K The Ken Bradbury Foundation

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Getting Your Head Ready for Christmas

David..Basketti Bummy Chilochothe

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 ---take a pine cone, roll in peanut butter, then sprinkle with bird seed and hang outside your window where you can look at it every morning before Christmas. SEE HOW SIMPLE GIVING CAN BE. ---Wear something really outrageous to work or school some day, just to celebrate Christmas. Stop being so normal. ---Take your shoes off more often. ---build a snowman in someone’s yard who can’t build one anymore ---Next time shopping: Say Merry Christmas to 10 total strangers. ---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.

  2. 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 ---a decorated apple 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. ---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. ---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. ---It’ll make your load lighter. Jeff W: giving person. Tied up. Gave of himself even then. ---Becky E Albert Sweitzer: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who’ve sought and found out how to serve others.

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.

  1. Don’t worry about being thanked. Conway Twitty.

God blesses giving and the giver..... Athletic Boosters...meals 7th grade nursing home project I know a church...huge endowment...spirit of church stopped once they stopped struggling and giving NHS..used to party...now, service Daniel....Zebco 22 Fidel Cashero Jeff W: spent entire school career giving to others...Robbed.