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Prayer is a wonderful thing, I have been relying on it a lot lately. I have been asking for wisdom to write these posts. Sometimes, I feel like I am just babbling and not making any sense. Sometimes I have convinced myself that nobody reads these posts, but at the same time I don't care because I need a place to vent. Blogging is a lot like journaling, but you get to share your crazy, sometimes disorganized thoughts hopefully with someone who is going through the same things. My writing style may not be perfected, or even eloquent, my writing style is me. I am not perfect, I will never be, I am not trying to be. I like that I make mistakes, it means I am real. Somedays it is hard to admit, but I would much rather be real, than fake. This is where the Holidays come in.
I enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. I just prefer to enjoy it a little more laid back. I don't like the rush, the hustle and bustle. It stresses me out! Just as an example. We have been visiting family for the past two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I love these people, but staying with someone else for two weeks is beyond stressful. It is hard to be real, in fact sometimes it is downright impossible. Constant worrying about your kids behaving, and not ruining or breaking anything, not getting dirt anywhere it shouldn't be. The looks you get when someone obviously disagrees with the way you parent. After our school day is done, it is constantly trying to balance entertaining the kids, keeping the dogs (we have two) happy, and trying to help out. There is no time and no place to hide, not even for 30 mins, just to catch your breath. Look at me right now. It is 12:07am, everyone is in bed, my son beside me and I am sitting in the dark blogging. It takes the enthusiasm and fun out of the holidays. Of course, when we get home, we have 3 weeks at home. Two full weekends, the third weekend we are off again for another two weeks for Christmas.
In that three week time frame, there is my husbands companies Christmas Party. We havent even started Christmas shopping, which has to all be done online this year. To top it off, as ridiculous as it sounds, I can't remember where on earth I put Ashley our Elf! She is supposed to return after Thanksgiving, and I don't even know where to look for her. I am really freaking out about that, because I have two kids who are eagerly anticipating her return. Sometimes, it would be so nice to have a secret hideout, decked out with tea and a wine rack, someplace to just sit and chill for 30 minutes in complete silence.
Prayer is a wonderful thing, I have been relying on it a lot lately. I have been asking for wisdom to write these posts. Sometimes, I feel like I am just babbling and not making any sense. Sometimes I have convinced myself that nobody reads these posts, but at the same time I don't care because I need a place to vent. Blogging is a lot like journaling, but you get to share your crazy, sometimes disorganized thoughts hopefully with someone who is going through the same things. My writing style may not be perfected, or even eloquent, my writing style is me. I am not perfect, I will never be, I am not trying to be. I like that I make mistakes, it means I am real. Somedays it is hard to admit, but I would much rather be real, than fake. This is where the Holidays come in.
I enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. I just prefer to enjoy it a little more laid back. I don't like the rush, the hustle and bustle. It stresses me out! Just as an example. We have been visiting family for the past two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I love these people, but staying with someone else for two weeks is beyond stressful. It is hard to be real, in fact sometimes it is downright impossible. Constant worrying about your kids behaving, and not ruining or breaking anything, not getting dirt anywhere it shouldn't be. The looks you get when someone obviously disagrees with the way you parent. After our school day is done, it is constantly trying to balance entertaining the kids, keeping the dogs (we have two) happy, and trying to help out. There is no time and no place to hide, not even for 30 mins, just to catch your breath. Look at me right now. It is 12:07am, everyone is in bed, my son beside me and I am sitting in the dark blogging. It takes the enthusiasm and fun out of the holidays. Of course, when we get home, we have 3 weeks at home. Two full weekends, the third weekend we are off again for another two weeks for Christmas.
In that three week time frame, there is my husbands companies Christmas Party. We havent even started Christmas shopping, which has to all be done online this year. To top it off, as ridiculous as it sounds, I can't remember where on earth I put Ashley our Elf! She is supposed to return after Thanksgiving, and I don't even know where to look for her. I am really freaking out about that, because I have two kids who are eagerly anticipating her return. Sometimes, it would be so nice to have a secret hideout, decked out with tea and a wine rack, someplace to just sit and chill for 30 minutes in complete silence.
Even though the days aren't always ear-splitting, for some reason the Holiday season always seems to feel so deafening. One of the bible verses I have read lately, really applies to this feeling of complete overwhelm.
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
~Psalm 3:3 NLT
It is hard for me to remind myself of this. Downtime is important, so we don't burn out during the Holiday season. Who really wants to spends time with the Grinch? Especially when the Grinch turns out to be you, because you neglected to take some time for yourself. We all need to breathe. Spending quality time with our kids is way more important than cooking, cleaning, and making sure everything looks perfect to everyone else. Who cares, what everyone else thinks. Shouldn't we care more about how we are making our kids feel, and the memories they are going to have. I personally don't want them to remember me running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, acting like the Grinch. I want to spend time with my kids during the holidays, real time, enjoying them. I don't want them to feel like I'm too busy for them. Let's quit saying "not right now" to our kids during the holidays, because it almost always ends up being "not at all". Let's try to stop worrying about impressing everyone else, and just concentrate on impressing our most important blessings, our children.
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
~Psalm 3:3 NLT
It is hard for me to remind myself of this. Downtime is important, so we don't burn out during the Holiday season. Who really wants to spends time with the Grinch? Especially when the Grinch turns out to be you, because you neglected to take some time for yourself. We all need to breathe. Spending quality time with our kids is way more important than cooking, cleaning, and making sure everything looks perfect to everyone else. Who cares, what everyone else thinks. Shouldn't we care more about how we are making our kids feel, and the memories they are going to have. I personally don't want them to remember me running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, acting like the Grinch. I want to spend time with my kids during the holidays, real time, enjoying them. I don't want them to feel like I'm too busy for them. Let's quit saying "not right now" to our kids during the holidays, because it almost always ends up being "not at all". Let's try to stop worrying about impressing everyone else, and just concentrate on impressing our most important blessings, our children.
Take some time for yourself too. We can't take care of everyone else, unless we also take care of ourselves. The holidays are about family, so let's make sure we include them in the list of people to impress first. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for family, even when they can be overwhelming. I am thankful my children have two sets of grandparents that love them beyond words. I am also thankful for my friends, and for all the bloggers out there who have given me the courage to even attempt this journey. I will leave off with another encouraging bible verse I read this morning. Stay safe, be vigilant, and pray for our children, husbands and our country.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1: 2-4 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1: 2-4 NIV