The sweltering air against my face let me know that it was more than hormones that had tangled me in a mound of sweaty sheets during the wee hours of our first night of vacation. Somehow, the room that had been pleasantly warm when I went to bed had become a sauna in a matter of hours.
“Perhaps,” I thought, “our daughter bumped up the thermostat. She was shivering with cold earlier.” I had thought it was the dropping temperatures and her frequent treks from her room to the hot tub on the cabin porch that had her chilled. Now, I wondered if it was something worse.
Morning light, however, revealed the truth and put my mind at ease. The vent in our daughter’s guestroom had been closed. Ours? Open to the max…while our doors had remained closed. All the heat that had meandered through the tunnel of ductwork to our side of the cabin had been trapped behind rustic, wooden-hewn doors. Meanwhile, upstairs in the loft bedroom, our son had rested perfectly comfortable the entire night. Wide open spaces had evenly distributed the heat, turning his private quarters into a comfortable nesting place, warm against the chill—inviting without suffocating.
This first night in our vacation cabin, gives us insight into experiencing the restfulness we often crave during the holiday season. If we close ourselves to the Source of warmth, we have nothing to offer except teeth chattering against our own discomforts of life. Frigid hearts have no true warmth to offer others, regardless of how wide the door is flung in welcome. A closed life causes others to wonder about us rather than to experience the wonder of the season. Conversely, if we delight in personal, spiritual pursuits yet close ourselves to others, there is no outflow. Without distributing the blessings of God and the riches of His Spirit, we are doing others and ourselves a disservice. Dissatisfaction and legalism twists our thinking and impedes our rest. Christian balance and inner satisfaction come from having the steady inflow of the spiritual into our lives and then releasing that grace to others.
Taking in Jesus and sharing Him with the world not only is the true spirit of Christmas, it is the secret to continual contentment. Thankfully, it doesn’t take flying hormones to figure that out.
Tip/Tidbit: Take time to replenish yourself spiritually. As the warmth of God's presence settles YOUR life, allow that same kindness, gentleness, love, and joy to flow to those who are stressed, frazzled, hurting, and anxious during this holiday season.
“Perhaps,” I thought, “our daughter bumped up the thermostat. She was shivering with cold earlier.” I had thought it was the dropping temperatures and her frequent treks from her room to the hot tub on the cabin porch that had her chilled. Now, I wondered if it was something worse.
Morning light, however, revealed the truth and put my mind at ease. The vent in our daughter’s guestroom had been closed. Ours? Open to the max…while our doors had remained closed. All the heat that had meandered through the tunnel of ductwork to our side of the cabin had been trapped behind rustic, wooden-hewn doors. Meanwhile, upstairs in the loft bedroom, our son had rested perfectly comfortable the entire night. Wide open spaces had evenly distributed the heat, turning his private quarters into a comfortable nesting place, warm against the chill—inviting without suffocating.
This first night in our vacation cabin, gives us insight into experiencing the restfulness we often crave during the holiday season. If we close ourselves to the Source of warmth, we have nothing to offer except teeth chattering against our own discomforts of life. Frigid hearts have no true warmth to offer others, regardless of how wide the door is flung in welcome. A closed life causes others to wonder about us rather than to experience the wonder of the season. Conversely, if we delight in personal, spiritual pursuits yet close ourselves to others, there is no outflow. Without distributing the blessings of God and the riches of His Spirit, we are doing others and ourselves a disservice. Dissatisfaction and legalism twists our thinking and impedes our rest. Christian balance and inner satisfaction come from having the steady inflow of the spiritual into our lives and then releasing that grace to others.
Taking in Jesus and sharing Him with the world not only is the true spirit of Christmas, it is the secret to continual contentment. Thankfully, it doesn’t take flying hormones to figure that out.
Tip/Tidbit: Take time to replenish yourself spiritually. As the warmth of God's presence settles YOUR life, allow that same kindness, gentleness, love, and joy to flow to those who are stressed, frazzled, hurting, and anxious during this holiday season.
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