Christmas in October

The day is October 26, 2009. The time is 0710 hours. The goal: get to school on time. Load up, seat belts on, key in ignition, turn, engine roars, and Christmas music plays from the radio. Yeah, not what you expected to read, and not what I expected to hear. Turning to my son, as he turned to me, both saying at the same time, “Christmas Music”, both shocked. I mean, it’s not even Halloween.

Don’t get me wrong, I happen to be a big fan of Christmas music and yes, I will listen to Christmas music “out of season”. I believe that I’m the only one delighted in hearing the joyful sounds of Christmas in October. But again, in October!

Isn’t life like Christmas Music in October? We walk along, plan our days, do our best to enjoy our life, and out of the blue, Christmas in October. We are creatures full of expectations from those we love, from our children, from our work, from our friends, pretty much from life. Even though we are fully aware that life offers no guarantees, we easily convince ourselves that we have some type of control in a world that can change in the beat of thumbing heart.

The inconsistencies of life, the unexpected, that which can rob our sense of just and right, can creep into our minds and challenge our belief systems and our sense of fairness. We walk in life with ideas and beliefs of what will happen during our days, who will be loyal in our lives, that our children will be safe and our spouse will remain loyal, that we will be respected in our jobs, that our jobs will still be there the next day, that we will arrive home alive. And yet, Christmas in October happens, throwing a curve ball, left with the reality of uncertainty.

Our attitudes in life are instrumental in how we react and respond to the unexpected moments in life. The biggest movement in self help these days is thinking positive. I agree with positive thinking and setting our minds towards the goals we desire in life. I am a big fan of giving up my fears and worries to God and letting Him manage what I cannot. I’m also a big believer of the power of choice and their resulting consequences.

In a lose translation, Nehemiah reacts to threats from those who are against his rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem by saying, “We prayed and posted a guard”. When we encounter the unexpected, it is vital that we immediately turn over our fears and concerns to the power of a mighty God and rise up from our knees, and post our guard. What Nehemiah is telling us is that we need to take action towards what is attacking us, against our fears, against the unexpected. In aligning our will with that of God, we have a guide for our actions.

By posting a guard, we begin to take action to counter the unexpected, preparing our hearts and minds by trusting in our God. I encourage you my friend and reader to continue to prepare the condition of your heart, mind, and soul in times of non-conflict, preparing for the unexpected, to the best of your ability. Have a plan, know who your support people are, keep your mind sharp, stay healthy, and keep your eyes on your God. Know your values and the Values of your God and sew them deeply into your soul. Be prepared not to fall upon old habits when stress comes your way, but rather, to your knees of prayer and to the road map of your life. You cannot always expect the unexpected, but you can prepare the condition of your soul, for those times of Christmas in October.


(The writings in this post are random thoughts and observations and are NEVER intended as professional or personal advice. Take what works and leave the rest. For information on mental health and/or substance abuse help, visit http://www.rodneyvalandra.com and refer to the links page.)

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