The holidays are upon us, whether we want them to be or not. It’s supposed to be a season of joy, but for many people, it can be a season of sorrow. For them, loved ones are gone from this earth, or their finances are so tight that they will choose not to have a traditional dinner. Others may be alone for the holidays. Whatever sorrows may come our way this season, let us find ways to find the sparks of joy.
One of the first sparks of joy is to be grateful for what we have in the present. For me, moving cost me financially, but I am so grateful to be in a larger home and in a new city. We can all be grateful for the needs that have been met in our lives, even if some needs are still outstanding. During this holiday season, we can take a day to stop and look around us to see what we have in our present that grants gratefulness. It will heal our soul, which in turn heals our physical and mental health too.
Another spark is to see the small joys that have occurred over the last year. For those of us living in California, our world around us is more open than it was a year ago. We can gather with friends, family, and even our church family. We can celebrate the good times this year has brought and be grateful for overcoming the difficult trials that have been upon us. Some of us can celebrate having gone on a vacation; others can celebrate going to a concert, or even the movie theater. Then, there are those of us who are sports fans who find just a spark of joy watching and cheering for our teams in this last year.
A spark that many of us do not always recognize is the actions that people do for us, even if they are small, like responding to our posts on social media. The small sparks of people praying for us helps us realize that we are not alone in our struggles, which is a reminder that we must let people know that we are praying for them. We can become so busy into what we are doing that we miss those small sparks that are right in front of us that people are doing with us or for us. They can be small acts of kindness that we forget because we are so busy focusing on what we must do, that we do not stop to see what others are doing around us. This holiday season, may we stop and see.
A final spark is to realize the good things God has given us throughout our lives. From our health, even if we have difficulties, we are still alive, to our talents and gifts that we can use to serve others and to create in us a heart that is open to making the world a better place. God has given us our memories of times that we have had with people we love and opportunities in our lives that have changed us. God has given us grace and love without our effort being used to receive them.
This week, as we start the holiday season, whether we are gathering with many, few, or having time to ourselves, may we take the time to see the sparks of joy that have occurred in our lives, so we can recognize the sparks of joy in our future, and send sparks of joy to the lives of others around us.
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