December 21 The True Meaing of Christmas Is…

Affirmation: I am connected to God, myself and others.

Instead of telling people what they want, we need to tell them who they are. (Instead of telling myself what I want, I need to tell myself WHO I AM.)
You are, and I am: -God’s incredible creation.-Loved immensely and intensely.-Courageous, Compassionate and Connected -Talented, gifted and capable -Kind, loving, and thoughtful -Handsome and Beautiful -Important -Are enough and you Matter.
~~~~~~~~
Ponder, Personalize, Practice:  Practice loving God with all your heart, soul and mind and loving your neighbors as yourself each and every day. As you talk to God today tell Him how much you love Him and let your love be given to those you meet today.

“And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
~~~~~~~
Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown
Guidepost 1: Cultivating Authenticity and Letting Go of What Other People Think

Put Guidepost 1 Into Practice:
Identify who you are when you’re at your best. Make a list. (“When I’m at my best, I am ______.”) Then, make it a habit to show up in that way. Celebrate your best moments with a “That’s like me!”When I am at my best, I am…-aware that I am God’s incredible creation.-sure that I am Loved immensely and intensely.-Courageous, Compassionate and Connected -Acknowledging that I am Talented, gifted and capable -Kind, loving, and thoughtful -aware that I am Handsome and Beautiful -understanding that I am Important -reminded that I am enough and I Matter.
Notice when you’re trying to please others, or get caught up in worrying about what others think. Note these moments with a “Needs work” and shift back to your authentic self.~~~~~~~~~~
Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 
The Active Decision 

3. I AM A PERSON OF ACTION. I am Resilient 
I will create a new future by creating a new me. I inspire others with my activity. I am a leader. I will create a habit of lively behavior.
I will walk with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. My activity will create a wave of success for the people who follow me. As a leader, I have the ability to encourage and inspire others to greatness. I do not fear failure, because failure exists only for the person who quits.
I do not quit. I am courageous. I am a leader. I seize the moment. I choose now. I am resilient. 
~~~~~~
Reading for Today
Walk in Grace. Live in Love. By Bob Goff

December 21

The True Meaing of Christmas Is Putting Others First. Don’t Get Swept Up In The Hype. Stay Focused On The Help You Can Give.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”Romans 12:10.
If you have ever worked retail during the holidays, you know stores become mad houses that look like a cross between cage fighting, professional wrestling rings, mosh pits, and the carpool pick up line at an elementary school. Everyone gets so caught up in the Christmas spirit that they forget to be kind to the people who make their lattes and re-fold the clothes they throw in a pile on the shelf. If you are one of the millions of people who serve customers caught up in the Christmas spirit, you probably struggle to find Jesus in the midst of the gift-giving rage.

Don’t get me wrong – gifts are great. Who doesn’t love to watch kids unwrap the light saber they asked Santa for in July? But all the gifts and carols and pageants won’t point people to Jesus if we steam roll over them in our quest to construct the Christmas we see in catalogs.

Christmas is the time of year we set aside to remember the incarnation of Jesus. It is a time to celebrate God‘s decision to show His love for us by coming to live among us. And since He started in such a humble place, on a stack of hay, surrounded by donkeys, I bet He would want us to strip away some of the hoopla to get back to the basics of Christmas.

If we make the holidays about parties and presents alone, we will miss Jesus on his birthday. Let’s celebrate Christmas the way Jesus would want us to: by putting people first and being generous with our love.

Who are you putting first in your life?

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