Opening presents, grinning about sweaters you don’t really like, having second helpings of your aunt’s jello-salad, answering relative’s questions about school or the weather or grades or jobs in a revolving pattern over and over again, sitting on the couch for the bowl games, playing monopoly with the cousins, peppermint cocoa…
We all have things we love and don’t love so much about being together with extended family at Christmas.
I want to share a link here that just might be exactly what you need right now. I came across it this morning and it looks like a very helpful resource.
CCEF has made this short article available on their site.
Family Feuds: How to Respond
by Tim Lane
Christmas is coming and that means family get-togethers. But these celebrations are not always a picture postcard of family bliss. For some, these gatherings are dreaded and avoided when possible. Why is that? Why is it so hard to get along with the people you grew up with? Is there any hope that old, hurtful patterns can be changed? In this booklet, Tim Lane writes about these challenges and how through your relationship with Christ you can learn how to love your family and reach out to them in concrete and practical ways.