It is hard to believe but Thanksgiving is only a couple of days away. The holiday season is in full swing with so much going on all at one time. Thanksgiving this week, and then Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are not far behind. And, oh, don’t forget about New Year’s Eve / Day to finish off the season. It is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. But it can also be the least joyful time of the year for many people.
During the last six weeks of the year, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, there are more parties, gatherings, and reasons to celebrate. From work parties to family dinners to church celebrations, it can be easy to be swept away in a non-stop mode. Not to mention, buying gifts for your family and friends and finding that right item to give them. And it seems that each event is centered around food, large amounts of food.
It can cause unneeded stress for people and their joy is soon gone. But using these five simple tips, you will be able to keep your joy and your peace, and it will help you enjoy the holiday season. Please know that each of these suggestions are interconnected and can be applied to each area of advice.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Don’t Stress It This is easier said than done, I will admit that. Stress levels climb when we feel that we are no longer in control of the situation and there is no way to fix it. Whether it is fitting every party in your schedule or buying a gift for everyone on your list, you have to put some limits in place. When you feel your stress levels increasing, take a step back and assess the situation to see what is causing the stress? Could it be two parties on the same night and you can’t go to both? Could it be a family gathering out of town and it means making special arrangements to get there? Whatever the situation, look at what objectively and say to yourself, ‘I will not sacrifice my peace to please other people.’ If you can’t make it both parties, just pick the one that makes the most sense, send regrets to the other people and don’t look back.
Don’t Over Commit
It would not be the holidays if it did not have parties and gatherings happening. You could find yourself being invited to parties by your neighbors, co-workers, or friends. Whomever it may be, you could find yourself with a month full of gatherings, with very little downtime or quiet time. I believe that it is important that everyone spend some time for reflection without distractions and the noise of the non-stop pace that comes with the holiday season. If you are invited to a function and it would interfere with that quiet time or disrupt your time with your spouse or children, maybe this is an event that you will have to decline the invitation. Your own personal reflection and peace are more important than pleasing someone who has invited you to his or her house.
Don’t Overspend If you follow what the retail industry says, you will be buying a gift for everyone. Whether it is your cousin Jimmy who you haven’t seen in six years; or your child’s history teacher from last year, they want you to think that everyone needs or deserves a gift from you. Remember, they are telling you this because they want you to spend your money which will help their bottom line. Buying a gift for everyone is not possible and should not be expected. Stress levels increase when you wonder how you are going to pay for all of these gifts. Put a limit on who is getting a gift and how much you want to spend for that person. Maybe it is only a gift for your parents, but not your siblings. Or for your children, the limit is $25 per child. Whatever the amount or whoever is on the list, you are in control of it. Don’t get pressured into changing your decision just so you can please someone or want their approval. If you are upfront with them and let them know the situation, and they are not happy with it; the problem lies with them. They are the ones that have to understand what you decided.
Don’t Over Indulge Holidays are focused on food and how much of it can be consumed at one time. Eating a little extra apple pie with Thanksgiving dinner is okay, but having two or three extra slices with a pint of vanilla ice cream after two servings of mac-n-cheese may be pushing it a bit. Just because the food is there, doesn’t mean you have to eat it all. Eat like you normally would eat, know your limits and when to quit especially if you are going to more than one party in a day. Stress levels increase when your body is not accustomed to eating like that, and it may even cause you to lose control and not know when to stop.
Don’t Over Politicize It
Have you noticed, that we as a society can no longer have a political discussion or debate without a full-on war and battle between the two sides? What used to be mild conversion now can lead to a shouting match and even name-calling. So, as you are sharing dinner with your family, don’t ask for their opinions of the impeachment hearings, especially if you know your sister sits on the other side of the political aisle. Stirring up ill-conceived conversation can lead to strife and ill feelings toward people whom you love or enjoy being with. It saves the peace and joy for everyone involved when you keep the conversations to topics that you mutually share. Or make it an opportunity to get to know someone a little more.
Holidays are meant to be a joyful time, but often they are not. Whatever the reason, if you are feeling the stress and you are not experiencing that joy; you need to find someone who can help. Find a family member or a close who you can talk to about your feelings. Go to your local church and find someone who can help you assess the situation and look for a positive outcome. You are not in this alone, there are people out there who can help you through it.
We are praying that you have a peaceful and joyful holiday season. May God’s blessings be upon you and your loved ones.
Holidays are upon us and we often hear that everyone is in a chaotic fit to get that Thanksgiving meal set or start working on getting all those gifts set aside for Christmas. We are pushed to buy things that we can’t afford, however, the pressure is to impress and overspend. In the pressure, we feel that we are not good enough so failure mentality kicks in full effect. When we hear all these different voices coming at us to buy, to impress, and to live above or means?
We call out to the Father in heaven and give thanks for all that He has done for us. Giving thanks is not saying that you are satisfied or settling for less. The Lord knows that I don’t have it all together, none of us do but as long as I lean on Him, I know that I’m moving forward.
Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash
There have been times when I have felt I have no value and that I didn’t matter. In God’s word, I matter and you matter.
I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.Isaiah 44:2a (CEV)
Rick Warren really taught how we do matter, it changed my perspective.
I am not famous, not popular, nor a billionaire and do not a very large circle of friends or family. My mother always told me that if you have one true friend you are blessed. In the Bible it says in Ephesians 1:4 (MSG) God created me to love me long before [God] laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love . . .
“I was made to last forever, God has long-range plans for my life.”
What On Earth am I here for?
Photo By Aaron Burden
Rick Warren’s online study is really open to finding my purpose in God. “It’s not about me it’s all about God.” We all matter to God.
If you believe that you need are in a dark hole and need to talk with some, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-8255.
I pray that you are having an awesome beginning to your new week. The holiday season seems to be in full swing. Christmas movies are being shown on TV; while advertisements are being seen everywhere. In this most wonderful time of the year, it is important to step back and do not get overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of gift-buying, party-attending, and family-visiting. Take time to focus on what is important to you and your family, and do not let your focus be swayed.
If you are looking for a practical but ideal gift for your spouse or a loved one; you may want to consider the new Tony Evans Study Bible. A study bible is a great gift for anyone who wants to delve deeper into God’s Word and who wants to focus on the important things in his or her life. Recently, my hubby and I had a chance to review the new Bible, thanks to our partnership with LEV3L Digital. Look for the new study bible wherever Bibles are sold.
In conjunction with our review of the new Bible, we also hosted a giveaway where one of our readers would win their own copy of the study bible. We are happy to announce the winner is
Adella G.
Congratulations Adella!! YEAH!! We will send you an email about getting your new Bible to you.
And for everyone else, please stay tuned for our next giveaway, starting soon!!
I hope you are having an awesome day. On our way to church, this morning, my hubby and I noticed that the leaves are starting to change colors. It is time for me to bring out the fall decorations and look through the cookbooks for scrumptious soups and chilis recipes. The cooler days make me want to spend time on the couch, curled up under a warm blanket and watching a good movie. My hubby and I had the opportunity to preview a movie that will only be in theaters for one day, Monday, November 4th. The movie is CHRISTMAS JARS and here is the trailer.
Based on the New York Times Bestselling novel by Jason F. Wright, CHRISTMAS JARS tells the story of an aspiring newspaper journalist, Hope Jenson. Following a series of heart-breaking events, a mysterious person leaves a Christmas Jar filled with money on Hope’s doorstep. She soon finds out that she is not the only person to have received a jar. She wants to write an article about it for the newspaper. In the process of trying to find out who did this thoughtful deed, she has to decide whether she should compromise her values for professional gain.
Map of where all the Christmas Jars had been delivered.
Do we need to know the identity of who has given these Christmas Jars to the people in need? Teach one, reach one is a theme that resonates and it’s a wonderful time to bring to life in the movie. Giving is contagious, but at what cost? Does the anonymous person(s) who left the Christmas Jars all over the Columbus, Ohio area want to be found out? In Hope’s quest to find out who this person is, she creates a map of the people in the Columbus area who received the jar. Will she find out who the mysterious person is?
This heartfelt movie is family-oriented and shows how we should show kindness and generosity in our lives. And to find out if Hope compromises her values or not you have to go see the movie on Monday, November 4th. To purchase tickets to reserve your seats please go HERE!
Christmas Jars
We don’t have to show acts of kindness, however, it leaves such a good feeling inside when we do something for another person.
What are the ways you show acts of kindness?
Christmas Jar Giveaway And in collaboration with LEV3L Digital, we are giving one blessed reader a DVD copy Christmas Jars.
How to Enter Please leave a comment below. Let us know how you can show an act of kindness during the upcoming holiday season.
*Please share this review and giveaway on Facebook to give more people a chance to learn about the movie and an opportunity for them to win a DVD of the movie.
This giveaway will close at 11:59 PM on November 2, 2019. The winner will be announced on Sunday, November 3, 2019.
Thank you LEV3L Digital for giving BubblingwitheEleganceandGrace.com the opportunity to offer a free DVD for a giveaway. For hosting the giveaway, we will also receive our own copy of the movie on DVD.
Today is July 29th. I will be upfront with you. I use to hate this day. Whenever I heard it mentioned or saw it on the calendar, my heart would break and my mood would dampen. How could a single day have such an effect on me? Well, on this day, back in 1987 my father passed away when he lost his battle with lung cancer.
The only known photo of only me and my father together.
I was only twelve. I felt like my whole world had been broken and shattered. I didn’t know what it all meant and I didn’t know how to handle it. Only two months had passed from the time that my father found out that he had lung cancer to the day that he died. My family had to deal with the shock of the diagnosis, the trauma of him being in ICU and the agony of him being unable to breath on his own or talk with us. My summer started out thinking about making the baseball team and ended with learning how to restart my life without my father.
As the years passed, it didn’t get any easier. When the calendar would change to July, my thoughts would turn to my father. Memories would race through my mind. I would think about the times that he missed out and I didn’t have with him in my life: the first shave, the graduations, the father-son talks, the holidays. Depression and anger gripped my life and held a tight hold over me. I was angry at him that he had died. I was angry that cancer took him away from me. I was angry that I didn’t have my father to help me through the stages of life. The more angry that I got, the more depressed that I got. The anger and depression came to a breaking point eight years later when my oldest sister died from lymphoma.
The anger and depression further escalated, and I had no way of dealing with it. It was my final year of college and my life seemed to be out of control. I had stopped attending church because I felt like it had betrayed me after my father and sister died. I turned 21 and I began spending time in bars with my college acquaintances. I tried to dull my pain; but it didn’t seem to help.
I graduated from college and began my new life on my own. However, I still faced a difficult road ahead because I had no way to deal with the depression and the anger. But soon my life would begin to change when I met someone, while at work, who would help me take that first step on the road to recovery. We both had difficult circumstances in our childhood that we had to overcome. She had lost her mother a few years prior; and together we helped each other cope with the loss of a parent. All the while, she also encouraged me to re-examine my faith in God and it took me back to church. This was not the traditional denominational church that I was use from my childhood. It focused more on a relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It was in the relationship and the studying of what God tells us in His word that I began to see my life change.
I am no longer angry. I am no longer living a state of depression and sadness. By studying what God’s word says, I learned that my father’s sickness was a part of the devil’s plan to steal, kill and destroy his life; and take away the good memories my father had created. My faith in God, His Son and His word has strengthened me and keeps me strong on days like today.
Now when July 29th approaches, my attitude is much different. The heartache and pain has given way to peace and joy. Peace in knowing that the disease may have destroyed his body; but it didn’t take away his spirit. I have joy knowing that he wanted me as his son and convinced my mother to have just ‘one more baby’!! I focus on the good memories we shared and the positive influence he had on so many other people. Until this day, I have found no one who has a bad word to say about him.
It is worth noting here that the wonderful woman who started out with me as a colleague at work. But we soon became very close friends. And on September 11, 1999 she became my wife and we are celebrating twenty years of marriage. Thank you, Lord Jesus for putting my baby in my life and helping me see that I didn’t have to live with depression and anger.
When I look in the mirror these days I don’t see the same person I use to see when I was in my twenties. I see a person who really has to watch what she eats and work out at least 4 to 5 times a week. And even though I work out and eat the best that I can, I still have never got to that miracle size 0 or 00 that everyone is loving these days. I weigh the same but it seems like my weight has shifted so I have to work out those areas harder than before because clothes fit differently. No matter how many creams I use on my face or weights I lift, I still get caught up in that fight for trying to look young and youthful. If you are over the age of 25 the media bombards you on news ads, movies, etc. that you have to do this or do that to get that youthful glow that your daughter or niece has at the age of 14. I have not had any children so I can’t blame them on having to keep my tummy toned and thighs tight. I still have to work out to keep myself toned and it’s not the dancing only, I have to work out with weights and do leg lifts and it’s not easy.
It’s what’s inside that matters, right?
Yes, it’s what’s inside that matters, however, what people first see is me not my guts. I have often heard people say that when they are over 40 that they don’t care anymore and if they want the gray hair to show or those wrinkles to appear that it doesn’t matter because they feel free. I have never considered myself beautiful so it’s really odd that I am doing videos and talking about fashion and beauty. I think that what matters is that I love myself because God made me. And I must admit that it has not been easy for me to be an influencer because I have always been my worst critic and enemy.
I created this blog as an outlet for my passion beyond work. I feel good that I have succeeded at that goal. My blog is not about popularity because this girl has never been voted Ms. Popular in life, not even by my family. When I fall down I have always managed to get myself up and dust off my britches to start again. It’s that never quit factor.
Resilience and Stamina
Reflection: When I was asked if I had any children, I said no not now. The first thing out of this person’s mouth was, “that’s a shame.” What is shameful about it? That I don’t fit the status quo? I know that people assume I hate kids and that’s why I don’t have them. You don’t know my story, and the point is you don’t have to know my story because we should treat everyone with kindness and love. Yes, the kindness and love seem to be forgotten and in today’s world. It’s making assumptions about everyone’s life when you really don’t know who they are in any shape or form. I have never fit into a specific click, status quo, with the cool kids, group, race, or club. Even in my childhood days even if I tried I never fit in.
I use to think that only certain people really had true joy and better opportunities. We have a choice and it is so simple to say F###! it and screw the whole universe, but God sees no benefit in that for us. God gives me a choice and it’s up to me to make that decision to do the work on the inside so the outside projects how I truly feel.
What do I mean?
I have been reading, “The Power of I AM,” by Joel Olsteen. This book has been very therapeutic for me. Having a positive outlook on life is not popular and too much negativity can really bog you down. If I had looked at some of the reviews on Amazon I wouldn’t have purchased the book but Joel is one of my favorite people to listen to and I looked past all that.
The Power of I AM: Two Words That Will Change Your Life Today
I am somebody and I do count. When we talk down about ourselves, we give place to the enemy because the devil doesn’t want you to live your best life. No matter what economic status or title you may have God sees us all the same in His eyes.
We have so many reasons to throw in the towel, but that would be too easy. As long as there’s breath in your body you have a chance to change and be the best you possible.
Learn More About JT
Bubbling with Elegance and Grace started out as an outlet for my passion for fashion but has evolved into a place for me to teach, collaborate, and inspire. My hubby has since joined the team and we have been digital creators for 13 years. We are thankful for those who believed in us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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