hit the pause button
It's Friday. A week away from Christmas. Folks are starting to freak out.....what's left on the list? Will the gift arrive in time? Will the weather cooperate with travellers? Will the church programs be all we hope? Will the Christmas cards arrive in the mail? And so it goes....
In America, especially, we have made this season into something really extravagant. Mostly, that's not good. Mostly, its too much and yet we unapologetically do it every year. For me.......its kinda fun! I love thinking about how to bless people for Christmas. Worthy people....needy people....all people. I stood in my garage today shivering as I watched the poor UPS guy struggle to pull a heavy box out and drag it to our door. (It wasn't even a gift, folks. It was about 80 lbs of dog food! The spendy kind that Roger insists on that we cannot buy in town!". I thought to myself, "I really wish I had a Christmas gift for this UPS guy. He's been coming for years.....I bet he hates his job at Christmas-time. (I don't have a gift for the UPS guy. I'm sure some of you do but I do not.). Later, Isaac told me that this same guy flipped him off once a few years ago when he and some guys were being obnoxious.....jeesh. Lets all have a moment of silence.....for the UPS guy.
Breathe in......breathe out....
Ok. Back to it. So. One week til Christmas! Whoo hoo! I am a planner so I'm pretty much set other than the food prep. We have a few procrastinators in this house who will be scrambling but that's not MY problem! One week til Christmas.....and today I hit the pause button. Big time.
It was a very cold morning. I had some office work to do. After the big kids went to school, me and the littles lit the fireplace....at 9am...and watched Christmas episodes of cartoons. They played games on tablets and I got my work done. The tree has been lit all day, the fire has crackled all day.....I went out twice. Once to have lunch with Roger, and once to get Grace from school. That's it. I've listened to Christmas music and just done less.....and it feels good. In this pause, I can share some of the wonder of Christmas with all of you. Pause with me for a bit, ok?
Last night, we had yet another Christmas concert to attend. Precious' school program would start at 7pm. Unfortunately, I forgot to give her the morning pill that helps her slow down her thinking and calms her ADHD for the day.....so when I got home from work at 5:30 she was in true-tornado-style. We ate quick, then left for the program. She was wild.....but managed to spot a little girl, a classmate, who was lost and fretful in the back of the auditorium. She ran to her, grabbed her hand and the 3 of us made our way to the kindergarten teachers. Lots of adults were milling around, but my Precious Maryn noticed this little girl who needed help and swooped in to rescue her. These are things we see in the Christmas pause.
Jeremiah came into the living room a bit ago. I was lounging, reading a novel, and he asked to go to walmart soon. I asked what he needed. Turns out there is a boy in his class who isn't getting noticed for "secret santa" gifts, and even the teacher didn't know which was his locker. J felt bad that this classmate wasn't enjoying the "spirit of Christmas" at school. He wants to get him a secret santa gift.....just because. Sweet, sweet son of mine....your heart is so big. We will definitely help you brighten this boy's day.
Claire is writing on a blog for a class she is taking and today, her post made me smile. She writes like her mama. I cannot tell her this because she doesn't really want to be like me.....but I'm smiling. Sssshhhhh. (She writes.....like I write.......maybe better.)
Isaac and I negotiated a trade. Tomorrow, He will take the littles to the movies in the afternoon because Roger and I are busy all day with ball tournament stuff. In turn, I will indulge his constant craving for chinese for dinner.
Grace got in the car after school with a mysterious canvas. She says I cannot see it until Christmas. She smiled alot. She drew my name for Christmas gifts.....and Grace is an artist. Her sketches are beautiful. I'm getting pretty excited for Christmas morning!
Its a gift to pause today, with a week before Christmas. Tomorrow will be a crazy busy day again so its time to lift the pause button but thanks for pausing with me, if just for a moment.
In America, especially, we have made this season into something really extravagant. Mostly, that's not good. Mostly, its too much and yet we unapologetically do it every year. For me.......its kinda fun! I love thinking about how to bless people for Christmas. Worthy people....needy people....all people. I stood in my garage today shivering as I watched the poor UPS guy struggle to pull a heavy box out and drag it to our door. (It wasn't even a gift, folks. It was about 80 lbs of dog food! The spendy kind that Roger insists on that we cannot buy in town!". I thought to myself, "I really wish I had a Christmas gift for this UPS guy. He's been coming for years.....I bet he hates his job at Christmas-time. (I don't have a gift for the UPS guy. I'm sure some of you do but I do not.). Later, Isaac told me that this same guy flipped him off once a few years ago when he and some guys were being obnoxious.....jeesh. Lets all have a moment of silence.....for the UPS guy.
Breathe in......breathe out....
Ok. Back to it. So. One week til Christmas! Whoo hoo! I am a planner so I'm pretty much set other than the food prep. We have a few procrastinators in this house who will be scrambling but that's not MY problem! One week til Christmas.....and today I hit the pause button. Big time.
It was a very cold morning. I had some office work to do. After the big kids went to school, me and the littles lit the fireplace....at 9am...and watched Christmas episodes of cartoons. They played games on tablets and I got my work done. The tree has been lit all day, the fire has crackled all day.....I went out twice. Once to have lunch with Roger, and once to get Grace from school. That's it. I've listened to Christmas music and just done less.....and it feels good. In this pause, I can share some of the wonder of Christmas with all of you. Pause with me for a bit, ok?
Last night, we had yet another Christmas concert to attend. Precious' school program would start at 7pm. Unfortunately, I forgot to give her the morning pill that helps her slow down her thinking and calms her ADHD for the day.....so when I got home from work at 5:30 she was in true-tornado-style. We ate quick, then left for the program. She was wild.....but managed to spot a little girl, a classmate, who was lost and fretful in the back of the auditorium. She ran to her, grabbed her hand and the 3 of us made our way to the kindergarten teachers. Lots of adults were milling around, but my Precious Maryn noticed this little girl who needed help and swooped in to rescue her. These are things we see in the Christmas pause.
Jeremiah came into the living room a bit ago. I was lounging, reading a novel, and he asked to go to walmart soon. I asked what he needed. Turns out there is a boy in his class who isn't getting noticed for "secret santa" gifts, and even the teacher didn't know which was his locker. J felt bad that this classmate wasn't enjoying the "spirit of Christmas" at school. He wants to get him a secret santa gift.....just because. Sweet, sweet son of mine....your heart is so big. We will definitely help you brighten this boy's day.
Claire is writing on a blog for a class she is taking and today, her post made me smile. She writes like her mama. I cannot tell her this because she doesn't really want to be like me.....but I'm smiling. Sssshhhhh. (She writes.....like I write.......maybe better.)
Isaac and I negotiated a trade. Tomorrow, He will take the littles to the movies in the afternoon because Roger and I are busy all day with ball tournament stuff. In turn, I will indulge his constant craving for chinese for dinner.
Grace got in the car after school with a mysterious canvas. She says I cannot see it until Christmas. She smiled alot. She drew my name for Christmas gifts.....and Grace is an artist. Her sketches are beautiful. I'm getting pretty excited for Christmas morning!
Its a gift to pause today, with a week before Christmas. Tomorrow will be a crazy busy day again so its time to lift the pause button but thanks for pausing with me, if just for a moment.
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