Month: December 2017

Until Christmas Day, the daily devotionals will follow the church’s “Light The World” campaign. I would love to hear how you and your family are lighting the world each day!

“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39)

Sometimes as life gets crazy and hectic with small children, schedules, Christmas parties, and TO DO lists it is really easy to get stuck stressing about all our STUFF. At these times I find if I can get out of my self and serve someone else, it can really change my perspective. Things that seemed so urgent suddenly don’t seem so important and it is easier to let little things slide and focus on what is important–including an added measure of patience for my children and their antics.

However, we can’t forget the last two words of this very important scripture: “as thyself.”  It is easier to love our neighbors than to love ourselves sometimes. But as much as it is important for us to serve others and treat them well, we must also treat ourselves well. We need to cut ourselves some slack and release the grip on our expectations of perfection–a standard we would never dream of holding someone else to. We need to see our own value and give ourselves some love. Only then will we be able to share that love with our neighbors.

Meditation/Journaling Prompt: What is your family doing to love your neighbors today? What can you do to allow yourself to love YOU, just as you are today?

For the next 25 days the daily devotionals will follow the church’s “Light The World” campaign. I would love to hear how you and your family are lighting the world each day!

“Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

I think the key to today’s Light the World challenge is in the word “freely.” It is easy to focus on what we might receive from giving. Really, there is no truly free giving, because serving always blesses the one who serves–oftentimes more than the one who is served! But that is no reason not to try! Our father in heaven has given us so much. He pours his blessings upon us even, and sometimes especially, when we are undeserving. He loves us and wants great things for us. The goal today is to find a way to show that kind of love. To find someone who we might otherwise see (even subconsiously) as undeserving and find a way to give. To find a way to give without expecting anything in return. Today I am taking my kids to a local homeless shelter to donate some gently used toys that don’t get played with much. Gathering and deciding which toys to give was a little hard for my boys. It was hard for them to see that they didn’t NEED every toy car, just a few. Toys that hadn’t received a second glance in years suddenly became their most prized posessions. The “freely” is a little harder for them. But I have faith in their goodness and that when they see children in need–not just the idea of them, but see them in person–that they won’t hesitate to give.

Meditation/Journaling Prompt: How can you give freely today?