Come Christmas, Santa had better not overwork his reindeer or he may end up financing some fancy surgery for them.
Come Christmas, Santa had better not overwork his reindeer or he may
end up financing some fancy surgery for them. According to Dr.
Claus Rehbinder of the Swedish Veterinary College at Uppsala, reindeer
suffer from stress and are prone to ulcers. Studying animals
slaughtered during a round-up in the Lapp village of Mittadalen and
elsewhere in northern Sweden, Rehbinder found that an astonishing four
fifths of them had ulcers.
Veterinarians blame the stomach bleeding on nervous exhaustion brought
on by modern technology. Once the Lapps herded the animals by
skiing along side them and crooning soothing songs. Now they use
helicopters and the animals become spooked by noise.
Nervous exhaustion brought on by modern technology affects people, too
– especially at Christmas. Loud music, long lines, pushy
shoppers, a myriad of TV specials, and countless details complicate our
already hectic lives at Christmas. At a time that is supposed to
signal joy and peace, many are sad and anxious. Christmas
depression, which is not rare, comes from many sources. For some,
loneliness brought on by death or divorce is made more acute by the
family emphasis of Christmas. Others are disillusioned because
Christmas does not remove all of the heartache and troubles of life as
it seemed to do in childhood. Still others find conflicts with
in-laws and schedules are heightened in the holiday season. The
anxiety is real.
What can you do to avoid or lessen Christmas anxiety?
1. Plan – this will reduce extra trips and wasted motion, time, and nervous energy.
2. Take care of yourself – enjoy the feasts and the
parties but use discretion. You still have to live next
year. Find time to relax.
3. Keep things in perspective – Christmas is not a
cure-all for every need. These things must be worked on all
year. Don’t expect too much of Christmas.
4. Worship – The joy and peace of Christmas will come
only through our relationship with God. Make sure you don’t leave
this out.
I hope, in this Christmas season, you will be blessed, not stressed. As
you complete this eventful year of 2006, I and the ministry leaders of
the Louisiana Baptist Convention send you our warmest Christmas
greetings. We pray for your health and peace, wonderful times of
fellowship with your loved ones, and a renewed sense of joy that comes
through the Lord Jesus Christ whose birth we are celebrating.