You may be familiar with the exercise of filling a jar to the half-way mark with water, putting it in a prominent place, and, upon rising, seeing if you view it as "half-full" or "half-empty". Some may even check on it throughout the day, and/or again upon retiring.

When I was introduced to this exercise, it seemed that my jar was more than half-full. Had I cheated, miscalculated? I carefully measured and re-measured. No, mathematically, it was exactly half-full, but still, every day, it seemed to be more than half-full.

We all know the purpose of the exercise has nothing to do with the water in the jar, but how we view our lives.

Some people see their "jars" as "half-empty" … they are missing something. Some others, who may be seen by some to have "half-empty jars", feel their lives are at least "half-full" or more so. The "fullness" of their lives is not measured by the clothes they wear, the material goods they've acquired, or the status they have attained. No, their "fullness" is in direct correlation to their spirituality … their relationship with the Creator in their belief system.

Still for others, the perception of the "fullness of their jar" fluctuates. Upon greeting those whom we know to have "fluctuating fullnesses", instead of using the standard, no-answer-really-required, "How are you doing?" how about stretching it just a bit to "How are you doing today?" or "How are you doing right now?" It can be a big help. So can sharing some of the fullness of your jar, for it seems that when we share, the level of the fullness of our jar is not only maintained, but "runneth over".

What is the "fullness" of your jar?

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we know our "fullness" comes through our relationship with You and our ability to share with those who may not feel the "fullness". We ask that You would guide us as we strive to help them see their jars as "half-full" rather than "half-empty". Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

A common theme these days seems to be focusing on forgiving. Several news stories have zeroed in on it and a couple of documentaries have featured people who have forgiven someone and how healing it has been. A woman forgave her husband; a mother her daughter, and so on. In one article, a minister was careful to point out that although it seems to be popular just now to forgive perpetrators "en masse", it is not our place to forgive anyone for something they have done to someone else.

It would be truly wonderful if we could come to a place within ourselves to forgive those whom we deem to have "trespassed" against us. How wonderful for us to be able to look our transgressor in the eye, embrace them with open arms and say, "I forgive you." How wonderful for them to feel our forgiveness.

But just a moment. Is that all there is to it? Do we just have to garner up what it takes for us to forgive them? Is that not a bit righteous? Should we not also ask for God's forgiveness? For when we experience His forgiveness, it enables us to forgive others.

Is there always "the wronged" and "the wrongdoer", or are they at times interchangeable? Have the "wrongdoers" been wronged? Do they perceive things as we do, or did they, in their "wrongdoing", believe either that they had done nothing wrong, or that we or someone else, had done them a "wrong"?

One of the most courageous examples of forgiveness that I remember must surely have been when the mother of a young girl murdered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, embraced one of her daughter's murderers and forgave her. Our Lord's words echo, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34a KJV) And who among us can say that we, too, can be so forgiving?

We must start young, with the young, and with the "young" things. Forgiving the little things will surely enable us to get to the place where we are able to forgive the larger ones — for ourselves, and for others.

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, guide us in seeking Your forgiveness for our own trespasses, and our own thoughts of being "wronged". Guide us to look within ourselves first, to enable us to forgive others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

Psalm 16:11 – Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (KJV)

Hanging on a wall in our guestroom is an old framed piece of linen on which someone long ago laboriously embroidered:

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, "Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown," and he replied, "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God; that shall be to you better than light and safer than the known way." (from "The King's Message" 25 December 1939)

The "King" to whom that refers was King George, before my time, but it speaks the message of the King of kings. As we stand close to the gate of a new year, there is bound to be much darkness, much uncertainty. We might think it would be safe to know exactly what lies ahead, but only God knows what paths will be offered to us. He has, however, given us the gift of choice.

We can choose to continue on our same path, the safe path, the known path, or we can choose to put our hand in the hand of God. We might think that we are already doing so, but maybe we could do a little more. Maybe we could check our motives in some of the things we do, and see if indeed we do them for "vainglory" or from "lowliness of mind".

Perhaps our "New Year's Resolution" could be a "New Life Resolution". Perhaps we could make just one small change, do just one more "random act of kindness", or strive to understand some of the things which we haven't. Perhaps we can be the light in someone else's darkness and show by example what it means to be "like-minded, having the same love, of one accord, of one mind".

A little song from the 1960s,"Think a little more of others, and a little less of me", pops into my thoughts every once in a while. Perhaps when we are making our choices in the coming year, we can keep in mind today's passages and (if we remember it) hum that little song.

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, as a new year approaches, may our paths be guided by Your Spirit; may our choices be with Your love, Your guidance. Amen.

I received a long-distance call from a friend a while back. She was awaiting news of the birth of her first grandchild, and, lest she be tempted to call and check on the progress every so often, chose to call and talk to me. We managed to avert her temptation for almost an hour.

I remembered the impending birth of our first child. I had called my husband at work, telling him it was "time". He dashed home, dashed in the door, said "I'm here!" and dashed out to the car, leaving me on the doorstep, mouth open, and a little suitcase by my side, as he called nervously in his excitement, "Hurry, we have to get to the hospital. You're going to have a baby!"

Awaiting a birth is a time of great emotion. We are excited, distracted, happy, nervous, apprehensive, in awe. The list is long, the reasons varied. It was no different during the days leading to the birth of Christ, and it is no different today, awaiting the celebration of His birth.

We are excited at the thought of being together. We are tempted by commercials to buy certain products. We plan Christmas parties and carol singing; we bake, buy, and decorate. We dash here and there to get everything done, sometimes leaving the reason for Christmas "on the doorstep with the suitcase".

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, as we dash about during this busy season; as we are tempted by the commercialism; as we ride the roller coaster of emotions such as joy, frustration, love, and sadness; as we feel we are overworked and maybe under-appreciated; as we fear we have overspent; may we take time to remember the real reason we have a Christmas: to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and all the blessings bestowed upon us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

A familiar tune that's heard throughout the Christmas season is Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas". Whether it's Presley's powerful voice, the strings of some instrumental, or the strains of friends pouring out their hearts in song, it is traditionally counted among the contemporary classics of Christmas music.

And although the words refer to the heartache of a love lost to someone else, it reminds us that there are those for whom Christmas is a pretty blue time — black, even — for they are without someone they love. Their loss is through death or impending death, and yet they must function in a world of joy and festivities. They hear repetitive phrases at checkouts telling them to "Have a good Christmas", or wishing them a "Merry Christmas" at a time when their world is falling apart.

Some churches and organizations have a special ceremony to acknowledge "Blue Christmases" where people can go and share their sorrow in a safe and understanding environment.

The world cannot stop around them. Store clerks cannot foresee their pain. What we can do, when faced with someone's pain in the midst of our joy, is to simply say, "I'm sorry". Perhaps in those few words, we are a part of God's answer to what they ask of Him. We can acknowledge their pain and let them know we care. By our actions we demonstrate how Christ's love may work through us to begin to ease their pain.

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, help us to remember those for whom this is a painful and difficult time of year. Help us to be understanding of their reactions and of their needs. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Christmas is coming, and as well as signifying and celebrating the birth of Jesus, it is a time of gift giving. We wander the stores for the "right" gift for family, friends, neighbours, and service providers. We want to choose something that will make them happy, something they have wanted, wished for, something that will give them great pleasure. But what gift will we give to God? What will we choose for Him?

What is something that He would want, that He might wish for? What can we give Him that will give Him great pleasure?

Though she may not have coined it, I think it was Dolly Parton who said a long, long time ago, "Our talents are God's gift to us. What we do with those talents is our gift to God." She surely has given her gift to God, and to many, through His gift to her.

This then, is what we may give to Him this Christmas. Whatever our talents, may we use them to their fullest, for Him. May we, through Him, realize and utilize those gifts He has given us; for in so doing, we will give to Him something that will give Him great pleasure.

Prayer: We thank You, Father, for even our most basic gifts: our sight that we may see for others; our hands that we may help; our ears that we may listen when someone needs to be heard; our hearts to open wide and share with others; our mouths to say kind words. May we use them well. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Throughout our lives, we all teach and are taught, some by profession, others only by example.

We had a Sunday School teacher once who led us in Bible study, prayers, and hymns. On the odd warm Sunday afternoon, if we begged hard enough, he would take us out to a big open field and teach us to drive his black mini-Austin — if memory serves me correctly! It wasn't just being behind the wheel that stirred excitement … for some, just being there was a thrill.

I think that I was about ten years old when I took to the wheel. I can still remember gripping the hard, thin steering wheel, stretching my legs to reach the pedals, trusting someone else to shift, and hoping that I didn't make a fool of myself in front of the bigger kids, some of whom were in the back seat. I seem to remember sporting one of those wide, strained, teeth-gritting smiles that says, "I'm scared, but I'm happy."

Sometimes, one would steer and one would shift. Our teacher (giving orders from outside the car) was usually trying to keep his cool — and his car intact! So now, we had someone sharing the driver's seat, someone outside giving orders to the driver, and always, the ultimate driver. Add someone shifting gears, and that makes for quite a combination to accomplish one thing. The driver could turn left instead of right. The "shifter" could grind into third instead of slipping nicely into second. Any number of things could take place — and usually did.

Life is kind of like that. There may be times in our lives, especially when things are humming along quite smoothly, when we forget that we are sharing the "driver's seat" with the Lord. However, someone or something can "shift our gears", and usually when we least expect it. It is then, more than ever, that we turn to God and ask Him to "drive". Because one of His greatest gifts to us is the gift of choice, we need only remind ourselves that He is always "in the seat" with us, letting us steer, but if we listen, He is giving us the directions.

Prayer: Lord, may we always remember that You are the One in the driver's seat. May we always look to Your path, especially when we are responsible for steering others or entrusted to "shift" for them. May we also, Lord, strive to understand when our "gears are shifted" when we least expect it. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.