Forget the Rush!

No matter how much we try to simplify our lives, December always seems to bring with it the inevitable Christmas Rush! I avoid malls at all cost but still stress creeps in.


When my children were growing up I spent every Christmas grumpy and stressed out. With grandchildren now, I don’t want Christmas to go by in a frazzled blur. I’m determined to slow down, enjoy putting a holiday puzzle together, making cookies, cupcakes and a gingerbread house.

We try to take the focus off presents and keep it on time with family and friends. It not only saves money but teaches our little ones that the true meaning of Christmas isn’t about what we have under the tree but Who is in our heart.




This week forget the rush! Find time to sit by the fire with the loved ones in your life and ponder the reason for the season…

The Gift of Salvation came to earth wrapped in a sweet baby boy…

Photos Courtesy 123RF Stock Photo

Lust :: Warning

Lust is our warning that danger is ahead.

In today’s media-driven, pornography-accepting world, you don’t hear much about lust. Most people won’t admit they do it, much less admit they have a problem with it.

When I was an active sex addict lust ruled my life. It didn’t matter what sparked it… once the idea or image was in my mind, the game was on. And sure as the sun comes up, trouble was ahead. It might not show up today or even tomorrow, but it was coming.

 

 …don’t think you’ve preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. ~ Matthew 5:28 MSG

Some will argue that it’s alright to break God’s rules as long as no one gets hurt. But the truth is, someone always gets hurt. God doesn’t have rules to keep us from having a good time, but to help us not destroy our lives. Just like a loving parent puts boundaries on a young child for their safety; God’s rules are for our protection.

Take it from someone who knows from experience… Lust is dangerous! From a generational perspective, the lust my father gave in to when I was a child had serious effects on me that I still deal with today. Lust was at the foundation of many bad things that happened in my marriage and my family.

We must beware when attracted to another person we aren’t married to. If given in to, our desires may lead us somewhere we don’t want to go. Lust is a warning sign from God. To stay strong, we must immediately ask God to change our desires before we are drawn into sin.  

 

So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 ERV