I highly recommend Joyeux Noel, a beautiful film which tells the story of a Christmas Eve WWI cease fire.  Soldiers from Germany, France and Scotland find peace in the midst of war, and friendship with those they’ve been taught to hate.  Based on the true story.  The acting, music and scenery are stunning!

Michael Gott sings of this special night on his Christmas CD.  The song is entitled, Christmas in the Trenches.  Both the music and the movie are fitting reflections this time of year as we are mindful of all those who serve our country in the military. 

Okay, friends.  There’s no turning back: the holidays have officially begun. 

Today I am thankful for:

• a home to entertain my family, raise our daughters, and work and live in;
• music that lifts my heart and mood;
• watching movies with my loved ones;
• my health.

For what are you grateful this Thanksgiving Day?

Gratitude comes first.
All the beauty that surrounds us,
the people we love,
even the things we fuss over or take for granted
are gifts from God.
We didn’t create this world,
but now we’re blessed to participate in it.
So, it is our first response
to give thanks for all we have in our lives.
As the Christmas season approaches,
Let’s remember all we have been given,
and with open hearts,
thank God for everything in our lives.
For when we do,
our lives will be transformed.
Viewed through grateful eyes,
we will see goodness in the people and circumstances
of our lives, and
we’ll trust more completely the
Divine Providence that wills great joy for us
and for those we love.
Say “thank you” first, and often.
Then, be grateful again for how light your heart feels
after you’ve said these simple life-affirming words.
Gratitude comes first. — Maria Rodgers O’Rourke

This year it will be different.  Really.  Retailers are bracing for a Christmas shopping season only slightly better than last year’s, due to the ongoing economic recovery and consumers’ trend toward saving money and avoiding credit card debt.  These indicators point to a different tone this year, perhaps one where Americans will seek the comforts of the season without the material extravagance that characterized past Christmases.

Rather than dwelling on what our economic condition will deprive us of this year, we can ponder the opportunity it gives us to recreate our Christmas observance.  For years I’ve heard friends and family (and me!) complain about the craziness of the season, how hectic and packed our days are, and how little time and energy we have to appreciate our loved ones.  We commiserate, but do little to change.  Perhaps the lack of disposable dollars will set the boundary we need to focus our time and efforts on events, people and things that are truly meaningful to us.

This year can be different.  Let’s take this opportunity to envision and create a great holiday season.  Let’s start by getting a clear picture of what the ideal Christmas season is.  This vision will be different for everyone, because it is a wonderful amalgamation of warm memories and joyful anticipation unique to each of us.  Here’s one way to get started.

Music is a wonderful source of inspiration, so pull out some of your favorite holiday music.  If you’re not ready to open that floodgate just yet, listen to something soft and contemplative.  As a compromise, I listen to my Hidden Christmas Tracks.  Take a few deep breaths and consider these questions:

1. The highest vision for my Christmas season is….

2. What must I become to empower this vision?

3. What must be released?

4. What must I embrace to empower this vision?

5. Anything else I need to know to empower this vision?

(This is a simple visioning process that can be applied to any concern or idea in your life.  My thanks to Michael Gott for this process.)

What’s important in this case is to allow meaningful experiences from past Christmases to come to mind, along with your hopes for this year’s observance.  Most likely, there are things you’ve always wanted to do during the holidays “if I had more time!” Try not to edit any idea as too outrageous or difficult to achieve.  Give yourself permission to dream.   Jot all these thoughts down and complete the first statement on the list.  Then, reflect on the answers to the next four questions.  Note how each focuses on the internal transformation necessary to move you from commiseration to empowerment in creating a great Christmas for those you love, and yourself.

This year, it will be different!

Coming up:  Create and Prioritize your Holiday To-Do List

Don’t let the perfect stand in the way of the good.

Today, this quote was attributed to deceased Senator Kennedy, in a description of his style in navigating Capitol Hill politics.  But, it occurs to me, isn’t this also great advice for life in general, and holiday celebrations in particular?

We often hold in our minds the “perfect” idea for our family members, homes, work, etc.  At Christmas time, it gets even worse.  Maybe there are other possibilities–good enough possibilities–for what our holiday celebrations will look like.  Only when we’re willing to let go of the perfect celebrations will we be delightfully surprised to find that “good” may be the “best” after all.

Last year, due to the drop in the economy, my extended family decided to forego the annual gift exchange and hold a “white elephant” gift party.  While a few were sad at the prospect of going without “real presents,” others got into the spirit of it and the exchange turned into a silly laugh-fest.  In the end, I think we all realized that we didn’t need the “stuff” anyway; just being together was good enough.

Dear reader:

Think of a time you released the perfect and focused on the good?  How did that play out for you?

Today in Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas we read: 

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

Think about good things. Too often, our thoughts drift to recounting our transgressions or replaying scenes of conflict, searching for the perfect retort—the “I wish I would have said …” comment that influence our opponents.

Or we live waiting for the proverbial “other shoe” to drop. Recently, I remarked to an acquaintance about the weather on a particularly beautiful day. He responded, “Yeah, if only it’d stay this way.”  As soon as good things happen, we brace ourselves for the next bad thing to come along.

St. Paul proposes a different mindset. Instead of focusing on what isn’t working, waiting for the next bad thing to happen, he suggests we turn our attention to what is working. What is working is evidence of the kingdom in our midst. Paul describes a vision of heaven, and it’s exciting to realize there’s proof positive of it in our world.

For today, pay attention to your thoughts. When they slip to the negative, or you find yourself replaying a difficult scene in your mind, stop. Turn your attention to something good or worthwhile in the situation, and focus on that. Be sure to pray for those you’re in conflict with; it is remarkable how God’s grace will release the tension when you do. 

Every year, I wait for the Christmas song that I hear as if for the first time.  It was officially past Christmas day when I heard this year’s. 

At church I picked up the hymnal and randomly opened to It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.  Reading the full text of the song, I realized I’d never heard all four verses:

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!”
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

The song spoke to me on many levels, and the one most profoundly was the last verse’s vision of the days to come when a new earth and heaven will proclaim the song the angels sing to us this day. 

A little web research revealed that It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was written by Edmund Hamilton Sears in 1849. The carol started life as a poem written by its author who was a minister living in Massachusetts at the time. The music for It Came Upon A Midnight Clear was composed by American musician Richard Storrs Willis in 1859 who was inspired by the words of the poem.
 

Hi, Friends!

I took the last few days off from blogging to devote time to my family and our Christmas celebration.  I have so much to be thankful for.  We had a wonderful Christmas day with our little family in the morning and then my extended family in the afternoon and evening.  Today and tomorrow will include time with Steve’s family.

I was delighted to hear Christmas tunes continuing on the radio!  In years past, the songs have stopped on the 26th.  Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas doesn’t stop on the 25th, either.  There are wonderful reflections to continue throughout the holidays and some great visioning and planning suggestions to get you started on a great 2009.

Stay tuned as I add to my Hidden Christmas Tracks list and continue to podcast.  To listen to today’s or past podcasts, scroll down the left side of the website to find a green box, click “play” and there you are!  Click “posts” to see a list of past podcasts.

Thanks and Happy Christmas-ing!

Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas helps remind us to be grateful everyday for the beauty around us.  Children know how to do this instinctively!
Last Friday night we took a break from holiday preparations and cuddled on the couch with our youngest daughter.  With her head on my lap and her feet on her dad’s, she was the picture of contentment. 
As she gazed at our Christmas tree, she sighed, “Sometimes, I just want to hug the tree.  It is so beautiful!” 
The warmth and love I felt in that moment has carried me for several days now.  I am so grateful for daughters and the delightful Christmas Moments we’ve shared this season.

In Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas we read:

What are the miracles you’ve experienced in your life?  How did they change you?  Is your heart open for a miracle this season?

My husband and I are reviewing the miracles in our life together lately, and just last night committed to ramping up our gratitude practice by sharing our individual lists every evening.  We’re facing a lot of unknowns this season, and by expressing gratitude for the blessings we have received we’ll be more open to the miracles that are undoubtedly on the way.  You see, we’ve experienced miracles before, so we trust that they’ll continue our way.  We don’t know how it will all work out, but we know it will.  That, for now, is enough.