It's the Holiday Season
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I can feel the hustle and bustle of the holiday season starting and it gets me excited! I love this time of year with all the lights, presents, and joy. But I think I speak for most everyone when I say that I don't enjoy the busyness that seems to always come with it.
The holidays are always full of fun things to do; visit Santa, see Christmas lights, watch Christmas movies and drink hot chocolate, travel to visit family, bake Christmas treats, all the Christmas parties, and of course, scouring the stores for Christmas presents. Whew!
I get excited and worn out just thinking about it.
The temptation for me is to get wrapped up in everything that needs to be done and ensure my children have plenty of magical Christmas memories to cherish for years to come.
But let's be real...that's a lot of pressure!
Last year our family started a new tradition of practicing Advent. I wanted it to create a time of reflection for our family, on why we really celebrate Christmas and help prevent us (especially me) from allowing everything else to consume our attention and energy.
The first week or two went well. But as things began to get busier and busier, it became just another task I felt pressured to check off our daily list, rather than a special time to reflect.
How is it that we can get so caught up in life that we miss the most important things?
To be honest, it doesn't just happen during the holidays. This is a problem we have year around.
And what are the important things?
Is it important that my kids look and act perfectly? Or that they know they are loved just as much when they refuse to wear the Thanksgiving outfits that I just spent 20 minutes ironing?
Is it important that my house looks like Joanna Gaines decorated it for Christmas? Or that when people walk in they feel welcomed and comfortable despite the crumbs under the table and dishes in the sink?
Should I never leave the house without the appearance that everything is under control?
Or is it more important that I'm open and real with people through the highs and lows of motherhood?
Lets take the pressure off of ourselves.
Perfection is not a realistic goal we can obtain.
And besides, that isn't really the goal, is it?
As I listened to a podcast on adoption last week, I was greatly convicted that my desire for the things of this world and what people think is much higher than my desire for my heavenly Father and what He thinks.
I put far too much time into thinking about what would make my house look better, rather than how to make it more of a place of peace for my family.
I spend more time thinking about how to get my kids to behave better, than I do teaching them the things of God and praying that He works wonders in their hearts.
I spend too much time worrying about my flaws, both external and internal. And not enough time on how I can utilize the gifts God has blessed me with to serve Him and others.
It was a very humbling moment for me, and I want it to be a turning point in my life that I might spend the right amount of time and energy on the right things.
What do I spend my money on, my thoughts, my time?
Are they spent mostly on earthly things, or heavenly things?
I'm afraid to say it's been more on earthly than I want to admit.
So, how do we change?
What is the secret sauce?
I think it starts with the heart.
Matthew 6:21 says,
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
And Proverbs 4:23 tells us,
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Now, how can we apply that in the day to day?
For me, I think it goes back to thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
So when I feel the weight and anxiety of not being able to do everything or be that "picture of perfection", I need to pray thanksgiving to God.
I have found that when I begin to name the things I'm thankful for, the list gets longer and longer, and my worries seem less important in comparison. When we turn our attention to Christ, we allow His peace to rest on us and as the scripture says, "His peace will guard our hearts and minds".
And what is it guarding our hearts and minds from?
The anxieties and worries of this world.
So, is it a coincidence that we celebrate Thanksgiving right before the Christmas season begins?
I don't think so. I think if we are mindful, we can allow that spirit of thanksgiving to prepare our hearts for the wonder of Christmas.
That wonderful day when Love came down to dwell with man.
My favorite Christmas song has a line in it that says "And I celebrate the day that You were born to die, so I could one day pray for You to save my life."
That, my friends, is the most important thing.
I can feel the hustle and bustle of the holiday season starting and it gets me excited! I love this time of year with all the lights, presents, and joy. But I think I speak for most everyone when I say that I don't enjoy the busyness that seems to always come with it.
The holidays are always full of fun things to do; visit Santa, see Christmas lights, watch Christmas movies and drink hot chocolate, travel to visit family, bake Christmas treats, all the Christmas parties, and of course, scouring the stores for Christmas presents. Whew!
I get excited and worn out just thinking about it.
The temptation for me is to get wrapped up in everything that needs to be done and ensure my children have plenty of magical Christmas memories to cherish for years to come.
But let's be real...that's a lot of pressure!
Last year our family started a new tradition of practicing Advent. I wanted it to create a time of reflection for our family, on why we really celebrate Christmas and help prevent us (especially me) from allowing everything else to consume our attention and energy.
The first week or two went well. But as things began to get busier and busier, it became just another task I felt pressured to check off our daily list, rather than a special time to reflect.
How is it that we can get so caught up in life that we miss the most important things?
To be honest, it doesn't just happen during the holidays. This is a problem we have year around.
And what are the important things?
Is it important that my kids look and act perfectly? Or that they know they are loved just as much when they refuse to wear the Thanksgiving outfits that I just spent 20 minutes ironing?
Is it important that my house looks like Joanna Gaines decorated it for Christmas? Or that when people walk in they feel welcomed and comfortable despite the crumbs under the table and dishes in the sink?
Should I never leave the house without the appearance that everything is under control?
Or is it more important that I'm open and real with people through the highs and lows of motherhood?
Lets take the pressure off of ourselves.
Perfection is not a realistic goal we can obtain.
And besides, that isn't really the goal, is it?
As I listened to a podcast on adoption last week, I was greatly convicted that my desire for the things of this world and what people think is much higher than my desire for my heavenly Father and what He thinks.
I put far too much time into thinking about what would make my house look better, rather than how to make it more of a place of peace for my family.
I spend more time thinking about how to get my kids to behave better, than I do teaching them the things of God and praying that He works wonders in their hearts.
I spend too much time worrying about my flaws, both external and internal. And not enough time on how I can utilize the gifts God has blessed me with to serve Him and others.
It was a very humbling moment for me, and I want it to be a turning point in my life that I might spend the right amount of time and energy on the right things.
What do I spend my money on, my thoughts, my time?
Are they spent mostly on earthly things, or heavenly things?
I'm afraid to say it's been more on earthly than I want to admit.
So, how do we change?
What is the secret sauce?
I think it starts with the heart.
Matthew 6:21 says,
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
And Proverbs 4:23 tells us,
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Now, how can we apply that in the day to day?
For me, I think it goes back to thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
So when I feel the weight and anxiety of not being able to do everything or be that "picture of perfection", I need to pray thanksgiving to God.
I have found that when I begin to name the things I'm thankful for, the list gets longer and longer, and my worries seem less important in comparison. When we turn our attention to Christ, we allow His peace to rest on us and as the scripture says, "His peace will guard our hearts and minds".
And what is it guarding our hearts and minds from?
The anxieties and worries of this world.
So, is it a coincidence that we celebrate Thanksgiving right before the Christmas season begins?
I don't think so. I think if we are mindful, we can allow that spirit of thanksgiving to prepare our hearts for the wonder of Christmas.
That wonderful day when Love came down to dwell with man.
My favorite Christmas song has a line in it that says "And I celebrate the day that You were born to die, so I could one day pray for You to save my life."
That, my friends, is the most important thing.
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