I hope by now Clark is finding rest in the Lord and realizing when you focus on the true meaning of Christmas that the holiday's don't have to be so stressful. And Charlie, well by not focusing on the negative and counting your blessings from the One who is Christmas, you can have a truly joyful time of the year.

The Grinch really struggles this time of the year. But wait, did he not have the dramatic transformation and history’s only internal heart transplant? Yes! But immediately following his transformation, the Grinch plunged himself into serving the people of Whoville. Volunteering for everything from the Fluggerlop Daughters of the Revolution Square Dance to the Whipperstinkle Memorial Food Drive, the Grinch filled every hour of his calendar with activity. Taking part in service opportunities, socials, church, and friend and family visits, he is constantly on the move. Busy, busy, busy! His theme song is...“Deck the halls with boughs of holly (and make candy for all the coworkers, and get the Christmas cards filled out and... Fa la la la la.” Though happier than ever with a new heart, he never has a moment to rest!

This is you if you sleep with your daily planner. Read Luke 10:38-42. Do Martha and the Grinch have anything in common? “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Lk 10:41

We often tend to feel that Martha gets no credit at all. We just need to realize that Mary chose to be near to her Lord! Come near this year to the one who is the reason for the season!

CPD Part 2

Only a few more days until Christmas and the Christmas Personality Disorders are rearing their ugly heads for many. Yesterday Clark Griswold stress meter was off the chart as he tried in his power to make the perfect holiday. What he, and we, need to remember is slow down and rest in the Lord, for he is the reason for the season.

Maybe you don't identify with Clark, how about Charlie Brown? Charlie Brown suffers from bouts of depression. Not the clinical kind, but the kind that happens when he focuses in on the negative. He apparently is wasting his nickels at the wrong psychiatrist. “I can’t kick a football, my dog is more popular than I am, I can’t understand a word the adults say, and everyone hates me because of my lame Christmas tree!” Charlie Brown lets himself be buried underneath the rubble of the world he believes has crumbled on top of him. Overlooking his blessings (the kid hasn’t aged a day in 50 years), Charlie focuses on the negative until he was Linus reminded them all of the real reason for the season.

Sometimes abundant happiness around us causes the bad to morph into worse. The depression clouds its victim, obscuring even friend’s and family’s laughter and cheer, creating an isolated Christmas. This is you if you if you have been singing the words to Elvis’ “Blue Christmas.”

What are you to do? Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Fits of depression come over most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy. There may be here and there men and women of iron… but surely the rust frets even these.”

Even King David experienced depression at difficult times. But he knew his hope was in the perfect Word of the Lord. "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statues of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." Psalm 19:7-9.

CPD Christmas Personality Disorder

I love Christmastime! I love the lights, the decorations, the parties, cooking, gift giving and the family time. Is that so bad? After all, we are celebrating the most grand birthday of all. The birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! The story of His birth is a fascinating one for sure. Why in the world would a King come off His throne to experience a birth in a stable and join humanity? Because of love. His love for you and me. So is it so bad that I would love to celebrate His birthday in a large way? Well no, not until the stuff of celebration over takes the celebration of the Savior. When that happens we develop CPD, Christmas personality disorder.

There are some famous personalities that have allowed the stuff of celebration get into the way and you may be able to just identity with one or more of them. Try Clark Griswald for starters. His CPD is stress! He’s the one who wears the Santa hat, has a Christmas wreath on the grill of his car and the house that jet planes mistake for the airport. It’s doubtful you will ever have to deal with a kidnapped boss, a colossal spruce tree, and a rabid squirrel, but you can probably relate to the Griswold Christmas on some level of the stress meter. The entire extended family is coming in and there’s still shopping to do, plus decorating the tree, cleaning the house, shopping for gifts, paying the bills, finishing projects at work or home, etc. Christmas is the most stressful time of year! Clark nearly broke down with all the madness that saturated his holidays. He placed pressure on himself to have the perfect Christmas instead of simply enjoying the time with his family. He got swept up in the madness and let the chaos mount until it was more than he could bear, creating a horrific holiday. This is you if the only white in Christmas is your changing hair color and your song goes something like this...“It’s the most wonderful time of the year. There’ll be parties for hosting, Marshmallows for roasting”… “oh my gosh! I have so much to do!” It’s the most stressful time of the year!

The cure, Jesus says, "slow down." Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62: 5-6

Slow down and focus on the real reason for the season. Read His Story and reflect on how it has changed your story.

Tomorrow we will look at another famous personality with CPD!

Merry Christmas!