Ask

Our Daily Bread
I have a joke with my friends about asking.  I say "Ask.  The worse they can do is laugh at you!".  It works! They rarely laugh and you can get what you want more often!

When it comes to our prayers, I am not suggesting that we use this approach with God.  The point of the devotional is that sometimes we should be specific.  We should be candid with God.  He already knows your thoughts and feelings, right?  Tell God about it.  I started talking to God at times like I am a little kid again -- very direct and honest.  It works!  Give it a try today!

Lord, thank you for being so patient with us and listening to our prayers.  Please help us be more candid and direct with you!

Wellness Wednesday
Holiday Stress Triggers: How To Cope With 5 Common Scenarios
I found this nice article on holiday stress triggers and how to cope with them on the AOL Healthy Living site.  Here is a summary of the article.

1. Travel stress - many of us have to travel to visit friends and family.  Delays and crowds and traffic can be very stressful!  Planning for trips -- and for inevitable delays -- makes the stress easier to bear!
2. Avoiding conflict at the family dinner -- I think we all have at least one difficult person in our family.  Actually, I may BE the difficult person in my family!  Yikes!  We don't have a choice in picking our family, but we do have a choice in how we react to them.  Make a conscious choice to react well and reduce stress!
3. Finances are tight -- I think we have all experienced this in our lives, especially around the holidays.  We stretch ourselves too thin financially because we want to create the "perfect Christmas" for our friends and family.  Relax.  Not all gifts have to be material things.  Gifts of time and other irreplaceable things can mean more than any present!
4. You are running out of time -- Any good project manager knows that there are three main variables in a project: time, money and people.  When we run out of time, individuals can't always throw more people or money at the project of creating a memorable holiday season.  We have to set our expectations for ourselves and the expectations of others.  Relax.  It will be fine.  Remember the things that are REALLY important.
5. You're Feeling Guilty Because You Can't Be There -- With work schedules and other constraints, we can't always spend time with our friends and families over the holidays.  I know I still feel some guilt for not being with my grandfather for his last Christmas on this earth.  Do all you can to let your family know how much you miss them.  Share with your family how much you would like them to contact you as well.  Make it a two way street!

You can do this.  Make this season the happy and stress-free holiday!

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Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!