Ads are filled with suggestions that we can buy ourselves a Happy Christmas. We know, deep down, that lasting happiness is not for sale; it is beyond price. The kind of life God wants us to lead is a life based on an enjoyment of things money cannot buy: good relationships, an appreciation of the gift of our life and of our surroundings. God offers us a life of simple pleasures, promising deep and lasting joy.
What kind of Christmas do you want this year? What really matters to you? Do you need money to achieve it?
What simple pleasure could you enjoy that does not require money? A few ideas: time spent with a friend or family member; a walk; a leisurely stroll through an old photo album; a cup of tea in a quiet ten minutes; sitting on a park bench watching the world go by.
Loving God,
We can get very caught up in a spending spree at Christmas. Help us to be grateful for the money we have to spend. Teach us to use it wisely, in ways that will bring lasting joy to others and to ourselves. Give us the good sense to realise that spending time at Christmas can bring more joy and delight than spending money.