There are at least a million things bouncing around in my head as I sit to write this. We got all ready to go shopping and Sabrina, my 17 month old, decided she needed a nap so....I decided to write. I've been praying for opportunities to write because my brain is exploding with ideas that need to come out but this is hardly what I'd call ideal. I like to be more prepared. I want it to be all scheduled, everyday, at such and such a time, so I know what to expect and when my time is coming so I can use it purposefully and all that crap, yada yada yada. But when's the last time I wrote? Oh ya, it was October 7th. I guess all that waiting til the perfect time stuff still isn't working for me! Ahhh! So I am seizing the moment! Ha!
I love Christmas time! I love the songs, the decorations, the lights, the festivities, the cookies and everything else that's awesome about it! It can feel truly magical when you're in the spirit! "In the spirit" means you aren't trying to run anyone over in the parking lot of Target so you can get that spot or because you're in a hurry! If this is you (or close to it) maybe you're getting a little too caught up in all the hoopla and PRESSURE that the holidays can bring!
Inhale...Exhale...Let it be Easy...
It would be so great if we could buy everything we wanted for our kids whenever we wanted to and whenever they wanted something! Or no, wait a minute...what happens when kids get everything they want whenever they want it??? Hmmmm... If your stress is buying your kids everything in the store, let it be easy! Don't do it!!! Kids will tear through everything you put in front of them and look for more. Try giving them a few special gifts and savor the moments while they open them up. Focus your attention on the quality instead of the quantity. By doing this, you will help them to realize the joy of receiving and how nice it is to give and receive. This helps them learn how to appreciate things and count their blessings, which is a great practice for all of us.
If you don't have kids, you're not left out here! Giving comes from the heart. Many of us forget that. I know I want to buy for everyone I know and care about, but I get overwhelmed by the enormity of the spending. This is where I have to remind myself. It's not the amount of money I spend, it is truly more about the thoughtfulness behind the gift. I have received things such as magnets, ornaments, and notepads with encouraging words on them and I love them! They've brought me joy for years. Homemade cards and handwritten notes are also nice things to give and receive! Think about the person you are giving to and what would bring a smile to their face.
Inhale...Exhale...Let it be Easy...
Whatever your stress is now, whatever is causing you grief or anxiety, can you allow yourself to let it be easy? What would happen if it was easier? How would that look? What would it feel like? I've often told myself, it's not easy! It's hard! I'm working my butt off! But then I've realized that some of the stress and anxiety (and some would say all of it!) actually was self-induced. Why would I make things harder on myself than it really is? I don't know, but check yourself. Are you going crazy over something because you think it has to be "just so" but really it's just that you really really like it to be "just so" and it can be just as wonderful and serve it's purpose even if it isn't "just so"? Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I get caught up in my own rules and regulations. When I realize I can let it be easy or at least easier, I feel so much more at peace. And isn't this the season for peace?
So enjoy your holiday celebrations! The giving and the sharing, the cooking and the cleaning, the shopping and the wrapping, the buying and the spending, the pageants and the plays, the singing and the laughter, the snow and the palm trees (Yep, I live in Texas now!), the families and the fun! Create great memories and focus on the good things!
Inhale...Exhale...Let it be Easy...
Thanks for reading! Do you have anything to add or share? PLEASE DO!!!
Thanks to Sabrina for sleeping so I could actually post today! And thanks to the voice inside my head telling me to JUST DO IT!
Thank God for another day for amazing opportunities to love and give!
Love to you!
Kristie
