The Day After

Well friends, it is the day after Christmas and all through the house not a creature is stirring (except my husband who already left for work). The quiet is nice. We’ve enjoyed a wonderful time with family and friends for the last few days, and I’m so grateful for the joyful fellowship not to mention the delicious food. One discussion I particularly enjoyed occurred Christmas morning at my dad’s house. First let me tell you about my dad, Garry Kinder. He is a godly leader, full of integrity. By trade he trains, coaches and motivates managers and agents in the insurance industry. He leads by example and teaches with words of wisdom. On Christmas morning before opening presents we sat around his living room and he shared with us several powerful principles for life. In a nutshell here they are:

Be yourself, but be your best self
Forgive Self
Forgive Others
Set Goals
Compete but don’t compare
Christians are not called to respond to the critic; Christians are called to respond to God


Honestly, dad’s words were the greatest Christmas present any of us could have received, for they weren’t temporary little trinkets, they were words for life. I hope you will find them helpful to you and your family as well. Let me encourage you to take time between Christmas and New Years to relax and reflect on who God is and the powerful difference He makes in your life. Be still and know He is God as you enjoy this time of renewal. I hope you had a Merry Christmas, and I look forward to visiting again as we move toward the New Year.

Family Fun: Encourage your family to take some time to relax and reflect during this week. Share several of the life principles mentioned above with your family. I would add the importance of gratitude, and encourage your family to write thank you notes to the people who gave them gifts. As a family you may want to decorate cards and create personalized thank you notes. Start the habit early to encourage your family to write their words of gratitude for the gifts they received. Even a small simple note is meaningful and starts a good habit at an early age. I set out large white envelopes on the kitchen counter after Christmas, each addressed to those who gave us gifts. I encourage the kids to write their thank you notes and insert them into the large white envelopes, and I try to have them in the mail before the new year begins.