Holding onto Christmas Joy

Focus on the things that bring you joy

To continue a tradition that I started last year here are some fun and/or sentimental Christmas quotes:

“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars, and open a jar of it every month.”
- Harlan Miller

“There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions.”  – Bill McKibben

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold; everything is softer and more beautiful.”
- Norman Vincent Peale

“I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.”
- Bernard Manning.

“You know you’re getting old, when Santa starts looking younger. “ – Robert Paul

“The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.” – Johnny Carson

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
- Hamilton Wright Mab

“He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.”
- Sunshine Magazine

Holding onto Christmas Joy

We all have circumstances in life that have the potential to rob us of joy.  Whether it be personal, career, business, political, etc. we all face things that if allowed can shift our focus to things that will rob our joy. Princeton University did an extensive study in 2004 that showed that most joy comes from focusing on what you already have rather than what you lack.

I don’t know what circumstance you’re facing.  I have no idea, but I do know this.  You have a choice.  Is the situation going to rob you of joy?  Are you going to let it steal from you?  Consider Philippians 4:8 which says, “And, now, dear brothers and sisters one final thing, fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”  I can be full of joy for this reason, because I can focus on what I have, rather than what I lack.  I can focus on a God who no matter what I go through, He will always be right there with me.

I heard a story a while back about a missionary who lived in China. The missionary heard about a village that was tormented by a gang of bandits.  The bandits went into the village and they burned everything. They burned, they beat up, they raped, and they ruined. It was an ugly, ugly scene.

The Missionary decided he wanted to go there and hope and pray with the people. When he arrived he found a little hymn book with some Christian songs in it, and he said it was all burned except for one line on one page.  And it said this… “Joy to the world.  The Lord has come.” He showed that to the pastor of that village, and the people of the village all began to sing the song together.

He said tears rolled down his face, because of this reason; he said, “I could not believe that these people would sing out, ‘Joy to the world.  The Lord has come.  Let earth receive her King.’”

He said, “Here it is.  They’ve been robbed, raped, some murdered, and yet they’re still in the middle of it saying ‘God, we’re not going to let the circumstances push us away.  We’re going to let the circumstances pull us closer to you.’”

Here’s my challenge to you is this; don’t sell your joy for anything.  Don’t let anything derail you from joy. Commit to hanging on to Christ; decide that you will not sell Him out for anything.  We’re all going to go through circumstances, it’s how you respond to it that makes all the difference.  Let every single circumstance push you closer to God.  Remember this… the Lord is my shepherd, and he’s not going to let you go.

Merry Christmas!

Until Next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”  – Philippians 4:4

A leader’s “Cushion of the Sea”

This Christmas seek refuge from the Storms of Life in "The Cushion of the Sea"

Just for fun I am starting this post with some fun and/or warm and fuzzy Christmas Quotes…

‘Top 10′ List of Favorite Christmas Quotes:

Favorite Christmas Quotes #1
The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
-Burton Hillis

Favorite Christmas Quotes #2
The only blind person at Christmastime is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
-Helen Keller

Favorite Christmas Quotes #3
Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.
-Dave Barry

Favorite Christmas Quotes #4
Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.
-Dale Evans Rogers

Favorite Christmas Quotes #5
This, the spirit of Christmas, that forever and ever endures. May it leave its richest blessing in the hearts of you and yours.
-Author Unknown

Favorite Christmas Quotes #6
Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year.
-Victor Borge

Favorite Christmas Quotes #7
Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.
-Larry Wilde

Favorite Christmas Quotes #8
From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other.
-Emily Matthews

Favorite Christmas Quotes #9
The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.
-WC Jones

Favorite Christmas Quotes #10
Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.
-Unknown

www.famous-quotes-and-quotations.com/christmas-quotes.html

On a more serious note, as leaders we are faced with tremendous “storms”. In addition to our own personal storms, we often are called on to weather the storms of the people under our leadership (our team) and the company itself.  And so often at Christmastime these storms seem to escalate.

I recently learned of a term that submarine commanders use.  It is called the “cushion of the sea”.   The “cushion of the Sea” is when a submarine dives to a certain depth in the ocean and it no longer matters what is happening up top. You could have a tsunami.  You could have a hurricane.  You could have a horrible typhoon, but there’s a certain depth that once you get there, you don’t even feel the storm anymore.  There is this same depth in God that if I would just dive into who he is, and let him be my anchor, that I could get so deep into Him, that when the storm comes, I don’t drift.  I don’t fall away.  I don’t despair.  I don’t get discouraged.  I don’t get all wrecked up, because I’m so deep in who he is, that no matter what storm comes my way, I’m going to make it.

That’s my challenge to you.  Dive into God who as Jesus came to this earth 2000 years ago.  He removes what shouldn’t be on your shoulders… anxiety, disappointment, discouragement, fear, worry, stress, and he exchanges that for His peace, but you have got to make that choice.  I’ve got to make that choice.  As a leader, as a husband, as a father, as a friend I need to dive deep enough into who he is that when a storm comes, I just don’t feel it like other people do, because I’m so deep in Him.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- The Bible – Isaiah 9:6 (New King James Version)