By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
DiAnn Mills
Friend, please don’t open the unwanted Christmas gift of stress. The black paper and black bow with an attaching-grabbing tag, Open Me First will spoil your celebration.
You’ll recognize the items inside:
- Friend, cut short any family or friend events. You have too much work to do.
- Friend, stress is your friend. If you aren’t stressed, you aren’t valued.
- Friend, no need for last-minute shopping. Family and friends understand you’re too busy to remember them at Christmas.
- Friend, remember your favorite Christmas character is Scrooge. He got it right.
- Friend, if you’re planning to attend midnight church services on Christmas Eve, cancel it. You should be working, cleaning, or something productive.
- Friend, here’s permission to spend one hour with Christmas festivities. Then back to work.
- Friend, you may need to eat junk food and forego exercise. Not enough time.
Unfortunately, I know those who open this gift before Christmas and practice it year-round.
But NOT you!
You are among the wise who respect the season. This gift is wrapped in colors of love, peace, and contains wisdom:
- Dear friend, believe Christmas wasn’t created for stress.
- Dear friend, enjoy a time of relaxation.
- Dear friend, practice the art of priorities: God, family, friends, and work in that order.
- Dear friend, plan for holidays and special events throughout the year.
- Dear friend, employ time management techniques to meet deadlines.
- Dear friend, enlist an accountability partner to help each other journey through the exciting and meaningful days of Christmas.
- Dear friend, insist upon balance, not only at Christmas but throughout the year.
- Dear friend, value healthy bodies by eating nutritionally sound and exercising regularly.
- Dear friend, look forward to the holidays no matter what is going on in their lives.
- Dear friend, treasure the gift of wisdom.
What gifts from the above list will you open this year?
