Kyle walked into our Monday morning meeting with a little less than his typical energy and zip. What ensued was a conversation about rain, gloomy, dark, cold days, and demeanors to match. Have you noticed how the lack of blue skies and sun can cause the peppiest of peeps to seem a little down?
And so I asked Kyle if I could tell him what to do. “Uh, maybe … what is it?” Kyle asked as he looked up from his downcast posture. “You need some D3, bro,” I insisted. “If I can tell you what to do, I’d tell you to supplement up with some vitamin D3. It’s sunshine in a bottle, and gives us what the sun usually and naturally gives us.”
These cold and darker months see many people struggling with depression and “less-than” moods. It’s during these winter months people get less sun on their shining faces, and the lack of sunshine causes an eclipse of happy, upbeat energy. If I could tell you what to do, I’d recommend about 5,000 IU’s of vitamin D3 a day, especially during our solar system’s season of being stingy with light.
I’m no doctor, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. I’m not a doctor, but I am a pastor — and pastors can be really good at telling people what to do! If I could tell you what to do, I’d suggest Vitamin D3, more sleep, and less sugar. I’d tell you to drink of tall glass of filtered water with one squeezed lemon each morning.
We’re in a stretch when most people do the opposite of what I would tell you to do. The holidays bring more sugar, not less. This season needs more of what the sun usually provides, but we scoff at the obvious. Darkness calls our bodies to produce more melatonin and sleep, but we stay up later with cell phones and flatscreens that war with our bodies production of melatonin. There are good, ignored reasons these melancholy months are always labeled the cold and flu season.
If I could tell you what to do…
I’d recommend, during the thick of this great Christmas season, to be in church this Sunday! We’re talking about receiving the ultimate gift of Light.
Sunshine and vitamin D3 are incredible mini-glories that God’s grace uses to point to a greater Glory of Jesus– the Light of the world. Without His light, we get sick, apathetic, and die. Without the gift of God’s Light, darkness brings a deep depression of sin and death that we are simply unable to deal with on our own. There is no quick supplement of religion or morality to alleviate the symptoms of darkness our broken world boasts. Only Jesus’ light can save us, and it comes indescribably as a gift we receive and stand in awe as humble shepherds did all those many years ago.
If I could tell you what to do…
I’d recommend the text we’re diving into this Sunday– Isaiah 9. I’d recommend using this Sunday to make sure the light of Jesus is what lights up your home and heart this Christmas. The lights strung about your neighborhood are mini-glories and grace gifts because they can point us to the wonder of a greater Light given to us over 2,000 years ago.
I look forward to gathering with you and your friends this Sunday at Lifebridge.
Blessings & Merry Christmas!
Pastor alan
p.s. – Our GDT ’23 benevolent effort has gained steam, and I thank you for allowing your Christmas giving to build this fund that will help people all year long. THANK YOU for all of your faithful giving and year-end giving considerations to Lifebridge as we continue to be Gospsel-Driven. Together.