"For every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving."  1 Tim 4:4

I love Christmas.  I love its purpose, our Savior’s birth, and the spirit of the season.  My mother made it a wonderful experience.  Baking, decorating, stories and games; she had a way of creating memories by making each year special; even during a blizzard with no electricity.  

My father, however, was not as exuberant and occasionally remarked that mom should not go to so much trouble.  Dad was not a “Baugh Humbug” kind of guy; he just didn’t quite grasp the excitement of the season held by my mother.  After years with his lack of enthusiasm, mother gave dad what he wanted.  We had his kind of Christmas… no muss; no fuss.  No tree.  No lights.  No baking.  No decorating.   Dad thought it was what he wanted; but faced with the reality... was it really?  Was there actually peace?  Where was the comfort and joy?  

That year, dad learned the gift of receiving.  His internal compass (relating to Christmas) reset itself.  He became comfortable with all the activities mother conjured around the Christmas season.  He received her joy and surrendered his underlying resistance.  We all benefited.  And there was peace. (Yes, we did have a tree and we didn't miss our Christmas that year.)

The Gift of Receiving

Receiving is personal and often uncomfortable.  It adds dimension to your life.  Receiving is harder than giving, because it triggers insecurities and requires a deeper level of connection.  It breaks down barriers you set up to protect yourself.  Receiving exposes vulnerability and tugs at your heart.  Ultimately, how you receive validates the gift.  Accept with grace, no matter the spirit of which a gift is given.  In return you provide PEACE – COMFORT and JOY!

Is it time to reset your internal compass?  How comfortable are you at receiving… a compliment, an act of kindness, a higher power, an apology, defeat, a friendship, feedback, joy, love, another’s opinion (right or wrong), silence?  

T’is the Season of Peace, Comfort and Joy… Grow and Pass it on!


23 days left to pick the keys you will use to unlock the doors to make 2010 your best year ever. 

• Do you have an Action Plan yet? 
• What can you do today to get you one step closer to making 2010 YOUR BEST YEAR EVER? 
• What core values and principles do you need to adopt to make it happen?  
• How will you LIVE it?  How will you BE it?
• WHO DO YOU NEED to bring into your network to help you achieve it?
• Do you have a GRATITUDE LIST? 
• Do you know your top 20?
• Do you RECEIVE as big as your give?

SuzyGraven is a Professional Speaker,  Transformational Life and BusinessCoach.  Her unique experiences provided a doorway to work and learnfrom amazing leaders, CEOs and entrepreneurs, to the sage andwisdom ofthose who work closest to nature.  This perspective serves as acatalyst for women wanting to grow their professional and personallives.   It leads to a thinking (anchored in real possibility) thatgenerates vision and translates into effective action.  You will gainpower in dealing with every-day issues, and be free to live a majorleague life.  Go to http://g3coaching.com for more information.