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. I needed this.
God bless you and my fellow Treepers.
Today seemed to be the most difficult day I’ve experienced since the the election, This post was just what I needed.
Yesterday and today both were really scraping the bottom of the barrel for me, capped by a warning from my boss to get it together or say goodbye.
Irony to tell me to keep my personal feelings out of it when I’ve been inundated by online courses from the company effectively letting me know that my nationality (American), my skin color (caucasian), my faith (Catholic/Christian), my sexual orientation and my speech, vocabulary and even expression, render me needful of their impugning my character, my integrity, my values and my…everything.
Is that not pretty personal?
Bless you for this. I’m still in turmoil so I’ll need to come back to it a couple of times for it to penetrate my seething spirit.
Same here and I’m a “Nana” too!
Thank you, Sundance. Thank you for this reminder. I am so thankful for this site, your efforts and those of all who visit here.
Sundance: I feel the anxiety, yet I am fighting it.
Today, I ran in to pick up a few items at the grocery store and at checkout (chin mask, full of holes I punched in it ?), I was making lame jokes and grinning like the Cheshire Cat – grinning visibly as my mask was on my person, but well South of my nose and mouth – and it gave a nice lift to the cashier. I at least for the moment and who knows how much longer after I left, she was jolly-in-the-moment, too. Right there with me. “Drive safe. (snowing) See you you soon!”
It’s not much, but as you state, there is hope, so we all have to keep our chins up and spread the Gospel (i.e. ‘Good News’). It’s just a little bit that each of us can do at every daily interaction.
Spread a little hope. Spread a little cheer, and that cloud of anxiety will thin out quite a bit. Help yourself by helping others.
Thanks, for what you do, Sundance. You do manage to point out the daisies amongst the crabgrass and so we keep on with a bit of a lift in our step.
Yes right!
They tell us to wear a mask
They dont say WHERE.
Thinking of taping it to my trousers over my rear end
Thank you Sundance. Blessings!
Thank you Sundance. God bless you and yours.
Thanks so much Sundance. You’ve been such an inspiration and a fantastic enlightener. We definitely need hope, for without hope you cannot dream of a better future.
But we also need courage, for without courage we will never be able to confront and overcome evil, and therefore wont be able to realize that dream of a better future.
The Lord is coming soon. In Luke 21: 28 Jesus says “And when these things [end time events] begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near.”
I’ve been looking up for a number of years now; He is close, even at the door.
Father, give these good people the Peace that only You can give; and those here who don’t know your Son, please draw them to You, to receive the first and greatest Christmas Gift, the One that You gave.
What a perfect time to meet Jesus!
Found in the bin… 🙁
Thank you, Sundance. You, this site and all the posters are invaluable. Our pastor just finished a series on “God is in control of who is in control”. Let us continue to give him all the praise and glory and rejoice at the coming of his son. Again, thank you, Sundance and Merry Christmas to all.
This Christmas, I’d like to celebrate the day with a 21st century equivalent of Washington crossing the Deleware. ?
Thank you, Sundance. I try to be in the moment, pragmatic… The stress does ebb and flow. Yours words are a comforting reminder to not despair.
They are rolling out vaccines for healthcare personnel and the elderly patients I care for.
I have resolved myself that I will refuse it, do not want to administer it, and will resign if I must.
I am not an anti-vaccer, but I do not consent to efforts to compel people among these confusing and conflicting circumstances… I do not trust these political entities. If there is such urgency for these vaccines, why was the announcement withheld?
To add to Jlwary, they told us how dangerous HCQ is, which is over 60 years old, but these vaccines are the safest thing known to man.
I appreciated your post. I am in the same boat in nursing care. So much lies, hidden and not so hidden agendas, politics, Gates and Fauci ties, corrupt Phizer, delayed announcement until after election. There is no way to feel comfortable about taking a vax we know nothing about. The cure IS worse than the disease. Just say no. Peace out.
It dawned on me this evening, because I have been so focused on my receiving it… They expect me to give it… That clarity made me shudder, all the what-ifs… ?
And why did the AMA finally do this, quietly, and why is the MSM SILENT?
REPORT:
AMA QUIETLY REVERSED Position On #Hydroxychloroquine in LATE October.
THEY RESCINDED THEIR REQUEST THAT DOCTORS STOP PRESCRIBING #HCQ
Now admit benefits FAR OUTWEIGH the extremely low risk!
https://ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-10/nov20-handbook-addendum.pdf…
Actually, I think most of us know why…
Ha, got a 404 page
Try this link instead: https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-10/nov20-handbook-addendum.pdf
All here:
The AMA( American Medical Association) quietly admits they lied about Hydroxychloroquine
https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2020/12/15/the-ama-quietly-admits-they-lied-about-hydroxychloroquine/
and
p17 and 18
Here it is:
However, on page 18 of a recent AMA memo, issued on October 30, (resolution 509, page 3) the organization officially reversed its stance on HCQ, stating that its potential for good currently may supersede the threat of any potentially harmful side effects.
https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-10/nov20-handbook-addendum.pdf
and
see
Tweets by zev_dr
I just checked
All because of TDS
Retired Magistrate here: Just got back from a lovely dinner with our pastor and his wife. We were talking about how so many churches are still not open and how many lonely and depressed people there are right now. Our small church has been open since Easter since we all decided that GOD did not give us a spirit of fear; that we are meant to be with others in Christian fellowship.
Do not let current events steal your joy this time of the year. We have several couples in our church who won’t be with family this year so we invited them for dinner Christmas week. Just put our Christmas tree up today with ornaments from many family members and ones that I have collected since I was a child; it is beautiful and brings back many happy memories of loved ones who are no longer here. It snowed here in Delaware County Ohio yesterday and it is just beautiful. Went for a walk and praised GOD for all the beauty.
Cherish one another, the season, and GOD who gave the greatest gift of all, his son, JESUS CHRIST.
Found in the bin…. 🙁
I see they are allowing casinos to be open. How about we turn casinos into churches?
Beautiful post!
Will there be fireworks next week?
https://youtu.be/WsYsTEaF3U4
Amen and amem. Blessings to all.
Actor Kirk Cameron Hosts Christmas Caroling Event To Oppose California Lockdown Restrictions With No Social Distancing, No Masks
I sometimes wonder if what we are going through is just a test to reveal the saved from the dammed.
What if God is not testing is? What if instead, He is trusting us? Trusting us to steward the gift of freedom and the nation that he created?
What you wonder, is true.
Thank you, Sundance.
I am a retired school teacher.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have worked on 2 items to begin my day.
1. I sit quietly for an hour without turning on any electronics-no phone, no computer, no tv, no radio.
“Be still and know that I am God”. I spend the hour looking out my patio door looking at nature. This helps to calm me. (I usually have a cup of hot coffee or tea in my hands).
2. I read a chapter of Proverbs each morning. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs so it corresponds to the days of a monthly calendar.
(What I’ve learned is that Proverbs is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago).
These 2 habits have helped me to remain hopeful in these trying times. Maybe they will help others.
In times like this it is good to bear in mind the second half of that verse.
“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”
Thank you for sharing your peaceful routine. I may give that a try. Merry Christmas.
Like Sue!
What a great way to start your day!
I used to start my day doing a women’s Bible study everyday but unfortunately I haven’t been involved in one for quite a while now and have stacked a bit. I found Psalm 91 is great when I’m worried or anxious.
Thanks for the post, much appreciated, great idea on a Proverbs a day.
Your post struck a chord with me, Sue, and for that I thank you. So often I find I have a one-sided conversation with God, never allowing Him to answer. In those moments where I finally just sit in silence is when I hear His voice.
To Sundance, Ad Rem, Menagerie, and all of you other wonderful Treepers on here, Merry Christmas! I know this year is different for most of us, but God still sits on His throne of majesty. God bless!
Amen. Blessings to Sundance and each one of you.
Many thanks, Sundance, for this much-needed message!
Sundance, your words are so perfect in describing my own thoughts and feelings right now. Thank you. And yes, there is a joyful hope that transcends all we are experiencing.
Sundance and the Deocrats both want to bring the Lord to America.
Sundance wants the Lord of Hosts.
Democrats wand the Lord of the Flies.
Thank you SD
But until they ban Christmas and Christianity
They are already trying
https://harbingersdaily.com/hohmann-dem-doc-demands-biden-clamp-down-on-christians/
Hohmann: Democrat Document Surfaces Demanding Biden Clamp Down On Conservative Christians, Remove Them From Public Office & Re-educate Trump Voters
A group backed by congressional Democrats touting a “Secular America” has sent a 28-page document to the Biden transition team advising him to strip First Amendment rights from Christians who advocate traditional biblical positions on the sanctity of life, marriage, education and the nuclear family.
The group, calling themselves theSecular Democrats of America, sent the letter to Biden’s team under the title “Restoring Constitutional Secularism and Patriotic Pluralism in the White House: Prepared exclusively by Secular Democrats of America PAC for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Transition Team.”
The document, presented by Reps Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and endorsed by Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., states that an incoming Biden administration must “educate the American public,” particularly those identified as the “religious right,” on the need to keep their “religious dogma” to themselves. The document calls for a purge of social conservatives from all levels of government, labeling them as “white nationalist” and “conspiracy theorists.”
The only religious dogma, to be allowed is that of the Holy Global Warming and the Holy Face Diaper. Oh! And there will be plenty of both and it will be mandatory.
They will allow Islam of course
Satan’s acolytes are salivating as Communism appears to have won over the last hope of humanity.
Heaven help us.
Ever heard of “Onward Christian Soldiers” ? Btw, David did smite Goliath, maybe us American Patriots are gonna have to “SMITE” the Commie Dems & DEEP STATE, count me in !
we all know what happened to hamen … they really should get a grip on where this is all going … our”CREATOR” has no patience with ‘non stop evil ‘ …….
I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity. And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.
Ecclesiastes 4:16-17
my favorite book … thoughts and blessings ‘red’ …….
Wow! The past few days I have had that feeling of “ugh” What an amazingly post and so timely for me. A great reminder that we are not alone – in more ways than one. Thx Sundance for the beautiful reminders .
Thank you Sundance and to all.
I’m just a traveler passing through. 100% totally unworthy of Jesus’ sacrifice. Unworthy to see the holes where the nails have been but desperately hopeful I will get to see them. Thank you Sundance for the Treehouse. Worry will not add an hour to our lives. It has all been written. Rejoice. Hallelujah
Oh Elle ! how well said ! God bless Sundance and all here.
Sundance I think you summed it for me to a tee. For the first time in years I just couldn’t find the joy of the season!!
I’m so glad to know it’s not just me!
Merry Christmas all you wonderful Patriots!!
This struggle is not new to me, I lost everything I owned, a lost cabinet company, uncluding, 2 of my daughters to a Covid psycho wife, in 2008.I hate being here, again. It is like watching what happened to me 12 years ago. It is all the same.It hurts the same. This time we fix it. I’m much more hopeful.God Bless America. The people of this great country are in the fight, and we are large in numbers and deep in warriors. We will win this time, because there is no other alternative.
How old are your daughters?
We all love you here !
Sundance, I’ve read some amazing pieces of writing by you over the years, but this just might be one of the very best. May the Lord keep you and bless you.
Indeed!!❤️
YES! Absolutely stunning!
Merry Christmas dear Sundance…your words elevate and inspire.
Lovely, SD, thank you for the gift of hope and steadfastness.
Pray psalm 109 over the leftist.
Thank you Sundance for your inspiring words. I’m a reader here from your northern neighbour. My grandmother passed away tonight and your words have brought me peace. She lived a long and fruitful life and I know that tonight she’ll be rejoicing with loved ones gone before. Still it’s difficult coming into this Christmas week. God bless you all.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
Thank you for your kindness. Hope to visit your beautiful state again before too long!
Saltwater, Your Grandmother will be with you always in your heart. May God bless you and your Grandmother.
You have our deepest sympathies. May an incredible peace wrap you from head to toe and rest in the fact, you are not alone! {{Hugs}}
May God Bless and comfort you and your family.
God bless YOU, saltwater. May you draw strength from the love your grandmother had, and has, for you.
Thanks to all of you for your condolences. This is without a doubt the best group of people I have ever encountered. Do not be discouraged by recent events, still hoping for a miracle for your country, but if that doesn’t happen, you will prevail. America is good and strong and gives hope to all of us who live in darker circumstances. Merry Christmas to all of you.
On the wings of Angels.she flew..
Peace be with you Saltwater. Your grandmother is with you even though you can not be with her in the flesh. I often say a silent prayer to my grandmother, and she has never failed to answer me and bring much peace to my spirit.
Thank you Ad rem for those words and all that you do. You are truly a blessing to all who post/lurk here. The sense of community is so reassuring in times
Thank you Ad rem for your words of encouragement and all that you do. The sense of community found here is unprecedented. Now it’s getting very late in my neck of the woods so goodnight to all. God bless
Sorry all, messed up my comment, forgive me I’m new at posting here!
I am sorry for your loss. I do know how you feel. It is hard to lose anyone, especially this time of year.
I lost my husband 24 years ago at this time and my daughter just last week. He was 40 and she was only 37 and just over a week away from her birthday.
As a poster said to me, “may the joy of her life overcome your sorrow.”
May God bless you and your loved ones and help you to move forward.
Thanks for that blessing Sundance, much needed and appreciated.
Sundance does it again! This time it’s the Big UGH-ly. The antidote is, We Need a Little Christmas!
Beautiful reminder, living our best lives here and abundantly thankful for each day. Merry Christmas everyone!!
Thank you so much Sundance for this post. (Long time lurker second time commenter.)
Sundance, this post is a gift, thank you. We WILL get through this, by the grace of God and the stalwart resolve of President Trump. Merry Christmas to Sundance, Admin, Menagerie, Stella, et al, and of course, Treepers on every branch.
Next week the planets Saturn and Jupiter will be perfectly aligned when viewed from Earth – they will appear together as a bright star in the southwestern sky.
The last time this happened was in the 1600s. Some believe that it was this same alignment at the time of Jesus’s birth that was the Star of Bethlehem the wise men saw.
Let us hope that this time it also heralds the beginning of a new era for all humankind – an era where good triumphs over evil – in the short term with the election, and for many years to come.
Thank you so much Sundance, and all Treepers, for making this place for us all to come and find God and fellowship in these dark times. Hopefully darkest before the light!
“Because the steadfast love of the Lord is better than life, my lips will praise Him.”
Psalm 63:3
Q: do you every worry?
A: would it help?
Sundance, your timing is as divine as your prose.
Thank You Sundance. Your message is very timely for me. I have written many cards and letters with stamps on them that I never had the courage to send over these last few years. Written to to people I felt were really suffering and thankful for. I opened one of these cards the other day and I had written a poem to them from Rumi: This Being Human.
This Being Human
Is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, Who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture.
Still treat each guest honorably. He/She may be clearing out your house for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes because each each has beeb sent as a guide from the beyond. Rumi (1207-1273)
And in these nect few Holy Days to come, I will find a church to go to, despite being a lapsed Byzantine Catholic. I still believe this Mantra from my youth – “Christ has come, Christ has Risen, the Christ will come again.”
What might be the Star of Bethlehem revisited will be in the skies next week. Imagine on the Winter Solstice. Believe me, there has always been something sorrowful for me to dwell on. Yoi! But I want to be a person who doesn’t dwell on that anymore. I want to be a person who spreads hope for our individual and collective future. God Bless us, each and every one.
I despise my typos.
LOL 🙂
Hope is a good thing – but so is facing facts:
https://themarshallreport.wordpress.com/2020/12/17/lawlessness-from-seattle-to-the-supreme-court-follow-the-money/
https://themarshallreport.wordpress.com/2020/12/17/wake-up-dont-allow-governments-to-create-a-plague-that-will-devastate-the-world/
I think he means life is short.
Life is short! But we can make it wide
Why should we pay taxes when they just spend it on themselves and their rotten scams? I need the money more than they do. Get Zuckerberg, Bezos, Gates, and the rest of those people to fund the government.
oops…wrong thread. Sorry. I thought we could edit now. Hmmm
Hope, like faith and love, is a theological virtue. It comes directly from God and you can never hurt yourself by having too much of it. Thank God!
there’s a flip side.
There probably hasn’t been a December 17th that has had this ominous mood about it since December17th of 1941. God Bless Us, Everyone.
I was just thinking about that.
And you know how that ended, right? Two low yield atomic bombs.
Will this take a few political nukes to end? I’m ready to watch.
Epic Fail. Worst Troll Ever.
Okay, this is weird, I guess the vile troll I was addressing above was absented as I recoiled in horror at its hatefulness. Good.
Thank you Sundance, and thank you Treepers for what you’ve brought here tonight.
After I read Sundance’s post, I listened to the audiocast of last Sunday’s service at the tiny church where I’m organist. The hymns, scriptures, and sermon seemed to be appropriate for this thread — Hope –, so I’ll offer a link here in case you’d like to enjoy the service. I’ll probably put a link to our Christmas eve Vespers and Christmas Day Matins on the daily non-presidential thread next week, if no one objects.
If you scroll down a bit, you can see the words for the scriptures and hymns in the service.
https://stjames-lcms.org/2020/12/14/christ-brings-good-news/
Happy Advent to you, soon to be Merry Christmas.
thank you for the visit to your church service!!! It has been a long while since I’ve inside actual church walls and having this tonight felt so good. Good News indeed. It is much needed in these difficult times.
Merry Christmas to all!
AZF, I’m glad you enjoyed this. I’ll post Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services in the nonpolitical daily thread. There’s a lot of services from various confessions on line. I hope you’ll continue to find some that you like. You’re more than welcome of course to tune in to our services when you feel like it. Merry Christmas to you!
Thank you for sharing this tonight. Our Methodist church is closed due to a letter to churches from our Methodist bishop. We have an elderly congregation and have not made any kind of meaningful adaptions. The light there is getting dim.
Mary Lynn, you’re welcome! There are lots of Methodist church services posted on youtube. You might find some of those you like. If you’d like to continue joining us for the services at our tiny church, we’d be honored. We all need to keep praying that all our churches are open again. Merry Christmas!