K The Ken Bradbury Foundation

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Getting Your Head Ready for Christmas

Pleasant Plains Elevator Dinner 12-12-95

Plains....one day this summer....

David..Basketti Bummy Bathroom

You’ve spent the last week getting ready for Christmas.. trees..decorations...buying gifts ... worrying about time... If you’re under 16: Oh Boy! If you’re over 21: Oh No! Between 16 and 21, you’re not sure.

Christmas lasts only one day. The Prep. lasts weeks.

We get everything ready but the thing that needs the most work: Our head...our brain...our mind....(our heart)... WHY? BECAUSE WE’RE “TOO BUSY”

BUSY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT: ---Jim Kern: Mrs. Brown ---Anxieties? Look in your own purse or billfold.

SO..A FEW TIPS ON GETTING YOUR HEAD READY FOR CHRISTMAS....

THIS IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

  1. LIGHTEN UP! ---church lady ---Chilochothe

---Wear something really outrageous to work or school some day, just to celebrate Christmas. Stop being so normal. My dad...tree on head..VP of bank. ‘Is that necessary?”

---7th grade assignment...Merry Christmas to ten people.. -- Helen Dickens ---Take your shoes off more often. ---build a snowman in someone’s yard who can’t build one anymore ---Next time somebody at Hardees or McDonnalds tells you to have a nice day, ask them why. ---Send a love letter to someone you love then don’t sign it..let them suspect everybody in the whole world. ---Eat more ice cream this Christmas. ---Jeff W

  1. STOP GIVING SO MUCH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO AND GIVE MORE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO: ---What do you dread the most? Those things you have to do because you always do them and somebody expects you to do them.

GIVE MORE SURPRISES! --The fifty-dollar gift you always give to the same person isn’t much of a thrill..to them or to you. Go ahead and give it if you have to, but give the one-dollar gift that nobody expects you to give. ---Give a flower to the lady at the checkout counter who’s always so friendly ---We have a lady in our church who brings fresh flowers for the alter every Sunday (flower shop refuse)...Nobody ever brings her any flowers ---a flower to the lady who always smiles at you at church..tell her it’s just because she smiles. ---Simply tell someone...”I’ve waited all year to say this, but I really appreciate you.” It’ll be remembered long after their Nintendo or their designer scarf has worn out. LAST NIGHT...BRUCE CAMPBELL . ---Give more gifts without letting anyone know who did it. The best gift: when the giver is unknown. Lockers at school for Mary. Goon Squad.

THE IDEA BEHIND CHRISTMAS IS “SURPRISE”...When I was born, I had no idea that a baby was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem to take away my sins. It was a surprise to me!

  1. FIX SOMETHING: ---Think of a problem you have which you just can’t get off your mind and you can’t do anything about. MAKE YOURSELF FORGET ABOUT IT FOR ONE WEEK. ---Think of a relationship you have which has been damaged. HEAL IT THIS SEASON.

  2. Give Yourself this Christmas. It’s the one gift God wants most from you. ---Becky E ---Marie: Salt and pepper shakers

Albert Sweitzer: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who’ve sought and found out how to serve others.

  1. Finally: Stop trying to please everyone. You can’t do it. But by making a few happy, it’ll spread. Hiney the Mule.

I wish you the best Christmas ever...And ask you...while getting the tree, the house decorations, the cookies and the presents ready...take a few minutes to prepare your heart.