CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION OF THE HEART

 

 

By Frosty Wooldridge
December 23, 2010
NewsWithViews.com

Each morning here in the Rocky Mountains, the rising sun blazes across the eastern sky with multi-colored light-shows beyond description. This morning, as I sit here at my office desk, a crimson, boiling cauldron of screaming light—tinges the glowing thunderheads billowing on both sides of the cliffs beyond my window.

The first black capped chickadee just hit our birdfeeder, and low and behold, four elk sauntered through our front yard on their way toward the aspen grove. The lead eight point ‘big guy’ just turned to look back at me as I stand in the window.

Oops, another five sparrows jumped the chickadee at the feeder and a Downy woodpecker grabbed his first chuck of the suet cage. He’s happily pecking away at his morning breakfast. Not to be outdone, a red-tailed hawk just soared through the ever-intensifying sunrise—now a full blown, blazing strawberry red extravaganza.

For most of the year, I write about the serious challenges facing our country, our way of life and our impending calamities—this morning, I am thankful for the qualities of life abundantly parading outside my window.

Last Sunday at church, my preacher, always funny and forever instructive, asked us to take a deep breath and “Breathe in a mindful Christmas.” He engaged us with a funny, funny parody of the 12 days before Christmas….

Beyond that tale, he invited us to create a circle of candles leading up to a large candle in the middle. He asked us to light one candle each night at dinner, give some kind of thanks for our blessings, and end up with the last big candle being lit on Christmas Eve. He showed a picture of the end result on the large screen at the head of the church of 1,500 seats. Can you imagine, he packs us in at 1,500 for three services every Sunday. I gotta’ tell you, I love to go to church for the spiritual renewal, enlightened laws for living and how to engage a fulfilling life in the Almighty.

He talked about Christmas, “Renewing our faith, igniting our energies and engaging our mindfulness. Let’s work toward the L.I.G.H.T.”

He used that acronym of LIGHT as follows:

L. Light consciousness! Move toward beauty, joy, love and thankfulness in your life. Let go; breathe and release. Got some things bothering you? Take a deep breath and count the positives. Let the negatives fall away or deal with them honestly and forthrightly. As I sit here, the sunrise burns through my eastern facing window. I am full of hope for the day, for renewal of ideas, energy and vitality for living. I hope you might enjoy the same sermon from your minister, rabbi, preacher or priest.

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Along with the ‘light’, who can you forgive? Anyone that has betrayed you, hurt you, cheated on you, lied to you or in any way maligned you! Forgive with your heart and mind as well as your spirit. Once you forgive, you too, will see that heavy emotional ‘sack of potatoes’ drop away from your shoulders, mind and heart. My preacher gave a heart rendering story of a woman whose husband suffered death at the hands of a woman who had run over him at a school crosswalk where he volunteered. She couldn’t see from the glare of the sun.

The lady driving the car suffered severe depression. The wife of the dead husband could not forgive and remained angry. Finally, the preacher talked her into seeing the woman who had run over her husband. When she knocked on the door, the other woman fell to the floor with grief and self-chastisement. The woman who had lost her husband bent down and pulled her up to embrace her. “I forgive you,” she said.

At that moment, both felt the “light” of living come back into their lives.

Yes, I have been betrayed, lied to, cheated and hurt by others on purpose or by accident. And guess what, I forgive them and I forgive myself in order to move forward into the “light.” God gives us that choice.

I. Invite divine consciousness and inspiration into your life this Christmas. Make it a warm and tender time to invite others toward the light and the energy of Christmas, the renewal brought about by the birth of Jesus in that manger.

We so often scurry about our lives without inviting others to join us. This Christmas, invite new consciousness and feel the inspiration throughout your mind and body.

G. Give! Give caring, joy, encouragement, support, love and yourself to people on the street. I always say “Merry Christmas” to all I pass on the walks or in the grocery store. Pay a compliment to the cashier, tip the paper boy, the garbage collector and anyone that makes your life nicer.

H. Help and serve! I volunteer as a ski instructor to the handicapped at the National Sports Center for the Disabled at www.NSCD.org in Winter Park, Colorado. Each teaching day, I work with kids and adults with MS, MD, CP, TBI, amputations and other horrific problems. I am forever inspired by their courage for nearly 20 years of volunteering. I come away richer from having served.

Additionally, I’ve picked up trash out of nature for over 50 years. I have picked up over half a million pieces of trash and expect to pick up a million more before I leave this planet. It’s my way of helping and serving. What’s your passion to serve?

T. Transform! How about a renewal of your mind? What’s within you that needs a rebirth? How about transforming your mind, spirit and heart back to the beauty of living? How old are you? Have you lost the magic? Guess what! You never outgrow your ability to live with child-like wonder for this great adventure on this planet.

So, come on, throw yourself into the season! Throw your energy into living! What is Christmas? It’s you dude or dudette! Show your transformation toward joy, hope, love and friends.

Light those candles, makes those wishes, watch for Santa Claus and share an egg nog with your friends and family.

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To each of you, my long time readers, and my friends all over America and the world—let’s enjoy God’s blessings and the renewal of a child born in a manger. Let’s work, think and pray toward a more peaceful world where the family of humanity may work together for a better world in 2011. We are all one in humanity! We all share a stake in the outcome for our children on seven continents, in the sky, under the oceans and everywhere life abounds.

As tiny Tim said, “God bless us one and all!” Merry Christmas from Sandi and Frosty Wooldridge

Listen to Frosty Wooldridge on Wednesdays as he interviews top national leaders on his radio show "Connecting the Dots" at www.themicroeffect.com at 6:00 PM Mountain Time. Adjust tuning in to your time zone.

� 2010 Frosty Wooldridge - All Rights Reserved