%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 18 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R >> /XObject << /I1 13 0 R /I2 14 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 20 0 R /GS4 21 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text /ImageC ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 3.1.0 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20250830211407+00'00') /ModDate (D:20250830211407+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1556 >> stream xuWM6Wc 8Z}NA( r(zebZKnQ"eʦ̼*M4izGEMՆvl;]ANs fp -N9zY|/7yljϝԽIc:q9zu19f| IG]Y4(S TWɚ!V1vz9GJ_zeE+⏭¬t}ھ[#_,3G>Mh>,kSIS~թ'_"K_ Y B9/9%ԦNmE8ꈭ;~]"%#pt̀tÃtZl!3 f+MN(,)˘XnA=hHIs3L^W7FW878 BjLm,DvᰈƉj,C8vg  3tp = 5N&gEB[ }MoC8Z{xB{> 5zD -= a~aC_AE`F>Ha' g ׌~@.Ӥ%x`NT>*fM1\}Q4msLke$vSGkROTFf.CI \ zيq^F8ƭי͓u:Z/>1Ul)eBQ^qYneMu4U`%Ɂ BbHeQDږ)cYx;Ϥ_f, 'Dv즠\3:yjRj^UuM~0=3 endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 13 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 125 /Height 125 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 125 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 80>> stream h1  H/nvnvnvnvnvnvnvn۟(G| endstream endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 125 /Height 125 /SMask 13 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 3 /Columns 125 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 15745>> stream xݽY$Iv|FĽqoܭnVfVeVu-5=C C8M @#=z =ADP@$jvɩ+ru%VM# p7>;ٱsrIBT] II Sd KH+3 }n[D6CL$}I&q2ϒfA{qolٽ%y/}L!YdI#訬9yFa@/.W@/7x)YuŽ-7Ý% \ Y9"K$(s-˓tY&+}qzURPy/xfAC+9YTE^I+$\Я:Qm_7fŗt7 oVA1[z9IV 6jr }n,D~[d*} ,y~KfKUuI_$͈Vf:Oʬz|5ۊ r^Key,*&f%9`I> {[7A$Pf㣩W$1Bq"S5@NӬ,UxO5:ly+ZVRݢ,؆Q$wDrv5{7xC@+o@͢d=~{y۰BE_4R|^V F6Y[$q {C3lO{7V]e’D 8EeCdgZt!p$ @TS]fD" z3Zq.|,7J w$Wvߐ'G0{C3aД$rcWqTxDa fI"Zc"N$9dOL!fDK|;֨:![ TMIl~8Ϣϓ5hDJH@¹D酠O^wD1Y취, Zҗ*cƶßف|iS~EuB࡮Oq"fбVfu$\"I3~= !Yh 1P?$II~ЇQ?fN:!'{OjɰoI􄄠䳊*QjPQA󘽜p_1ebVA<Ή$!jRB7q#*VeD?xʓOJד;c"Ga]] TT=b&p2%9ϸjA4L(z;H^8[kպ%RT^5IR3@̭,(7Ž-7@}ȭJڥza qa ֝j}]̿v.OUCi;X|3di,d$4G,@d* GM, mAl$1j='"9O{qaʸ$nb5ߟ(VI; ?8:y5<1#I3BF0S6rqD_$EOhpXlWxP s`,GV F.B;W8f:G''aA5 :}sju扴,?lUy~2rVQ4fo)K8BfX#=kjg\W+ I߶<,$E^,,y*7qƒʞaʮ^w:k:ɴIpmЌIBUTB"Iyre}ERYN\W7ĞԘ0+G0!YIO]VQ }\]$f%9zArZ[Q|8߂gx#GABsaޥ9''٪^Ge}Qr'|yf;?DJfyf/&YwNb3 Myp\ >`< 2@p\ FYu@ eTvPs_|`ϡ+#T>~jMuDb7seTU\Lv]^d 횚/aG|2gAf,ݘ 1U)dKKvGxBZ*}JpWıY͝j9<9R*"ˋ]]=0%3QRPXʱJ˱t?pFF}˶QC:+75}QT3 p^W?P..fw}l*}T5x!%q-5ita~?7t# f}vY}V6wkkxڥiKo5g Rq;Ay^2q;S/r ]WkՂ86w #g \Pvz}r'5Q.Y*?ݞwZ<, ^s/,UK*}`ưvYj鏪{իuܡPRdZ*V+\Sd:m'ϟ_)Mfo 'RI>(Ö v1NS{eIDl UӉ) `MES:uE$ :G8l\;3" M~$“dPWBHA_|i^Y݉8uZC ]A$CzgGt׋^WI;[-0##sXo % vQ.IIL@wCEq'Jiy;]T "NL9 H*|- $` L_1#qx^%s#ҨDQEpdg'flJ{(_?caqtQEٶ1VTskp#Ө>8cGeT$RiuUmUOۉjIb6W s)&/}Y:*DM/;Oﷳo2ibFyB|gKd685P11)c#׿>;om6zޚL.~ L4 ?;<[ 59V6ke69N^/LAT:_b5`WF U^s}Už7@rx#ql<:yMB*j- 7HCr'u"T}xr\nb}?s&竆NO? =C"zR(@ 7du|uw.R>p6eOܖ3yv$J[zz#CzWA(r}0(qD +5}VRq`mف0"M`Cӹ*FuQ6dR*ZpNŋ1olK*XBI?X/I0LBz:4ۡ%sp)9K &Tr '@$"ɠ'S=/biubƜXrETU \RAZ٠)'ߏ8w}}ύC3]m3\ug95.\8 SVJɓgIQd$јKr%$4 V@jgi@X K/hNS[8J<0u=bL34Y+J1c(7]Xl$lwÈ1ǞČ9<ŌM&!c L٩Ѭ'gf1,6K?R lÿЊ e)l̬eˬ$l̈7~V paDLk_\.+TVh<}%DxR5 S2L#mT%UCCKK|GTKƒZ1]UO/ڛvGxtDљCe^X$/IL8i} )2I{|nԑČ< =H[oqϿ̙`XUC[}?B(JkIIXC G<=+[FZwwk:??;u&86`g)ZTs6O.Fyf=/ e\GҥWlS=:_Lݡ+KI!N,+4bl<FQd0OkY.PӅ:T*\e.TN?`,zQ]ZfP HGc2 >UY9u@6+ wXhWog<wiݺa;',L5Rs谘1CjL˚n(t]yޟ}Y#l<9 SNO&VT a28nΨC``yA/eϬY8Pn( xx8~j5r.R0D2b 0*L]p.azck=ֵ7jhfs2EIeV\n5 q>UPt̏>#cYA^oˍ)TЇۛi4=j><1q,V(_UzA?H HP<ϿC0fV)P+= EpG\37M0jspD}7Kjza O2|A?fǏDR UyRFfv"7녂T`QЂ^/.Fwv{oyx|(V* T &zvѳSܥ/wkk>7W_}ʽ{wy/>okZ)T1hAaB@'RLAOQX{2 |f9Tkf0o~{O/DmHӨݵz S3T7BL^1r{1u]9<9׿FѨ *p+pge.r=w;{R_BJϐ;k(z\s\oGW:WL PiGKJFuY5Ͳm@ ai@XT7߱i,zAU ֖FdRWXN`i?㟶ww6WY;]7( 踏=&0 ٴy )zR_F8)^qM;N"T빾OKp>Ml7klm+lGǧ9;5%ZezT7^.7GDBNWy'Nq|9'"˦UU > H8B/|[$3cv])˯߳.H0ׂY=!# V _Xjmz^FY3[뺪V CE#{%xE5eMW(<膾۶6',:_l3X԰RJ7q!}cbV/<崞dw};O@0;c9(3@^ņpH9NL>(GyuubLA#cY<&aɐrP0aF=q&A]\C?uXgG&o5x?}ga1";]PB ##qJNydfb]T 1]wA>3o@I<>*LaR=<9U[[__u.\1Yk*\]_m_8D%eh,NKUܘ!LZzrymsW{Ob? k*OG_kT&t~}3&)r`ߌ#_OR!f BM]o%zEw!?<:{(_{ܻ'ꚮ^ZR7t7x;ZVØBݺzUcWtkŸOkKVvLq;Ѽ`bD Tʾu|\kmzpdaت׏Zd;5XQY23W5ttt+OEMzQbei*X~zfv6WO/O{;Ϗ'P7[:{N7b cXӥRQ+tZ;xF8XAp} 1~i$E;򼩃2oܿ;G:^wNf.N3/`47lhl"nHuj޹tdd]5ˊ bZ_|%ݻstzzAA*Gajw>3u~wGZY7]e DXcjLvX*ˆ\='`'C_Evzw^tlԇd]c$P F$l[Zm9ۛ~x|9쿲Jjh[~5VmlћMRqXL痃%IJ@XyeJ,s/ ep-,C˶?C]7yRP1qeD| pxtP֛3?qw~/mV?zv?}ӶtSMtjt>JA_T^"KA2Ϲ@Upq ` (_\oEv*vDF!\mT|Xч 4J^h/~_Cxj'_d0~w:$bBgK?]Y3vNl`ݥz˹e`֣˫ޠ f+%V7_wzqq ta>:"0i%́.YآrbVQ9N^רlOҡajo>7|rxtI=y٨7%/DQ3ðw ՠ,S:f!<w2 faγ]EʆfX^s4<_>ᄎC*'_q0 [_yBq%޹"؃F8Dvç5cޏ~|!9* CcBCb&Ӎ=@$2S6)X̺KDzrxn2eJuXk6.z|:غ{8G' "BtK]f@3>z`Pow{㐹80(ya,^m-Ƣ?G`hpbjDOO}I""Ia^D]uM̲D0_-k)ӭ;DթLb $U$ @$Ҿ{w6v~=zvx=P Ŏ/zO?s}j&,&}?Bo¼1z XKN\YZZ'?xgEm]٨\Ӫ j+l: +BpYTD[uΜ8g) T3ts7D}.Z˧hFãs˚Č饢 t<%X<k/I2>BQpF$]_>`޶`4y'??Yd@QIb6Si$dvu Oi}Yiu9ۮ.,ЁoQzew`^韼RqYJ+&ī*|C\`-sƴPez,ul\wZޫ l ZjIUcZzQaiM*T&MJ Szc_Ƽl|aQ pR_a'agYcnc`K1䂽(P,b-T7\6ެh~t]9٪J3t Wl=!G}zXWatx3sxY;5@;o }?r>f{ ;7[t\"y2NPz[[;N5N~;o s8L-#T#.L7 #P|"y h0d^0Pdw9 o{ ŵ!If޸XRdqi̒$t=bܘ4Wɳw ֙s=aQ$$;pj:LbQdf,܂ iN߅cR'iI< e(bgs9V<|ͽ/z VՊ EA=&cJb,mWSP=[.I\+z_"*uVzC?Vۛjݝ5(5jD"hQ*SEгb[[U3"QP>jE7:qEfhhSUP7`ÜjW!63;gu^{.ecwPt|NG,>XapF֨gZԨ=y}H5Kcu5cujxvUƲYy@״k8O34Кdv, j3=OkGKfggD]a5 r< \@Z=@ƓIӦW~9>I? 5u}O4C8aRPLu#)&NEǴR|0ڨU-Iz~|~ĘdL9 ZT*!12 (e KMq1wiBxeqШZ56.#ؓj*)2 TU/OU7$ (Cos"W'NיxVH*HTU(R(٠JRR2M]w}ߙxZ Mh LEWAV7/T UA_y(VJG" z}/KS+:)iabqlmDCĊi}l4ygzh9c{2 } ]w4EQd&:hP+,ɴ73HqFҴYX:`lU:dRaRܗWscn ݴ Q'aC$kЩ %p˶~BcMq&PPŽSILNDzQv'ѰN.nO8>?b KyfQ_*,VjEYv~}R[֫u_*qY]o@f]WUիe`P3m5|I 3nmQDQ͚(̿;[}:XlWzlLߗDtZw"$?I[0i`ۅbYUÁui8s%r1Qtgg[״G__A &w0%|t[c NrY*jL$O'"VVյVqf] 4'i :be/ɶy $[~\/YI52Lg.8umqk0l7d,˃L D:dzLprV 8}}qmW?h ؖ/< ܠt".~ EG[ŽivF#4NtCO m8 ۬W fT0ij"DId 1 'y'{7\+G', *MrM\L7IrTX{ 90Vbc8lYss{G$ `4u4 >nzT1pu/+T*&ǧ:kz<*9ha"o~>2x3Gp:s|8B:b̙6*YU GޡZ.̖aOp]T'!|3yqM`*7~O~ Uj0qv=7q)я(1cZ);r^Vh?qHY*2iWvǓz睓^C+iEI׎|t4L;_8J7qCU0':ݾV(kxh'Սxa_iG,9L4?22ÝJ cܮarg$M|d H8t@=S/ꅭzAdn)!Pǩ֪k2f|B Z@{WL}]W\(WK A]DyAHÀLL.,,EQ$gIK83]3f̞Etu*1$ j.}HtE" i*|/~H Нy˲0 oon8gH8 w}ݻ;]7\'{(v6wN[r3ic.af>Y,[-zbhd 0ml>wB[c1g \ HUQ}h_ƌTIbAQjZip;`果/|#._r 6t$XnUitT65lM8q:hW@Stpn fsYtE¤(ެ9?2T~x`X(ws˭b0I]itŇJ*b%O-֗b"w.?g/Ͳ駗N8fQ:Y6.8ob5Xa(p$X1Bje 2B9DոLj$(U`PiIY6sψ+ %R\[wvgN,h7W39AmāﴱQ 1-9EkBI&#bMHrpQz۔O/;Jڲԟ: ha^/>;[_(5)o5)/j^⾰@w쒇+e|QD{ ^Uv#?7C֬լKPjϝ3JoY{{{?Oo(3r{:qWɂ/aQĸ[IlV*gcB[{b؉F "^Uoe%7r:/Ymmy;vBy}@8᰹1ᢌ8v镖pTΟwݿ,ˈ[hcoNKRYM 뙕p/m@UjvԪPgq!fÒ;kO2{[0byNzkXAAV~9 : Ųgވ$>-qu,-ϻI]flV7 *hYn$ U#2EЉLEܘ1e 2͢6$8IE2UraW0&> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 17 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 19 0 R >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1068 >> stream xVˎ6+T$[Mm1E"Y]ҕŌDzH*R0(0#^{WZ[ \yNeG*^E.zC~+(ENLFt2eK^zOCK<Yt:2eǺ/«Ieuwcĺ\'pHY{et,H˂~b4ܒO4#o{La ] &zx*=*}Xl&r hi9 g#G$fJ,rlu[ee36QiRi4#qTղ:O_F9?sܡ٫@3j#'p:@N\,E^ցFUG%V3vQv',(8>a͉?h`'V9E6nrrL U]Hc[#>mTx*f">\JѤt8Κx[U&O}PޣP8HajTt&"ٛ{ȃJsF{@ АAZ1vшyNRXՠsU*ŪHp1;|䙅8- { {!8?jsy0&/)RƛS%aj[ybT` @vg'; I_fI<#I)0HA\g`(㡻%M~ { ݞA~"2ن`ӈ*h%U99E4s^JbTlS [?pgfSaq`Kt[G\谋.8x>(ݴf :_H&7j (7UΣ݌\Х5'<߾?W]>NMO}gxŤجRB@| r*}١!dO-1D&x4,ݫKVDқ_7{сV's0)*f}Jǻ&/eBw|T[zrK[@ڔԌ{|x ɏ'fZkk]yųx؋ endstream endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj xref 0 22 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000417 00000 n 0000000454 00000 n 0000000603 00000 n 0000000706 00000 n 0000002335 00000 n 0000002442 00000 n 0000002550 00000 n 0000002660 00000 n 0000002773 00000 n 0000002802 00000 n 0000003126 00000 n 0000019131 00000 n 0000019190 00000 n 0000019249 00000 n 0000019278 00000 n 0000019383 00000 n 0000020525 00000 n 0000020582 00000 n trailer << /Size 22 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[] >> startxref 20639 %%EOF 3 truths to consider this Christmas | Caring Magazine
Wreath on door

3 truths to consider this Christmas

Listen to this article

Between the string of parties, dinners, gift-buying, school and church programs, the Christmas season can feel like such a flurry of activity.

One minute, we’re looking for that perfect present for the aunt for whom we never know what to buy, and the next we’re pulling out those cookies from the oven that Pinterest told us would look cute.

It can be so easy to become overwhelmed with stress this season, and that stress can steal the very joy and awe upon which this time of year is built. So, this year, I want to bring us back to three core truths in which we can take solace to remind ourselves of the gospel that sets us free, but also to keep our peace in the midst of a packed schedule.

He is ‘God with us.’

To me, the greatest miracle of Christmas is that he came to earth, lived as we do and conquered all the things we fight against: fear, shame, anxiety and sin. It brings hope to my heart—that everything I face in my life, he intimately knows. And he doesn’t just slap us on the back and stop there—he steps in with a more powerful solution; victory, resurrection and overcoming.

This reality—that he is so driven by love that when you draw close to him you cannot help but melt in awe—it floors me. When I can climb into that truth like a little child, it makes me come alive and sets me on fire with a hope for my future. This season is an opportunity to lean into it, and be mindful of it.

He is God with me. He is God with you. He is God with us.

The greatest gift we can give is our presence.

We can become so consumed with wrapping presents and making the house look perfect, that we forget to sit and listen and laugh and hold those who are closest to us.

Have you ever been in a situation where someone was so busy and so distracted that they couldn’t even seem to look at you? Where all you were longing for in that moment was to have their attention? I know I’ve been there, and I know this holiday season can hold a lot of these moments for all of us.

So, I wonder what would happen if we gave others our presence—our time and eye contact, our attention and care. And I wonder what would happen if we requested that of others, too. It could be as simple as asking, “Would you sit with me? I’d really like that.”

Miracles happen in the quiet moments too.

We really like noise. We enjoy the frenetic pace of social media, the customized news alerts at our fingertips—the information inundation, if you will. This, however, leaves us open to discarding the quiet spaces.

There’s something refreshing about sitting in the quiet, unplugged from electronics, when it’s just you and your thoughts. That can be scary, but there is a clarity and honesty that can come from it. And if you’ve taken the time to embrace quiet moments before, you know just how often miracles can happen. Suddenly, you might remember the truths you’ve forgotten. Or you might feel a peace come over yourself about your future. Or maybe your heart is hurt and you simply allow it to feel that, because it needs to feel that.

Miracles aren’t always massive spectacles in front of a hundred thousand faces. Sometimes, miracles are a subtle shift of the heart in the quietest of spaces.

So, this Christmas, slow down, give others your presence and remember just how much he is with you. Soak it in and receive it. Let it inspire hope within you.

You May Also Like