A Pressure Release

Dec 19 2015 A Pressure Release

On the morning of Thanksgiving, I gave myself a talking-to. I promised me that I would not stuff myself like a pig. I lied. At the end of the meal, I scolded myself for lying and overeating. Then I looked around to see if anyone was watching. No eyes on me- so I unbuttoned the top button of my pants and released the pressure. AHHH…

Have you reached a point this holiday season where you feel like you need a pressure release? Are you tired from the demands at work or home? Have you been eating too many treats? Are you overwhelmed by the financial blow this time of year can deliver? Maybe you are overcommitted, underappreciated, or exhausted.

If you are facing some holiday fallout, take a deep breath with me and stop. Just stop.

Prepare Him Room.

That’s what I did last night.

I asked the Lord to speak to me during this time of Christmas Craziness. I didn’t ask Him to wrap my gifts, grow a money tree in my yard, do my cooking, or heal the rift between family members. I got still.

But my mind raced wildly as I tried to listen. Instead, I began thanking God. Taking out my journal, I wrote a thank-you letter to Him. As I wrote, a shift occurred; stress fell away as the season’s pressure began releasing. Words of thanks replaced the racing in my brain.

Thankfulness is a spiritual exercise, necessary to the building of a healthy soul. It takes us out of the stuffiness of ourselves into the fresh breeze and sunlight of the will of God!  ~E. Elliot

I thanked the Lord for everything: the struggles of the season, the joy it brings, and everything in between.

A dose of sweet medicine for my pressure-filled soul.

Thankfulness is always a remedy for what ails us. Even if it doesn’t change our circumstances, it changes the state of our inner self. I find God works best from the inside out, don’t you?

So, what did I learn, and what will I do differently at my next holiday meal? Well, I’ll wear an elastic waistband to prevent me from talking to myself before mealtime.

And where do these words find you in the Christmas Crazies? Do you need a pressure release? Do you need to prepare him room? Is it time to write a Thank-You Note to the one we celebrate this month? Go ahead, unbutton, and release that pressure, my friend.

Thank You, Lord, for ALL of it!

 If the only prayer you said was “Thank You,” that would be enough. 

~Meister Eckhard