Are you ready? Christmas is mysterious. Ready, set, go!
Do you have a big heart? Some people have huge hearts. They seem to have enough love, compassion, generosity, and empathy for everyone who crosses their path. Have you ever thought about increasing your heart size? Love like never before this Christmas. Set out to grow your heart three sizes this year. Welcome back to Best Christmas Ever, where we are exploring 28 ways to make this an amazing Christmas. 28 is everyone knows that love is the only way. James Taylor is one of the great singer-songwriters of the past 100 years. He was discovered by none other than the Beatles and was the first artist to record with the Beatles record label. His lyrics are brilliant in their ability to capture ordinary life and entwine it with profound insights into the human experience and spirit. "The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. Any fool can do it. There ain't nothing to it. The secret of love is in opening up your heart. It's okay to feel afraid, but don't let that stand in your way. Everyone knows that love is the only way." It's true. It's true on two counts. It's true that love is the only way. And it's true that everyone knows that. We forget it. We ignore it, avoid it, neglect it, and get entangled in our selfishness. But somewhere deep inside, we know that love is the one true path. Christmas is an epic moment of love. It is the moment when history stood still, and out of infinite love, God came into the world and placed Himself right in the middle of our mess. The mess was vast. The mess is vast. It is caused when we choose some path other than love. We all have love wounds. If we are going to love more than ever before, we might need to explore our love wounds. Lost love, love withheld, love betrayed, love neglected. What did you have to do to receive love as a child? What conditions do you place on your love? What do your friends, your children, your spouse, partner have to do to receive your love? The real magic of Christmas is God's love. It is found in that peaceful moment of connection with God. The tender, carefree, timelessness with family, the laughter of a family around the dinner table, the sheer excitement and delight of children rushing to the tree Christmas morning in search of their gifts. It is found in one neighbour's concern for another and in the feeling of rejuvenation that settles into your soul through the giving and receiving of unconditional love. This Christmas, grow your heart. Grow your heart three sizes. Speak your love. Speak it again. If you struggle to speak your love, write a note or write a letter. Do not let Christmas pass without letting the people you love know just how much you love them go into this Christmas season as if it were your last. Make it your best Christmas ever by treasuring it as if it were your last Christmas ever. Death puts life in perspective. If you knew you were going to depart this life before next Christmas, what would you make sure you did this Christmas?
Are you excited for your best Christmas ever? I know I am. But before you go, let's talk about how to avoid your worst Christmas ever.
It's not easy to have a great Christmas in a world where everyone is striving for what isn't worth having. Welcome back to 28 obstacles that will prevent you from having your Best Christmas Ever. Obstacle number 28 is fear of being different. The gentle voice within will call you toward the truest version of yourself, and that will always be away from the crowd. If you are afraid of being different, that is okay, natural, and normal. But it is time to overcome that fear. It is time to step into your truest self. In what ways are you being called to be different this Christmas? In what ways are you being invited to be counter-cultural? But remember, find your joy, guard your joy, follow your joy, not just happiness. It seems our culture has confused happiness with comfort. And following comfort will lead you to misery. Find your joy. Cherish your joy. Guard your joy and follow your joy.
There are people who say they have no regrets. I am not one of them. If I could go back and live my life all over again, there are things I would change. One thing I would change is the speed at which I have lived my life. I would slow my life down and not just a little. For the last five years, I have been learning to slow down to the speed of joy. It hasn't been easy, but the fruits are undeniable and the lessons monumental. I wrote Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy to share those lessons with you and to help you banish urgent and busy from your life. This one idea will change your life in ways you can't even imagine. So become a Dynamic Catholic Ambassador today and we'll send you a free copy of Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy. Click the button below and join now.
Have a great day!
