When I did that, I imagined how Thanksgiving or Christmas family dinners would be without all the bragging -
the false witness stuff
.
At the dinner table, we can update the extended family about children and grandchildren without the destructive entitlement stance of mine is better than yours.
Imagine.
Imagine
if we really did keep the Sabbath. We could boycott Sunday shopping – it’s doable. It’s a good idea spiritually and, selfishly, it’s really crowded at Walmart on Sunday.
Imagine
.
I’m old enough to remember working full-time and stores being closed on Sunday. The turkey got cooked, the gifts were purchased. The holidays were the holidays and the Sabbath was the Sabbath, with no work and no shopping.
Imagine
.
Remember that our word “holiday” is a contraction of the term Holy Days. Imagine Christmas as a time for holiness without the underlying “covetousness.” Imagine alternative gifts, Fair Trade gifts, gifts for the kids in the local mental health center, for fellow church members with special challenges or those away from family.
Imagine
.
If you appreciated and followed the “Holiday Hints” Jesus gave to make holy days (see Matthew 22:36-40), to love your neighbor as yourself. What would you do if this was that loving day?
I hope you will join me in practicing the Helpful Hints from God; it’s a good place to start for a mentally healthy holiday.
