The week after Christmas has always struck me as a rather odd period. Although some folks (especially retailers) go immediately back to work, it's common for other folks to save enough vacation days to remain off through the New Year's holiday.
After all the commercial (and occasionally religious) lead-up to Christmas, we have a bit of a "down" period prior to the next big holiday. For some people, it can be really depressing. For others, it's a chance to take any cash they received as gifts to the after-Christmas sales. For many (like us), it's mainly an opportunity to spend time with family and friends before the routine begins anew.
It reminds me of the way some New Testament theologians speak of the time between Jesus' ascension and his promised return as an "in-between time," a time that includes elements of both "already" and "not yet."
If the in-betweeness of the days make us feel a little out of kilter, may that serve as a reminder that there are things God has already called us to do that we have not yet done. This week might be a good time to start.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comments:
From the number of health and diet related "resolutions" that generally surface during this week, our physical state may be one of the things contributing to the depression. Generally it is best not to resolve to implement radical changes in diet and exercise. Rather it is better to think about a few small changes that we can maintain for the rest of our lives. Interestingly enough, moving more can render a state of "well-being." Speaking of the rest of our lives, as life-spans lengthen, the threat of Alzheimer's Disease escalates. Recently a study suggests fish oil, in addition to facilitating heart health, can help stave off this particular disease. A link to the article is at Better Health. There is also a section posted regarding the US lagging, on a relative basis, in life-span extension.
Post a Comment