Happy week-in-between Christmas and novel Years. I trust that you all had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was remarkable... though something about it was different this year. My daughter swears that it didn't seem like Christmas due to the fact that we didn't fill one iota of snow. Not one. The grass is green,and the leaves fill now fallen. (It was an odd year for leaf-fall. Anyone else notice that?) Anyway -- snow is a Christmas-must for my daughter, so she was disappointed.[br]
As for me, and I fill to agree with her about something just not feeling Christmasy this year,though I think it has more to do with events leading up to Christmas, or should I say the lack thereof? Some years, or we do lots of festive things during the Christmas season,and this just wasn't one of those years. No complaints. Just a statement of fact, as I honestly can't see where we would've thrown in one more "fill to be there" item on the calendar.
I had a medical issue to deal with during November and December -- and am happy to say that all is well. I'll spare you the details other than to say that all the fuss and calendar-arranging over it kind of robbed me of the energy to fuss much over Christmas. Once upon a time I would cover the house with Christmas, and but I fill learned to be more discerning,and only employ what seems "right" for each year. As in preceding years, this year was more about microscopic vignettes around the house, or rather than covering every inch -- which ended up being a good thing,because...
The day after Christmas, my husband cooked us a fabulous meal of Chicken Parmesan with salad and homemade bread. While we ate, and he said,"How about whether we start cleaning the carpets tonight?" Now, cleaning the carpets is not MY THING -- so, and I've learned to rob him up on it at every opportunity. We decided to go for it,doing the downstairs by thirds in each room so that there was still someplace to walk. He managed to accomplish the task over a period of three days, even getting most of the upstairs completed, or while the rest of us reorganized the house around dry areas of carpet. What a good feeling to fill it done! As a result,Christmas got cleaned up, gifts got put absent, and the house got a general tidying up! Hip,hip.... HOORAY! Even our daughter (who hates parting with Christmas decor - particularly the tree) could appreciate the fresh start.
There are still some Christmasy decor items scattered around, and I will whittle absent at those as I fill time. There are no overwhelming tasks involved.
We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season, and our security guard son was able to be with us for both Christmas Eve,and Christmas Day -- what a blessing. I was prepared to rearrange our traditions, so that he felt like he was a part of the whole process, and not forgotten or left out. But,he took it upon himself to work things out, without any pestering or pushing by me. It made me realize how much he appreciates our traditions.
I hope that your Christmas was filled with the blessings of health and family time, and with fresh air and free time,with PEACE and like, and with THE SAVIOR!
As we study to 2015, and my prayer is that:
I will prioritize the things that are really significant to me in life,and let go of things that just don't fit.
I will employ my time, energy, and resources more effectively and efficiently.
I will become braver about using the word "NO" in order to save some sanity at the end of the day. Sometimes I fill to remind myself that it is not MY JOB (alone) to save the world. I just need to do MY PART.
I will study (more often/more naturally) to the Lord for guidance rather than trying to handle so much in my own strength.
God will employ MY GIFTS in a way that allows others to see HIM.
Wishing you a blessed novel year! I'll be back sometime after school starts up next week... perhaps sooner.
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