Today's Quote

We live in an anxious culture.

News stories, whether they come from TV, the radio, newspapers or the internet, always seem to be written from an angle specially designed to raise our levels of anxiety - from Wars on Whatever, to Something-gates, to Group X is After Whatever is Important to You, to just simply "All Hope Is Lost for the Future", news is mostly about providing us reasons to be very, very anxious people.

Commercials are no better. They all are designed to tell us what's "wrong" with us and how their product can "fix us".

You can't even travel without anxiety. Just go to and airport and listen to the constant messages of "don't leave your bag unattended" and "report suspicious activity".

When you are so constantly bombarded with anxiety riddled messages, is it any surprise that it can be a bit difficult at times to feel thankful?

Frankly, we can all use a little more joyousness in our lives. We could all stand to be a little more thankful. We spend far too much time worrying about hording the finite things of this world and far too little time focusing on sharing the infinite love, grace and joy of God.

That is not to say we should abandon responsibility but it is to say that we should be less anxious in it. It is not to say that there are not worrisome things in the world but it is to say that we do tend to let society work us up over things that truly do not matter.

As we approach Christmas Day, make a promise to yourself and to God to worry less about the things of this world, to always strive to place God and the things of God above money and the things money can buy, and to focus on the things about which you can be joyous. And then share that joy abundantly.

Good and gracious God,

We live in a sometimes fearful world.
There are times in our lives
when we have found
the robe of fear and anxiety
too be all to comfortable.
We slip it on like
our favorite sweatshirt
and bask in its perceived security.
In the face of angels,
who always beseech us
to not be afraid,
we all too frequently
live fearful lives
increasingly void
of the joy
and thanks giving
you wish
us to experience.

Teach us not only
to let go of
our fear and anxieties,
but to love our neighbors
more completely.
Help us find the joy
that we have traded in
for fear and worry
and lead us to lives
that trust in you
and let go of
the things of this world,
so that we may experience
the fullness of life
as you intended.

Amen