with us but it comes across poorly. I wish my friend had thought "Robyn doesn't usually say things like that" and asked me about what I meant instead of assuming that I was being hurtful and then holding on to that hurt. Remember how many times you've gone home from some event and thought "Boy, I wish I hadn't said that!" People make mistakes. 

3) Don't hold a grudge.
     If your sister-in-law says something you consider snarky at the family Christmas party, try to let it go quickly. (You can vent to your spouse or best friend about it first if you must) If you keep all of her snarky comments in your mind, it's definitely going to affect how you think about her and treat her in the future. Forgiving others and letting it go will allow you to treat people with patience and love. 

4) Sometimes you just have to talk to the offender.
     This can be difficult. We would rather hold on to our hurt feelings and nurse that grudge instead of talking to someone about how hurt we feel. It's risky. We may find that they really did mean to be hurtful (that's a topic for another Focus Friday) but often we may find that they are horrified to find out that something they've said has hurt us and they will be happy to clear up the misunderstanding. 

I hope everyone enjoys some very fun family gatherings. Keep these tips in mind as you interact with others. People are going to say some really dumb things. They might hurt your feelings. Either let it go or talk to the person who has offended you. That's the way to keep peace in your heart this Christmas.

 "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13 NIV)

Has someone hurt your feelings? How can focusing on God help you to either let it go or be courageous enough to talk to the person who has offended you?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Coming Home

By about this time next Friday, five of the six of us in our family will be home and then I'll pick Erin up from the airport on Saturday night at about midnight.

Erin has been in Germany.
Allison has been in Chicago.
Blake has been in Orange City, Iowa.

Gary and Dylan and I have survived the semester at home with just the three of us. Through the miracles of technology, we have been able to see the other three kids quite often on facebook video chats.

I'm excited to have all of us home again. I'm also a little nervous. It may take some time to adjust to living in close proximity once again. 

Erin had her own apartment for several years and now she may live with us for a semester while she does her student teaching in Cedar Falls.

Allison loved exploring Chicago on public transportation and  being on her own. She's looking for a job, but she may be occupying her usual spot on our couch for a while until she finds something.

Blake has enjoyed dorm life and the freedom of being a college student.

Will we survive the readjustment period? I think so. Because we love each other and we are family.

Maybe you're looking forward to the holidays with a bit of trepidation as well. Having all of your children (and possibly their families, too) back under your roof can be fun but it can lead to some tense discussions or situations where everyone gets on each other's nerves.

We must go into the holidays with realistic expectations. It will not be perfect. Do not expect it to be perfect. When things don't go as planned, remind yourself that it's okay. Your relationship with your children (whether they're two or forty-two) is more important than whether everything looks wonderful on your holiday table or if everyone loves the gifts you picked out for them. If someone gets a little cranky you don't have to let it ruin your celebration by responding with just as much crabbiness.

Try to talk to God as you go through this Christmas season. Pouring out your joys and your disappointments to Him can be one way to make it through the holidays with grace. Reminding yourself that God loves you completely may help you keep smiling even when you get some negative vibes from college-age children who think they know much more than you do. (Not that I ever get such vibes from my children, you know.)

We want our children to come home and visit during special times of the year like Christmas. Sometimes that isn't possible, but we still try to connect somehow with our families. It's even more important for each of us to "come home" and connect with God during this special time of the year.

I hope you have been connecting with Him all year long, but if you haven't, now is a great time to spend some time reading the Bible and talking to Him. If you've been far away, it may take some time to readjust, but He is a perfect Father who is ever so patient with us and longs to spend time with us. 

It's time to come home.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30 NIV)

Are you nervous about the holidays? How can focusing on God give you the right perspective and help you not just endure your holiday celebrations but really enjoy them this year?