Don't Take Down the Christmas Spirit

When I was in high school psychology my teacher said a comment about the psychological side of Christmas that I will never forget.  He commented that studies had been done to ask kids to draw Santa Claus before and after Christmas.  The pictures before Christmas were depicting Santas that filled up the page; whereas the Santas drawn after Christmas tended to be much smaller.


The Christmas "spirit" tends to die about the 27th of December.  This is a shame, even though I am as guilty as anyone.  It seems the more work you put into the more you dread taking it all down and putting it away.  Your house may look more bare than before, as the Christmas decorations were really filling up your house.  Though the tree may have to be put away, may spirit of kindness continue on...which brings us to this week's quote...

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away

 like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself...

~ Norman Wesley Brooks - "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

This year, though the presents will be unwrapped, the stockings will get emptied, may the spirit that goes along with Christmas be something that continues well into the 2010 year!

Let's not put away the spirit of loving, sharing, giving and kindness!

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E-mail Encouragement: Rekindling Others

Just the other day, I was going through the line at our local grocery store. I have gone through her line many times. Each time I approach to be waited on, I ask something of her day, ending with her name (“How are you, [name]?). After all this time, she asks me, “How do you know my name?” I say, “It’s on the receipt.” She replied, “Oh.” Then, I was off to get ice (because I don’t like to grab it and stand in line for it to possibly melt), I responded, “I like to call people by name if I know it because it is better to say a name than not.” I could tell that it kind of opened her eyes and brightened her day, to an extent. Something as simple as calling someone by name can make someone feel good. That brings us to today’s quote…

• In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. - Albert Schweitzer

Whether it is calling someone by their name, remembering a birthday, a random act of kindness, a card/e-mail/text of encouragement, sharing Jesus with a lost soul, or something else, you can make a world of difference in their life and in the Kingdom by a simple encounter. What happens in that encounter is totally up to you.

How will you rekindle someone’s spirit today? Giving a compliment, calling them by name, listening to their struggles, being patient,…how?

Let me know any situations you were the flame burst-er or had your flame bursted – what happened?

I hope you have a great end of your week!

Anticipating the encounters ~