Try Looking at Christmas Through a Different Lense This Year

Christmas 1978 was a very different Christmas at my house. I was in college and came home for the holidays expecting lots of festive food, Christmas decorations everywhere, the smell of spiced cider in the kitchen, all the family together having a lovely time, and lots of sleep (I had just finished exams). I expected a Hallmark type Christmas with everything falling into place just beautifully. What I experienced was much different.

The first day I came home was great, it was so good to see my parents and brothers well and happy. My dad had been very sick for several years with a kidney disease (he was on a kidney machine for 15 years), so life was a little different at our house. We were always loved and cared for, we were a very close family. I do think my dad’s illness brought us all closer together.

That night my dad was feeling pretty good, so he built a huge fire in the fireplace and we enjoyed talking and catching up on everything. It was getting late so we all headed to bed. The next thing I knew my mom and dad were screaming for us to get out of the house. I jumped 10 feet out of my bed and ran down the steps as my brothers ran along beside me. Oh yes, we grabbed our doggies too. The house was on fire and flames that were shooting up through the living room and kitchen windows. As I looked back I saw our Christmas tree go up in flames. The fire was caused by the fire in the fireplace. There was a wooden beam behind our stone fireplace that obviously my dad did not know about. His roaring fire had gotten so hot that it caught on fire.

We all quickly ran outside in the cold and watched the house burn. Thankfully the wonderful firemen did get there in time to save the house, but it was a mess. After the fire and smoke were cleared, I remember my dad opening a jar in the cupboard, and it had soot in it. Even though the fire did not completely destroy our house, the smoke damage was severe. For the next six months, my family lived in a motel. I was more than happy to go back to school but hated to leave my mom and dad, little brother (and dogs in a hotel). I will never forget my mom and dad’s attitude toward it all. They just commented that it could have been a lot worst, they were thankful the Lord spared our lives. They never complained but just went right on with life as if nothing had happened. My mom and dad were people of great faith, a faith that can help sustain you even in the darkest moments. No doubt they were devastated, but they never complained or became bitter.

I have come to realize that some of my most memorable Christmases are not necessarily the happiest or the most peaceful ones, but they are the ones that taught me greatest life lessons. Being well physically is great and something to strive for every day, but being well with your soul is a treasure. Here are a few spiritual wellness tips to consider during this special season.

» Have you taken the time to be still? To ponder the meaning of the season and what it really means to you and your family?

» Are you hustling about so frantically that you have not enjoyed your friends and families?

» Is perfection your goal? Don’t let it rob you of the joy of the season.

» If you are expecting a Hallmark Christmas every year, you might be disappointed.

» Focus on relationships, not the house, the food or the gifts.

My dad went home in 1985, and Christmas is not the same without him, but he left me with many memories and traditions to cherish and pass on to my children. I am thankful to still have my mom.

Try looking through different lenses this Christmas and New Years and you might just see something wonderful!

See you in the gym!