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Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day"1
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"I'll have a blue Christmas without you. You'll be doing alright with your Christmas of white, but I'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas!"
Some of you will recognize this song sung by my favourite crooner, Elvis Presley! I enjoy every Christmas song that he sings, even his "Blue Christmas". But this time of the year, experts begin to warn of "Christmas blues" that hit many people without warning, like those who mourn over fresh graves, and those who can only hope that next year will be better. As one who suffers from depression all year long, I can tell you that my condition can be greatly exacerbated at this time of the year.
I tend to be a "Hallmark wannabe" kind of girl — you know — those happily-ever-after kinds of people portrayed in the movies. I watch those movies knowing full well how they will end. Christmas will reign in the hearts of sweethearts; mistletoe will save the day; and children, puppies, and the homeless will find new homes! I tear up just thinking about it.
So many times, we play those perfect Christmases in our heads until we think that if we have anything less, then we have failed. I am so guilty of this kind of thinking. My husband will tell you that, so predictably, I begin to want more than I have about this time of the season! My gift giving falls short of what I wanted to give, and my decorations should have been better. Why didn't I learn to play the piano so that I could sing Christmas carols at family gatherings? I call this "Hallmark overload". What's the answer to these dreaded feelings of "Why can't Christmas be as great as Hallmark portrays it?" Though I think that we cannot ignore real clinical depression that may come at this time of the year and that we must treat it seriously, I think that we can take positive steps to fight off these "blues".
Being a veteran of depression and the Christmas blues sometimes, the antidote is to praise God (even if I don't feel like it) for all that He has given me! Even as I typed these words, I had to stop and do my own praising! "I praise You, Lord, for Your goodness, Your awesomeness, and the remarkable hope that You give to all of us. I praise You, Father, for loving us so much that You were willing to send Your one and only Son as a helpless baby, Who would one day die for our sins. I praise You for helping me, a Hallmarkaholic, to see the hope that can be found only in You! I praise You, Lord that in the midst of depression, I need only to whisper Your name to feel that hope, even if just a glimmer! I praise You, Lord, when You say, "Be still and know that I am God!"
Yes, praising God helps us to look at the bright side of things. God is always at work, even when we can't see it. I encourage you to begin your own prayer of praise — right now!
Psalm 146:1-2 – Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. (NKJV)
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About the author:
Jeanie Nihiser <jnihiserj@gmail.com>
Geneseo, New York, USA
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Thank you.
I’m guilty too, Jeanie.
Beautiful message Jeanie! Thank you!
As always, Jeanie, you draw us into your life and give us a great message! Thanks.
Love it Jeannie … my wife is a hallmark addict. Me … not so much… I sit watch. Thanks.
Yes! Praise the Lord! Especially for sharing His words of encouragement with us today. Blessings.
Jeanie – Sending you a warm hug, from one who has lived many non-Hallmark times, and found they are always balanced by gratitude for God’s blessings.
Right on…from one who can relate. Thank you for your down to earth but Lord up wonderful devotion.
(Ont.)
After a few dull days, the sun came out this morning. I have the Beatles on my laptop: Here comes the sun”. What a lift! I put it on “loop”! Here comes the SON! Praise is great to lift the soul! Blessings!!
Good morning, Jeanie,
Your heart-warming devotional touched my heart today and I thank you for sharing it.
Peace!
Thank you for the special devotional I was going through the blues and feeling guilty your reminder what to do has helped me so much.
Thank you,
(TN.)
Thanks Jeanie, I too watch the Hallmark movies for a happy ending, cheers a person up but at the end of it all I need to say “Be still and know I am God” for real peace and joy at this time. May you have a joyful, peaceful Christmas season.
I could so relate to your devotion today, Jeanie! In fact I could have written it. The closer I got to the end I had the feeling that you were the author. Blessings and I hope you have a truly wonderful Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thank you, Jeanie, for your very mindful devotional today. We need be so thankful each and every day that our Lord is ever there and ready to help us. Sorry to hear that you suffer from depression, and I’ll be praying for the Lord’s caring hand upon you as you go forward each day. Blessings for sharing and submitting your writings.
Good morning, Jeanie.
Thank you for this very personal devotion. It is true, at this time of year people are more apt to go down depression road but that God!! It can be a short road!!!! It makes or can make getting on the right road so much happier, brighter because we get to our destinations in a positive way of thinking and feeling, the way Christ wants us to be. This is my second Christmas without my husband. Sometimes I am suddenly on that short road but so thankful puts His loving arms around me and puts me on the path He wants me to be on.
God bless you, Jeanie!
Good morning, Jeanie,
I admire your honest sharing of feelings that many of us have and your suggestions on how to work at moving past those feelings with God’s help. God is there always and ready to provide His comfort and wisdom.
I related to so many things in your devotional – I like Elvis Presley. I use “Be still and know that I am God” often. I think that sometimes my gifts don’t hit the mark that I set. I pray for God’s help. This year is particularly hard not to be sad with all that is going on in the world and so definitely the glimmer of hope when being grateful for all God has provided me, helps.
Blessings and Merry Christmas.
Good Morning, Jeanie! Your message resonates loudly with me, as someone who experiences ‘the blues’ from October to January, without fail. This mood descends upon me during October, and I can actually feel it lift towards the end of January. These months hold unhappy memories from my late teens, but fortunately, I have found ways to battle onwards. I have never been a TV watcher, so the Hallmark movies hold no threats.
I wish you well, and may you continue to praise loudly! I always enjoy your devotions, and the music of Elvis Presley is some of the best. Keep singing!
Thanks and know you are remembered and cared for, in my thoughts.
(ON. Canada)
Hi again. I am reminded by your devotional of the cartoon of the guy on a railway push cart roaring down the track. When he hits a switch, his feet separate, and he is riding one foot on one track and one foot on the other track. We are a lot like that, and especially at Christmas. My earthly Christmas is always filled with unwanted and unappreciated gifts, ones that should have cost less or more, returns that don’t fit and get togethers that are sometimes more obligation than desirable events. Then my Christian Christmas is filled with carols, a baby in a manger, a star to guide wisemen, shepherds sung to by an angelic choir and animals in a stable with a frightened couple who cannot return home by regular routes. We have candlelight services and are told to wonder at our good fortune. They could not be more different. We are dealt two hands. One is secular. The other is sacred. And that is the dilemma. Which one do we play? Merry Christmas and thanks for making me think.
Hello – Thank you for a wonderful read. I too am a veteran of Christmas blues and depression. Only way out for me (and its not easy) is praising God. Its always a very lonely time of the year as we have no family in Canada as we are immigrants. The weather can be very grey and depressing as well.
Thank you again.
Hi Jeanie,
Your devotional today was very interesting to me. My experience is the opposite of yours and I wonder why I do not get depressed at some point. My life has been so blessed and has been pretty wonderful and I thank God for that every day! I appreciate your perspective and I appreciate you writing.
(Texas)
God’s gift is Jesus who gave His life for us.