Expectations of Others
I read a sentence today that brought to my mind something I personally need to take to heart this Christmas season. It was this: " May our expectations of others be tempered by an awareness of our own weaknesses."
I come every year with such anticipation of Christmas with full blown enthusiasm and high expectations, not only of myself but of others. I dream of the "perfect" Christmas and put all my efforts into making my expectations come to pass. Often my expectations do not come to pass and I get very discouraged and blue wondering why my hopes were dashed. That is MY weakness. I cannot blame or judge others for MY unfulfilled expectations. My actions cannot be based on what other people may or may not do. My actions at Christmas should be done out of the love of my heart and the joy of the season leaving all the consequences of those actions to God alone. It would do me well to pray that my actions are done purely out of the joy of doing, rather than expecting to see results.
Some people face Christmas with dread because their expectations have never been fulfilled, and they dread to face those unfulfilled expectations once again. The suicide rate is higher during the holidays than at any other time in the year. It would do us well if each of us kept our eyes and our hearts open to such individuals this season and reach out to those that do not have family or loved ones to be with during the holidays. Ask God how you can be an instrument to brighten someone else's Christmas to give them hope or lighten their load a little.
Reach out to others this Christmas!
Sandy
I come every year with such anticipation of Christmas with full blown enthusiasm and high expectations, not only of myself but of others. I dream of the "perfect" Christmas and put all my efforts into making my expectations come to pass. Often my expectations do not come to pass and I get very discouraged and blue wondering why my hopes were dashed. That is MY weakness. I cannot blame or judge others for MY unfulfilled expectations. My actions cannot be based on what other people may or may not do. My actions at Christmas should be done out of the love of my heart and the joy of the season leaving all the consequences of those actions to God alone. It would do me well to pray that my actions are done purely out of the joy of doing, rather than expecting to see results.
Some people face Christmas with dread because their expectations have never been fulfilled, and they dread to face those unfulfilled expectations once again. The suicide rate is higher during the holidays than at any other time in the year. It would do us well if each of us kept our eyes and our hearts open to such individuals this season and reach out to those that do not have family or loved ones to be with during the holidays. Ask God how you can be an instrument to brighten someone else's Christmas to give them hope or lighten their load a little.
Reach out to others this Christmas!
Sandy
posted by Sandy Fewell at 6:59 AM
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