Stop for a minute. Stop and breathe….
Stop and sit in peace… Just stop, and join together.
All around us is this great sense of foreboding ugh, and it’s not just connected to an election; it’s everything. Everything is weird, everything is not comfortable, everything is less joyful and requires an intensity of thought just to carry-on ordinary events.
Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is a week away; and yet everything around us seems less focused on joy – and more focused on what joy we are missing. At the heart of that anxiety is this sense of foreboding. A sense of fear and worry; a sense of trepidation.
In our daily lives we encounter ordinary disconnects now. Masked faces are disconnecting our sense of interaction, our human connection. Unfortunately, and as a natural outcome of these challenges, we are accepting disconnect and creating a void inside ourselves. At the same time COVID is physically disconnecting people from their family. Many families will not gather this year to celebrate the joyous event of Christ’s birth. Many parents and grandparents will not see their adult children for the first time in years, perhaps ever.
Amid all of this flux and ugh, even simple tasks like decorating the Christmas tree somehow feels, senses, seems less joyful. Perhaps financial worry stems the joy in shopping for family and friends. Perhaps the shine within cheer is slightly dimmed because all around us is something we cannot quite describe, yet we feel it.
Perhaps tears flow at times and we struggle to understand what this unusual anxiety is all about. Then, we begin to struggle with the feeling of shame or guilt for being weak and allowing our humanity to pour out of our human-selves. Then, at the worst possible time in the year, our faith organizations are slow to understand the importance of fellowship and community amid an upheaval that takes our center from under our feet.
Regional leaders make the anxiety worse. As our grip on our familiar surroundings becomes more tenuous, we are faced with dictates and mandates that only exacerbate the issues. The media drumbeat an incessant noise that destabilizes us and yet we cannot quite put our finger on why the impact is worse now…. it is all ugh.
It is all just, ugh.
If you find the assembly of these words familiar to your current sense, first understand YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Second, understand there is nothing wrong with you. This blanket of anxiety is laying across our entire nation, and we are all sensing a various level of this ‘ugh’ with some familiarity. However, that said, it is important to know this is transitional. We will not be in this place long. This too shall pass.
How do we shake these destabilizing feelings and emotions?
How do we reconnect to the core-spirit we carry in our lives?
These are the questions we should use to leverage ourselves back to a center of peace and hope. These are the questions that empower us to recharge of our sense of purpose and life within the lives of others, including our community, family and friends.
♦ The first way we shake this ‘ugh’, is to give to others without reservation. Giving with purpose is the true spirit of human contact. The giving is not related to money or wealth; the giving is related to our human purpose. Perhaps we give a smile. Perhaps we give a kind word. Perhaps we give a compliment, or perhaps we just give time to another.
You could give a gift to another or perhaps send an email; or better yet write a letter to a dear friend or family member. Reach out and tell them they matter and express why their place in this life of yours is important. Remind them of your specific thankfulness, and connect to the purpose of why we endeavor in this thing we call life. The important thing is to give, and to do it without any other intent or purpose than to fill your own heart.
♦ Within the giving, remind yourself what this journey is all about and look around to recognize how fortunate we are to have this life. Choose to cherish the ultimate gift from a loving God who wants joy and hope to permeate our human sense.
Hope is the one necessary human element beyond all other facets of life. Give the gift of hope and light to those you love by first reminding yourself of the gift that a loving God has given us all. It is too easy in our human sense to forget the biggest gift we have been granted, the gift of life. The ability to live and choose how we engage in the lives of others.
Remind yourself of the kind of purposeful HOPE that would leave a throne to be born into a manger as a baby only to grow into a Man willing to lay down His everything for the wretchedness of humanity.
No politics or false sense of security can overwhelm the message of HOPE that a loving God has provided. No effort of man or human disposition can surmount the greatest love of all. The message of Christ’s birth is bigger and greater than any legislative battle. “No power of hell, nor scheme of man” can come close to the purpose of God’s intent and love for you as a unique person qualified to receive that love.
Wrap yourself in the blanket of that unconditional love. Stop what you are doing.
Pause in the peace of this moment… set down your troubles, LISTEN and FEEL.
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining, til He appeared and the souls felt its worth. A thrill of HOPE; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn…”
Let the tears flow, and with them release the foreboding. Engage in the next moment with a loving purpose filled with the HOPE that He provides. Fall forward to the centered purpose of your life, a very special life, and reflect on the gift we are too quick to diminish.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”
Revelation 21:1-6
Abiding love to all.
Steadfast,
~ Sundance
Thank you Sundance. A much needed reminder that life is worth living & nothing can kill the American spirit.
God’s blessings to all & merry Christmas!
Three months ago one of our 40 something nephews called and told us his second marriage was over; his wife had never been faithful to him throughout their six years together.
He was heartbroken. Two wives went astray, two children to care for, one mortgage payment and household bills once shared by two were now his alone, covid, and a sense of an impersonal world around him brought this strong, confident man to tears.
Two days ago while talking to him on the phone I learned his SUV had died a month ago, but he didn’t want to tell us since we had already given him money for legal fees. His first wife’s boyfriend was letting our nephew use his old, tiny two-door car, and our nephew was thrilled for that great show of generosity in his life. He is a thankful man for the blessings he knows are still there in abundance.
We had an “extra” car tucked back among the clutter in our pole shed, one that hadn’t been driven in months, one that we knew needed some work.
Yesterday my husband spent much of the day at the car dealership having the breaks on our car checked and then fixed (only thing we thought might have a problem), and today he drove the pole shed car to the dealership to have it looked at and worked on.
Tomorrow we will drive 160 miles to our nephew’s home, hubby in one car, me in another, and drop our car off for our nephew to use. I’m guessing when the time comes my husband will give our nephew the car, since he has done things like that before.
I have not gotten a thing for my husband for Christmas and he has not gotten a thing for me. We are old, and by the fact we had an extra car “tucked” away shows God has richly blessed us with more stuff than we need, and with stuff He, in His mercy, gave us to give to others.
We are humbled to be able to help our nephew, especially remembering all the times in our early marriage when we felt helpless and alone — and there were two of us.
I’m pretty sure my husband feels the same way I do right now, that dropping a car off at our nephew’s house tomorrow will be one of the greatest Christmas gifts either of us has ever gotten.
Merry Christmas, dear friends!
Sorry….found you in the bin. 🙁
This world needs more people like you in it! God Bless you! Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family!
Sundance, thank you for the wonderful encouragement
Tears poured as I read this…thank you.
Hope in God and the inevitable victory of proper conduct (Dharma), not in man or his institutions. God’s ways are often “funny,” but He always has our backs. Put hope where it will not and can not crash.
Men become tyrants when they lose faith in God. Then their fear becomes pan-optic and they repress and oppress pan-optically. Loss of faith in God and proper conduct is the cause.
God has your back no matter what happens, and it goes a lot easier for you if you maintain faith that He does. He does.
Thank you.
Thank you for those words, Sundance. I confess my spirit is lacking this year, and I only decorated the tree. I usually put everything up and light the outside deck like an old steamer, but not this year…I have been heavy in prayer for Trump and his family instead.
I found that as I pray and make my body do some ordinary things…like sweep the floor, feed the chickens, shovel poop…chase the dogs, scoop cat litter, or simply walk to the mailbox and back and yes, decorate the place merry and bright…my prayers become less pleading and more about being thankful and acknowledging the blessings are all around…even if I can’t see them. We tend to get down, God only lifts us up. I will join you in prayer for Trump and his family, and for our country. We are mighty in prayer.
Again, Sundance and Treepers….Thank you for truth and sanity and faith.
Best site, evah!
Merry Christmas to all.
what part of ‘thy will be done’ or ‘if it be thy will’ do you not understand?
Many of us believe that our VSG P DJT has been ‘given’ unto us to save our nation. Alternatively, people think that God is using Mr Trump as a tool, or is working thru him to accomplish great things.
We don’t necessarily think POTUS is ‘blessed’ or that he is God, or even that he is Godlike. In fact, there are those who view him as Evil Personified.
There does seem to be evidence that our Lion’s entire life prepared him for these moments in the history of our country. I remind you that Trump did not start the populist movement. He seems to have correctly identified its objectives – and simply got out ahead of it as the ‘visible’ leader.
IMHO he is a great teacher (leader) who has showed the way for those who want to make changes – how to get involved. How many times at rallies did he say ‘you (YOU) must open up your state’. We should not sit passively and let others ‘do the work’ or govern us with no checks and balances.
Many at the treehouse want POTUS to take specific action – like use the Insurrection Act or implement his 2018 EO. Many here seem confused that he has not done so. Others remind us that POTUS gives everyone the chance to do the right thing – before meting out justice. Still others fear that Biden will be our president (horrors)
I want to plant a thought seed.
It has been said that Trump has many paths to victory. What they mean is many paths to saving our Constitutional Republic – using the tools of the Constitution, 10 USC codes, EOs and other ‘legal’ means. The consistent message is ‘HE’ has paths to ‘save us’.
The fear is that if Biden/Harris is our president all Trump effort to date will be lost. We will become a ‘suburb’ of China, slaves, and our Republic will be lost forever.
So we fervently pray (with Grandma, Stillwater, Dutchman – and others) that Mr Trump will ‘win’ this election.
‘if it be thy will’
Well, what if that is not the plan?
I think back to my own life events. Times I really wanted … job? promotion? husband? and I hoped, prayed and tried as hard as I could cause I wanted it NOW!
Thinking back on events, I was ’employed’ doing something I really loved – teaching people to fly – and love it as much as I did. Then I had other ‘opportunities’ – went to work for the FAA, where I could make an reven bigger contribution. Took me 8 years to discover that being ‘inside’ the government was … how shall I say it?… taking me farther away from what I loved – and more useless the higher I ‘rose’ in the bureaucracy.
Treepers have wondered what might happen if our Beloved POTUS is not inaugurated. Some worry about the ‘hit list’ that dimms are putting together. But some have wondered if our Wonderful Lion might be more powerful outside of government.
There are 2 things that make that thought intriguing.
1) he has successfully motivated (probably, at least) 100 million people to ‘take back their government’
2) he has learned an incredible amount about the way the corruption game is played in the federal and state swamps. Something to be feared methinks.
Do I hope or wish for that outcome. Emphatically NO! We want and need him for the next 4 years. After that he can help whoever do what ever else still needs doing.
Do I think it is given to us to know the full outcome?
Do I think a special ‘someone’ has it all planned out?
Do I think our prayers matter?
Far as I know none of us has that magic crystal ball on the future. My personal saying is to do the best I can with what I’ve got. As Sundance says – ONWARD!
Really enjoyed your post! As Christians, we pray but we are not in control of this world. Adam and Eve turned it over to Satan when they disobeyed God’s commandment in the garden! Hence, we needed Jesus Christ to buy us back for God and to be part of the God’s family.
I am reminded to the great apostle Paul who stated twice that Satan hindered him:
Rom_15:22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.
1Th_2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
Paul brought to us a fuller understanding of the Mystery of God which is Christ in us the hope of glory! Colossians 1:27. Paul was a man of great faith and prayer yet, he was hindered by Satan. In Timothy we are reminded the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much! James 5:16.
In this life we are at times hindered. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places Eph 6:12.
Our prayers availeth much but we don’t determine the outcome. The Father knows and moves in this world through our prayers. I do not give up but continue to pray for our country and the freedoms we hold dear. God has many ways to move and our prayers open those doors.
Prov 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.
Thankful for this site and all the fine folks here!
Thank you, Sundance for your deep kindness and appreciation of us. Blessings for you and your family. I am deeply grateful to be able to a small part of your TreeHouse.
Thank you Sundance. I needed this, and forwarded it to friends. Your great post describes exactly how I have felt this season. I pray that this is the time of darkness before the light.
God bless you.
One of my favorite stories is the Boston Tea Party. A group of men consumed some alcoholic beverages at The Green Dragon, dressed up as Indians, boarded ships and then threw tea into the Boston harbor. A completely futile and stupid gesture which truly captures the American Spirit of defiance and lead to the birth of a nation.
I was reminded of the Boston Tea Party while watching the Movie Animal House. In the final chapters of the story, a beaten and battered Otter returns to the fraternity house to see the members dejected and resigned to their defeat. Bluto attempts to rally the fraternity with a comedic locker room speech:
Bluto:
Otter: Boon: Bluto:
Nothing is over until we say it is. Was it over when the German’s bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
German’s?
Forget it, he’s rolling. And it ain’t over now. . .
Despite Bluto’s best effort, the traditional motivation speech fails to inspire the troops.
I feel exactly like those fraternity brothers in that scene. This election was stolen. Partisans altered the elections laws in key states and then exploited the new lack of election security to alter the outcome of the Presidential election. The Republican legislatures in those key states lack the fortitude to recognize the fraud and exercise their constitutional obligations. Our Supreme Court lacks the courage to follow the precedent established by Chief Justice John Marshall in the decision of Marbury v. Madison. As a result, we have a fraudulent President Elect who has taken millions of dollars from China. And at this moment, our “Blutotisc” pundits and leaders attempt to motivate and/or console us with talk of securing future elections and donating more cash.
Forgive me, but I have lost faith in our elections and the republic. I am less than inspired to react in the traditional fashion. However, I need to express my rage without engaging in violence against my fellow citizens. Therefore, I believe we need to TP the capital in the spirit of the Boston Tea Party. I am not suggesting a few roles a toilet paper in a tree type of prank. I mean we cover every square inch of the capital. We have to use enough toilet paper that everyone will remember this inauguration and laugh as they wipe their rear end. Frugal Mothers will wail when they think of the waste of the precious resource. Proud fathers will regale their sons with stories of the great flush of an inauguration. But we will never forget the futile and stupid gesture to demonstrate our defiance.
Make no mistake, throwing toilet paper throughout Washington D.C., will not stop the inauguration of China’s favorite geriatric dimwit. But spreading a gigantic amount of the most
sought after substance in 2020 throughout the capital will live on forever in history. And it just might eventually lead to wiping this stain from the fabric our republic.
Otter:
Bluto is right, psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could fight them with conventional weapons. That could take years and cost millions of lives. No. No. No.
No. In this case, I think we have to go all out. I think this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.
Bluto:
Were just the guys to do it.
Boon:
Let’s do it.
Would be a humorous sketch if I didn’t believe our very lives being endangered by what is happening. These are not shenanigans.
What is happening is worse than what the British did, worse than Pearl Harbor, worse than 9/11.
They are seeking to destroy us: Kill our economy, brainwash our children, kill our spirits, make us slaves.
They are disarming every means of defense we have: from rights, law, and courts, to guns, to our government representatives, to our borders, to our law enforcement, to our national defense.
They are trying break our spirits, trying to keep us apart. Twenty eight years ago my parents got sober in AA. Two years later I came along. I was born with down syndrome. From the moment I can remember, I was surrounded by people in recovery, as I was reading this article, it reminded me of some of the people my parents surrounded themselves with. They had this quiet faith, and serenity about them. Even when their lives were chaotic, and seeming to be falling apart. As long as they stayed connected it always seemed to get better. Or, as my mom said it just got different. I learned faith, fellowship, and service to others. My mom’s sponsor, who had 48 yrs in the program, said any problem she had could be lessened by helping people worse off than her. My dad passed away 8yrs ago, with 27yrs of sobriety. Since all this started, there’s been no meetings, they’re usually held in churches. Since july my mom has been holding meetings once a week at our house. Sometimes its a crowd, sometimes a few people. The door is always open. Just like Sundance said they’re trying to break our spirits. Don’t let them. Keep a grateful heart, and attitude. We decided that this year, that we’re going to by one gift, and the rest we would’ve spent wii go to our local goodfellows. Because I can’t see kids going without, because of the government. My favorite prayer is the third step prayer. God, I offer myself to thee- to build with me and to do with me as thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of thy power, thy love, and thy way of life.
Thank you Sundance from the bottom of my heart. Tears flowed as I read this. Love and fellowship are found here at CTH and when you can so perfectly capture what we are all feeling, you let us know we are not alone. I find myself telling people, “Live your best life now”, so thank you Sundance for everything.
Our love for our President is a strong bond. He fights fearlessly and so I feel I must too for him. God chose Donald J Trump to help lead this nation back to Him. Just as in 2016, against all odds, when Donald J Trump was elected because of Divine Intervention, to be our President, I believe we are going to see a greater miracle with a victory for President Trump this year.
Though many have betrayed our trust, President Trump still has many that are loyal to him and his MAGA plan, and they will be leading the charge. Just as Gideon in the Old Testament realized he did not need an endless army to win in battle, only complete reliance on God and a small loyal army, President Trump’s listening heart will lead him to victory.
Our hope is in the Lord.
From the Divine Mercy Chaplet from St. Faustina:
O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God’s mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless ages (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 72).
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
Adrem, Please delete my next post. The picture did not come through. Sorry.
Thank you for that.
Sundance: You brought me back to God.
I found your site a couple of years ago. I was immediately drawn to it because of the quality of the analysis and commentary, both by yourself and by the Treepers. I would read your introductory editorial and comments, skip over the photo of President Trump and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, then go to the remaining articles. Once in a while I’d add a comment, usually a clause from the Constitution.
However, each time I read your site, I would see the Lord’s Prayer. After a while I began to read it aloud, then to start using it as an evening prayer. I downloaded the KJV Bible from the App store and started reading it.
On Nov. 22. at 3:15 AM, I awoke with the first words of the 23rd Psalm on my mind, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want…” I hadn’t heard that psalm for over 60 years. Opening the KJV Bible I read it, particularly noting the ‘valley of Death’ and ‘preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies’ and ending with ‘Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.’
Well I can take HINT. And I thank you for putting me on this path. I have spent the whole day reading the comments and testimony of others. It is a wonderful way to commune with each other. Sort of like being in Church.