And half of December for that matter?!
Time seems to move so fast and I always feel so busy. I find myself crossing things off of "to do" lists only to see that same list getting longer.
This is nothing new.
As a matter of fact, it was at this exact time last year that I was introduced to the world of blogging and as a direct result, came to the conclusion that I was much too busy and needed to slow down and live in the moment.
A year ago, I had never read a blog, nor did I know that people kept blogs to record their own family life experiences.
It was because a friend asked me to pray for a little girl named Lindsay that I fell upon the blog world. I remember almost exactly one year ago, sitting in the exact same location I am right now, recouperating from a marathon of Christmas decorating (as I am right now), feeling tired and overwhelmed (like I do right now) that I opened up my first blog and began to read about Lindsay and her need for a heart transplant in order to live.
With tears running down my face, I read about her struggle for life... the many operations, needle pokes, tubes, machines, and hospital stays she had endured... and she was not even a year old. I put myself in her mother's place and felt ashamed that I was irritated with my Christmas lights not looking right. Instantly, I felt great empathy for this family, and at the same time, felt an overwhelming gratitude for my own life. The things that were weighing me down and making me feel tired seemed so unimportant in light of the story of hardship I was reading.
Do you do that too? Find yourself feeling sorry for yourself only to ashamedly realize that you have absolutely nothing to feel sorry about?
It was in this spirit that I ultimately decided to start blogging... to focus on the "everyday" moments... the ones that I often miss when I am too busy or making too many lists. It's the "little things" in life that are often missed, but it is precisely those "little things" that so many people are not free to enjoy.... because of illness, pain, personal tragedy, loss of job, loss of security.
And so today, I found myself in a similar place as I was at this same time last year... too busy and focusing on the wrong things. In fact, last night, I even pouted (embarrasing as it is to admit) because I was so exhausted from decorating and shopping and trying to make everything too perfect. And then this afternoon, I found myself all worked up and irritated over something ridiculously trivial.
As I opened up my computer and began to read a few blogs, I once again found myself in tears. Tears for people I know...
- My friends who are awaiting a court decision TODAY that will determine whether or not their 1 1/2 year old adopted baby girl will be taken out of their home...
- Noah's cousin (who he is currently on his way to visit) whose 30 year old mother lost her battle with cancer earlier this year...
- A friend from church whose 21 year old son was tragically killed 2 weeks ago...
- A Southern Living team member who I learned this week was just diagnosed with stage 3 cancer...
- A 5 year old, angelic little girl battling an aggressive form of brain cancer...
- A mother who suffered two strokes and is battling for her life...
- A mother who grieves for her baby girl taken much too soon...
Just to have the health and the opportunity to be exhausted over Christmas decorations is a blessing some are not able to enjoy this year!
So tonight, I find myself in a much different state of mind than I was last night... one that is much more pleasing to myself and to the One who is the giver of all blessings.
I'm re-embracing the spirit my blog (to celebrate every little thing in life) and the spirit of the season of Advent.
In my faith tradition, the four weeks before Christmas is called the season of Advent. It is a period of waiting.... waiting for the Lord to come at Christmas time, but also a time to focus on changing our hearts as we wait for the Lord to come in His final glory. It is an opportunity to examine how we live and to focus on Jesus (not Santa) and how He wants us to live.
As I change my own focus to "live in the moment" and live beyond myself, I'm trying to teach my children these hard to comprehend lessons as well. We started a couple of Advent activities that I hope will help them, too, learn to live a life that focuses not on their own wants, but on the blessings they have been given and are called to share with others.
I thought I would share a few of them...
Amidst our Christmas decor sits our Advent table.
It includes an Advent Tree, and Advent Wreath, and a Thankful Tree.
The Thankful Tree
Do you hear it as often as I do?
"I want..."
or
"Can I have..."
In an effort to change my children's attitude (or at least Noah's!) from one of "I want" to one of "I'm thankful for", we created this "Thankful Tree".
I had every intention of spray painting a large tree branch red and spraying the ends of it with white snow frosting, but...
life happens and it didn't get done!
At any rate, we are filling up this little tree with "ornaments of blessings"! Each night, we all talk about something that we are thankful for and write it on a little Christmas tag. We then say a little prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus as we hang it on the Thankful Tree.
Imagine my shock when Noah chose this to be his first "blessing ornament"...
On Christmas Day, we will say a prayer of Thanksgiving for all of these blessings, reading them one by one!
The Advent Tree
Instead of a traditional Advent calendar in which children look forward to a piece of chocolate each day as they "count down" the days until Jesus' birth on Christmas, I opted to create an "Advent Tree" that attempts to foster a spirit of giving while teaching the true meaning of Christmas.
I don't know what I was thinking when I started as I once again opened up a jar of Modge Podge! I started to Modge Podge scrapbook paper to these cute little boxes from Hobby Lobby. I quickly realized that was much too complicated of a project (not to mention the fact that I accidentally put all the lids on too early and ended up glueing many of the boxes completely SHUT!), and I swithed gears to using only the scrapbook paper and ribbon (MUCH smarter!).
Inside each box and/or piece of paper is an activity. My desire was to create activities that would inspire Noah (Emily is a bit too young) to focus on giving, rather than receiving, and help him to understand the true meaning of Christmas and what it actually IS (Jesus) that we are waiting for!
Each day (for 25 days), he opens up a box/paper and finds a special activity to do inside.
The activities I planned are:
- Learn about the Advent wreath
- Special Surprise! Sing Christmas songs from new CD
- Read books about the real Christmas story
- Special Surprise! Do part 1 & 2 of Nativity puzzle
- Write a Christmas letter to our Compassion child
- Color a manger scene
- Learn about Saint Nicholas
- Take food to the food pantry at church
- Make special Christmas cards for teachers and grandparents
- Shop for a special present for someone who needs help this Christmas
- Visit the elderly sisters at PaPa's work
- Special Surprise! Do the "What God wants for Christmas" activity
- Buy "swaddling clothes" to take to church for a donation
- Take "Baby Jesus" to be blessed at the special church nativity night
- Special Surprise! Read a new nativity book
- Pray for people who are cold and hungry tonight
- Special Surprise! Watch the Veggie Tale "Giving" Movie
- Do parts 3 and 4 of the Nativity Puzzle
- Do parts 5 and 6 of the Nativity Puzzle
- Take money from piggy bank and offer it to Jesus at church
- Go to church and look at Christmas lights afterwards
- Make Christmas cookies and take them to the nursing home
- Pray for people who are lonely this Christmas
- Special Surprise! Put on your new PJ's and listen to Mommy read the Christmas story from the Bible
- Sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and say a prayer of Thanksgiving for our many blessings
I have to admit that we are "behind" on a few of our activities, but all in all, Noah is especially enjoying this activity!
**********
As I wait with anticipation for Jesus to come both at Christmas time and in His final glory, I am reminded to be thankful in all things... both the big ones (health, safety, job security...) and the little ones (the opportunity to clean up the toys for the zillionth time in a day, chase my 2 year old around the grocery store, watch my son sing songs in her Christmas preschool program...). I'm embracing each moment of this special season fully aware that every moment I have is a gift worth celebrating and an opportunity to grow in faith, love, and charity.
a time to wait, change, and live in the moment!
2 comments:
I love that last picture!! I was just wondering about Waverly, I can't seem to access her blog anymore. Please let us know how she is, she has been heavy on my heart and a friend that reads my blog called yesterday to ask about her. Many prayers are being said for her.
Very cute! You did an awesome job!
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