Berwick Thought for the Week: Taking time for yourself is vitally important

The Christmas season is a very busy time and we all like to help and get involved in things, and for some people they can never say no. Consequently, by the time Christmas day arrives, they are exhausted and frazzled.

Learning to say no and taking time for yourself, and looking after your emotional, mental, and physical well-being, is vitally important. We find Jesus and his disciples often took time aside and in this advent, leading up to the celebration of the birthday of the Lord Jesus, take time out for yourself.

If you have a faith, put time aside to rest, reflect and ponder the Christmas stories surrounding the birth of Christ. If you don’t have a faith, take time to rest and enjoy the things you like to do in your spare time.

Don’t be like the Vicar of Dibley, who spoilt her Christmas because she couldn’t say no. Don’t live under the false expectations of the people around you.

They will be ok, especially if you are ok, and not burnt out by Christmas day.

Have a wonderful Christmas time.

I was born in Bedlington, where I grew up, then on leaving school I trained and worked for many years as a psychiatric nurse at St George’s Hospital, Morpeth.

In the mid-90s I moved to Berwick-upon-Tweed and attended Northumbria Bible College, then finished my degree at the Scottish Baptist College in Glasgow.

After which, I pastored a church in Glasgow for 15 years and in 2012 relocated to Berwick and became the minister of Berwick Baptist Church.