Christmas Letters

I plead guilty. For several years, in my youth, I mistakenly sent out family-themed Christmas Letters. For some reason, I thought folks actually cared to hear about the good, bad and the ugly that had happened to my family over the year's time. I was wrong.
Every year, when we receive Family News Letters, I cringe. TMI. The truth is, your good and your sort-of-good-friends, don't want to read about your bad news. They stop reading when they hit the part about your unsuccessful gall bladder surgery. People do not want to share your misery. They might have empathy or even sympathy for you, but they really don't want to hear about it.
Likewise, if the letters are unbelievably Pollyanna-ish, no one is going to want to read past your astonishingly cute description of "Susie, our miniature cock-a-poo, can read lips" story. No real family is perfect. Bad things happen to all of us.
The point of Christmas Greetings is to wish your friends and acquaintances a Happy Holiday and a Healthful and Prosperous New Year. So do it. Email a card, send a card by snail mail. Call friends on the phone. Say Merry Christmas in person.
Just stop sending those letters. (But, I do appreciate the photos!)

Good Lord. You never promised us a perfect life. We have to take the good, along with the bad. Our abundant life comes from knowing that you are always listening to us and hearing our prayers.
We are truly blessed.