Christmas – Page 2 – Melissa Schlies

The Whisper of Christmas

Underneath the hum of Christmas, some of us hear a whisper. It’s not one we hear in our ears, but rather one spoken to our hearts. Like the unexpected tug of an old memory, it speaks to us in surprising moments. When we’re waiting at the stoplight we get caught in every day. When a particular Christmas carol comes on in a store. Or while we’re stringing lights on our tree. This whisper reminds us Christmas transcends all the “more” it has become. Sure there is joy in all the cookie baking. We find revelry in the ugly sweater Christmas [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-16T12:17:00+00:00December 16th, 2019|Categories: Calling, Christmas, Faith, Hope, Uncategorized|2 Comments

Love: Christmas Gifts Ideas With a Story

In my most idillic thoughts, Christmas shopping looks like holding a Holiday inspired latte in one hand and bags of already purchased gifts in the other. It looks like walking down a small town street lined with adorable little shops filled with local or fair-trade goods. And of course, in this beautiful dream, snow fills the air. Oh what Hallmark has done to us all. In reality, for me and Tony, Christmas shopping often looks like a combination of long days shopping for our nieces and nephews, combined with hours scouring online for the right, age-appropriate gifts. And, as we [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-12T00:32:17+00:00December 12th, 2019|Categories: Christmas, Leadership, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Preparation, Story, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Holding Our Holiday Plans Loosely

One of my favorite holiday memories as a kid was on Thanksgiving. As most childhood memories go, I can’t for the life of me remember what our family’s plans were supposed to be that day. I only remember what happened. But most likely, for dinner, we were supposed to go see our grandparents, who lived over an hour away. Then, We got a big New England snow storm. The kind that created drifts far taller than my youngest sister. She was four or five then, and the snow banks made her cry out from not being able to see my [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-05T22:01:21+00:00December 9th, 2019|Categories: Balance, Christmas, Freedom, Preparation|Comments Off

Waiting…At Christmas

In celebration of Advent, I am reposting this from my first Christmas blog series in 2016. For those of us who are waiting--not only for Christmas, but for important things to happen in our lives--this post still holds up. And I pray you find it encouraging. This past November, just after Halloween, the stores set up their Christmas displays. Though what is known as the “Christmas Creep” has been happening for quite a few years now, I almost found it shocking. One afternoon, I was doing my grocery shopping, turned a corner, and found myself in Santa’s Workshop. All I could [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-01T17:50:53+00:00December 2nd, 2019|Categories: Christmas, Faith, Hope, Waiting|Comments Off

An Open Letter to All My Fellow People Pleasers

Dear friends, I have a feeling there are more of us than we realize. “Us” being anyone who has spent more time making other people happy, than they have spent thinking about their own happiness. Or anyone who has felt it’s more trouble to speak up for oneself than it is to suffer the consequences. Chances are, you are one of “us,” if you’ve ever: Agreed to doing more than you can handle for a Holiday dinner, event, or party. Heard your boss say that you didn’t get time off for the Holiday because you were the only one who [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-11-13T16:33:05+00:00November 18th, 2019|Categories: Balance, Christmas, Conflict, Freedom, Health, Self Care, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Three Ways to Practice Self Care This Holiday Season

“Self-comfort numbs us, weakens us, hides us; it can be soporific. But self-care awakens us, strengthens us, and emboldens us to rise.” —Sarah Bessey Ever since I read these words from Sarah, in her latest book, Miracles and Other Reasonable Things, they’ve lingered in my mind. So much so that I am sharing them here on the blog for the second time this month. Never have I heard someone so clearly delineate the difference between self-comfort and self-care. For much of my life, I’ve engaged in self-comfort, while believing self-care was selfish. Only I didn’t realize the damage all my [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-11-13T16:07:49+00:00November 14th, 2019|Categories: Balance, Christmas, discipline, Habit Making, Health, Lead, Learn, Love Learn Lead, Self Care, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Merry Christmas Eve

“Rejected at the inn, holy God comes in small to where you feel rejected and small. God is with you now. Wherever you are—in a soundless cry or hidden brokenness or in your ache—God always wants to be with you. You are not ever left alone in this. We are never left alone in this; God is with us.” —Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift The message of Christmas is that we are never alone. We never have to be alone. Jesus was born into a humble manger to make sure of it. Whether you are surrounded by loved ones, a [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2018-12-04T21:27:17+00:00December 24th, 2018|Categories: Christmas, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Love Learn Lead December 20, 2018

Five more days. I won’t even ask if you are ready. Especially because, deep in my heart, I believe Christmas isn’t about having all your gift shopping done, presents wrapped, or even, plans set. For a holiday that celebrates an unplanned birth in a manger, perfection isn’t the point. What I’ll ask instead is: Are you enjoying this Christmas Season? Has it felt merry and bright? Has it already given you a new memory or two of being with people you love? Has it reminded you of all you have to be thankful for?—Or that you are loved far more [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2018-12-04T21:22:29+00:00December 20th, 2018|Categories: Christmas, Lead, Leadership, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Christmas lights

When I was a kid, after Thanksgiving, I would always beg my parents to set up our Christmas Tree as soon as possible. This meant going out and searching around a cold lot with my dad and older sister to pick out the best looking tree. We’d bring it home, Dad would put it in the stand, then we’d hold the light cords as he carefully spiraled them around the tree. One year, after stringing the lights, my dad got up on a ladder to put the tree topper on. Only, there were too many branches at the top, so [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2018-12-04T21:08:04+00:00December 17th, 2018|Categories: Anxiety, Balance, Christmas, Health, Saying No, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Lead December 13, 2018

Leadership Tip #21: Lead By Example This tip, is one we were most likely first taught by our parents. After all how many of us were told by our parents to be a good example for our younger brothers or sisters? And what better time to talk about something we were taught as kids, then around the time of year when we were also told to be good for Santa? Like being good for Santa, being a good example may be one of the things our parents taught us that we’ve discarded. Or at least, begun to take for granted. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2018-12-04T21:29:26+00:00December 13th, 2018|Categories: Balance, Character, Christmas, discipline, Lead, Leadership, Leadership Tip, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Uncategorized|Comments Off

The Whisper of Christmas

Love: Christmas Gifts Ideas With a Story

Holding Our Holiday Plans Loosely

Waiting…At Christmas

An Open Letter to All My Fellow People Pleasers

Three Ways to Practice Self Care This Holiday Season

Merry Christmas Eve

Love Learn Lead December 20, 2018

Christmas lights

Lead December 13, 2018

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