Take back peaceful connections this season

O Come, O Come Emmanuel invites "God with Us" to come on our behalf in His many forms - Wisdom, Might, Salvation, Unity, and ultimately the King of Peace.

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" performed by Of King & Country

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! ... this year. In years past, I didn't. As Christmas approached, I became overwhelmed trying to create a "Normal Rockwell-worthy" Christmas. Decorating became a chore, attending parties a burden, choosing gifts and cards ended with decision fatigue and exhaustion... December was a blur, with a giant deadline that kept me awake at night.

Peace is a word thrown around often during the Christmas season, but can seem elusive during the rush of preparation and traditions. Celebrations meant for memorable fun often bring anxiety and stress that builds due to friends and family with conflicting views and personalities. Add to that our current political and social climate, it feels more challenging than ever to find common ground. We can all relate to the final line: "Bid all our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace".

"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." (Unknown)

Did you catch that? Peace is not the absence of stress, work, trouble, or noise. It is the presence of someone - God. When Jesus was faced with challenges, He modeled how to avoid temptation and remove anxiety. He separated Himself, found quiet time, centered His thoughts, and came into the presence of God through prayer.

This "model" is stated in Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything (every circumstance and situation) by PRAYER and PETITION (asking) with THANKSGIVING, continue to make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is His promise available to us. We can receive it and plan for success this season. Get quiet in God's presence and pray... whether it's five minutes or an hour, commit to set aside time EVERY day. Ask for His help to remove anxiety, stress, division, and the things that trigger it. Become aware of when your peace leaves you; when did it leave and why? Take back peaceful connections with your family and your friends. Guard your heart and mind with God's peace and take back the joy of the season.

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Peaceful Habits for a stress-free season & year...

A few years ago I decided I was done doing all the "extras". I removed the parts that we didn't love or need. I said no to the class party and that extra event. Nope, no cards this year. Nope, not baking five different cookies. I picked one... and it's actually made with love this year, not anger, weariness, and resentment.

Here are a few of the ways I seek peace. I'm still making progress, but I'm happy to say that I love Christmas again and my family likes to be around me - so that's worth celebrating!

1. Commit to quiet time and prayer. Maybe this is during your shower or commute to work. There are ways to make this a regular part of your day.

2. Commit to activity. Take a walk during lunch or grab a ten-minute online yoga video in the morning. Moving your body offers instant stress relief, which produces good endorphins and dopamine.

3. Pick the great... remove the good. Make your list of "Christmas to-do's" and do ONLY what brings you and your family joy. Erase the rest.

4. Give. Serve at an event or pick a charity to support financially. Find doable ways to give back. Serving or giving creates more endorphins, boosts gratitude, and increases joy.

5. Sleep. Sleep is critical to brain function, emotional well-being, weight maintenance, heart health, and immunity. Choose to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep.