Christmas 2013 A Holiday Survival Guide Fun, huh?

Christmas 2013Christmas 2013

A Holiday A Holiday Survival GuideSurvival Guide

Fun, huh?Fun, huh?

FamilyFamilyWorkWork

FriendsFriendsNeighborhoodNeighborhood

ChurchesChurches

The Point isn'tThe Point isn'tSurviving the Surviving the GatheringsGatherings

But glorifying GodBut glorifying God

And trusting himAnd trusting himto help us liveto help us live

What we sayWhat we sayWe believeWe believe

Principles fromPrinciples fromour Faithour Faith

More than justMore than justGatheringsGatherings

Family GatheringsFamily GatheringsWork PartiesWork Parties

Friends Hang OutFriends Hang Out

There's a History…There's a History…

Bring a blank chalkboardBring a blank chalkboard

Bring a blank chalkboardBring a blank chalkboard

The eraser principleThe eraser principle

““Love is patient, love is kind. It Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not not self-seeking, it is not easily easily angeredangered,, it keeps it keeps no record of no record of wrongs”wrongs” - 1 Cor. 13:4-5 - 1 Cor. 13:4-5

……be wise as serpents and be wise as serpents and innocent as dovesinnocent as doves

- Jesus, Matt. 10:16- Jesus, Matt. 10:16

List: List: What accounts do I What accounts do I need to erase?need to erase?

Am I willing?Am I willing?

ForgiveForgive-- to to releaserelease a person freely a person freely and completely from the debt he and completely from the debt he or she has built-up through or she has built-up through hurtful/painful words or hurtful/painful words or words...words...without any expectation without any expectation of repayment of repayment or amendsor amends

Note: Forgiveness is Note: Forgiveness is not not conditionedconditioned upon upon it it being requestedbeing requested by the by the other person.other person.

Wise and Wise and innocent- innocent- we we don't turn our backs…don't turn our backs…

How it changes Christmas How it changes Christmas gatheringsgatherings::

Releases my tension, sets me free Releases my tension, sets me free to focus on enjoying the time with to focus on enjoying the time with my family, my family, kills the chip on my kills the chip on my shoulder shoulder

Road-bump ahead:Road-bump ahead:

It probably won’t change It probably won’t change the other personthe other person

Use a Big Honking EraserUse a Big Honking EraserBefore you ever get thereBefore you ever get there

And…as you are thereAnd…as you are there

Because Jesus does…Because Jesus does…

Make your listMake your listCheck it twiceCheck it twice

Then…erase itThen…erase it

Determine in advance Determine in advance Which hills I’ll die onWhich hills I’ll die on


The The wartimewartime principle principle• StrategicStrategic• Accomplish purpose with Accomplish purpose with

Least # of CasualtiesLeast # of Casualties


The The wartimewartime principle principle

Claim the hill Claim the hill in advancein advance

““Be completely humble and Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing gentle; be patient, bearing

with one another in love”with one another in love”- Ephesians 4:2- Ephesians 4:2

Not looking to winNot looking to win

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, and dearly loved, clothe yourselves clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one grievances you may have against one another. Forgive another. Forgive as the Lord forgave as the Lord forgave youyou- Col. 3:12-13- Col. 3:12-13

Save the mortar for Save the mortar for the big targetsthe big targets

If it is possible, If it is possible, as far as as far as it depends on you, it depends on you, live live at peace with everyone at peace with everyone - Rom. 12:18 - Rom. 12:18

Let’s have a big slice of Let’s have a big slice of peace, my treatpeace, my treat

How it changes Christmas gatheringsHow it changes Christmas gatherings:: Gives me a grid for deciding when to Gives me a grid for deciding when to fight/leave and when to fight/leave and when to flex/compromise- kills some of the flex/compromise- kills some of the anxiety. anxiety. Gives me a chance to Gives me a chance to communicate major issues in advance, communicate major issues in advance, seeking peace and reconciliationseeking peace and reconciliation

Because we're not thereBecause we're not thereTo be servedTo be servedBut to serveBut to serve

(See, for instance, Jesus(See, for instance, JesusAnd a big painful cross)And a big painful cross)

Sibling RivalrySibling Rivalry

How much fun How much fun Is that?Is that?

My kid beat up yourMy kid beat up yourHonor studentHonor student

Sallgood principleSallgood principle

Sallgood principleSallgood principleGrateful for what I Grateful for what I have, not upset about have, not upset about how much you have= how much you have= ContentmentContentment


I know who I am I know who I am instead of needing you instead of needing you to tell me= to tell me= IdentityIdentity


I live off God’s I live off God’s approval so I don’t approval so I don’t need yours= need yours= Christ-righteousnessChrist-righteousness

If I need someone else's If I need someone else's approval to feel OK approval to feel OK about myself, my issue about myself, my issue isn't with that person, isn't with that person, but with my Godbut with my God

"Alpha"= Pride and a "Alpha"= Pride and a desire to rule overdesire to rule over

Foreign to our FaithForeign to our Faith

"The Son of Man "The Son of Man didn't come to be didn't come to be served, but to serve served, but to serve and give his life a and give his life a ransom for many…"ransom for many…"

Our Christ washed the Our Christ washed the feet of men who feet of men who were arguing about were arguing about which of them was which of them was the greatestthe greatest

Additional TipsAdditional Tips:: Know in advance it’s comingKnow in advance it’s comingSmile and resist the urge to Smile and resist the urge to

fight backfight backLook to the truth beyond the Look to the truth beyond the

truthtruth

How it changes Christmas How it changes Christmas gatherings: gatherings:

Gives me peace, centers me Gives me peace, centers me on on what’s really important what’s really important and places me outside the and places me outside the turmoil of my familyturmoil of my family

Special EmptinessSpecial Emptiness

Acknowledge Acknowledge The Empty ChairThe Empty Chair

Remember the loss, but Remember the loss, but celebrate the lifecelebrate the life

Be sensitive if others can’t Be sensitive if others can’t see the empty chair right see the empty chair right nownow

How it changes Christmas How it changes Christmas gatherings: gatherings:

Honors the life and gives us Honors the life and gives us a chance to acknowledge a chance to acknowledge the truth and draw the truth and draw strength and unity from itstrength and unity from it

ChalkboardChalkboardHillsHills

Honor StudentHonor StudentEmpty ChairEmpty Chair

Light shines bestLight shines bestIn DarknessIn Darkness

Opportunities often lookOpportunities often lookLook like oppositionLook like opposition

His divine power has given us His divine power has given us everything we needeverything we need for life for life and godliness through our and godliness through our knowledge of him who knowledge of him who called us by his own glory called us by his own glory and goodness and goodness - 2 Peter 1:3 - 2 Peter 1:3

Do I knowDo I knowWho I am in Christ?Who I am in Christ?

Which principleWhich principleDo I need to commit to Do I need to commit to

Jesus?Jesus?

Community of FaithCommunity of Faith

Model ChalkboardModel ChalkboardKnow our HillsKnow our HillsNothing to ProveNothing to ProveHonor our PastHonor our Past

Pics Pics Christmas OfferingChristmas Offering

Baby DedicationsBaby DedicationsWhite Elephant PotluckWhite Elephant Potluck

PJ ChurchPJ Church

Christmas 2013 A Holiday Survival Guide Fun, huh?

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