Giving Thanks for 2013

For adults with divorced parents, Christmas can be the best of times and it can be the worst of times. Sometimes simultaneously! The myriad of family combinations can produce conflicts and near misses that can make “the most wonderful time of the year” very stressful.

The best antidote for holiday stress is thanking God for the many ways He has blessed you this past year. Thank Him for your friends, your family, and your home. Don’t miss things like food on the table, or heat, clothing, gas in the car, or a job, even a crummy one, that brings in much needed dollars.

An area of thankfulness we often overlook includes the positive traits we’ve acquired from our parents.  Even if your parents were absolute dysfunctional deadbeats (which usually is not the case), are you more independent as a result? Are you a go getter? Do you have a deep compassion for people?

Are you particularly good with kids because you are giving them what you didn’t receive? There is a scripture that says God will restore what the locusts have eaten. Said differently, as a rose can grow out of the ashes, you have been blessed with positive character traits as a result of your parent’s divorce.

I encourage you to take the next 5 minutes, open up a Word file, and type a list of things you can be thankful for. Ask your spouse or friend for ideas too. It will be the best 5 minutes you spend today, because this thankful perspective will encourage and invigorate you and give a positive start to your new year!

With God’s richest blessings to you all,

Kent