Give more Presence this year...

How do you feel about giving presents? Does it stress you out or bring you delight?

A couple of years ago our family decided that buying gifts just because that's the tradition of what we've always done stresses us out. So instead: We decided to give gifts to charities of our choice on behalf of one another. We've given chickens and goats to children, we've donated to wounded soldiers funds, and to help fund ministries reaching out to care for women in sex trafficking and to help developing countries get wells for clean water. I cannot tell you how much less stress this has brought to our Christmas preparations - and a deep joy knowing that we don't have to return the ugly sweater :)

• Are you resolving, again, this year that you will make Christmas more meaningful? 
• What if you made more time to either make gifts or to be WITH one another? 
• 20 days from now, when Christmas day arrives will you be glad for how you have spend your time and money? 
• Have you become numb to the "norm" of merely surviving the Christmas season with financial, relational, and physical stress from overindulgence?

Choose NOW what you want more - and take proactive initiative to do one thing differently that will help you give more of YOURSELF and YOUR TIME to others this season.

Once again, it seems time (we're too busy and especially during this season) is our enemy when we think about caring for the world, our families and fostering a deeper spiritual life during this Holyday season. When will you stop making "lack of time" be your excuse for what you really want?

What might you do differently to give more Presence this year - and give a bit of the money you save to some of your favorite charities?

May you UnhurryUp™ your way into worship and joy this season...
and may His presence be reFreshing to your soul!

www.mysoulreFresh.com