Anyway, I digress. This year I found myself getting stressed over getting the "right" arrangements up, not helped by all the beautiful decorating pictures I see on everyone else's blogs. I find that because I'm a creative person, I have to fiddle and tweak things until they are just right. I can tell they are right because of this feeling I get in my stomach, when everything just falls into place. If I don't get it right, then my stomach just stays churning. Crazy, huh? Well this year my stomach's been churning like mad and to make it worse, I just haven't had the interest in making it better. And I'd usually make things to fill spaces or as inspiration hits me, but again, no interest. I think it's partly because I'm busy making gifts so I don't have time for other crafts plus trying to get the giirls room finished. And I'm just burnt out after a year of work.
So, I found this in the school newsletter and I've had it up on the fridge, and it's been a good daily reminder. It calms me down when I feel like I'm just not doing things well enough.
1 Corinthians 13 - a Christmas (source unknown)
If I decorate my house perfectly with tinsel, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas biscuits, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully decorated table at mealtimes, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.
If I work at Meals-on-Wheels, sing carols in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the tree with shimmering angels and snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the local choir but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn't envy another's home that has co-ordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful that they are there to get in the way. Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes in all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. X Box games will break, DVD's will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.
And it got me thinking...when I was younger, we didn't have all the beautiful handmade decorations like I have now, but did that bother me. No! We had our few simple decorations that we hung up in the same place every year and I loved them because I was a child and it was Christmas and what could be more exciting than that. Ella's been trying to remind me of that. Nearly every day she says to me, "It's nearly Christmas. I'm so excited. Aren't you excited, Mum?" And she says she loves getting presents but loves choosing them for other people and giving them even more. Thank God, I have a child to learn from and to remind me NOT to grow up.
haha I really don't remember my abandonment story. I thought it was at night time and you had gone out with Beth or something.
ReplyDeleteahah not to worry, I'm not scarred.
I'll cya on Saturday! I'm excited for that! Crazy family events! <3
I know what you mean about getting a certain feeling in your stomach when you know things are just right.
ReplyDeleteLove the article you posted about re- the gift of love at christmas being more important than the decorations/baking/celebrating.
You are a fortunate woman and in a time of your life that will one day be just a faint memory. i am 50 with grown children, both my own and others i helped to raise up. The house is empty now until they pile in to remind me why i worked so hard all of those years.
ReplyDeleteThe memories that you build today will one day come back to you in smiles and laughter as they tell of the things you never knew mattered, as you see them adopt many of your traditions for their own families, and as they tell their children of their own happy childhoods. What you give them today is a wise investment in the future... theirs AND yours.
i understand not feeling much like Christmas. We can't hit it right every year. Please don't kick yourself for that, but do take time for the little things that i promise will be remembered.
Mine have told me of the most simple smiles, things i thought so unimportant then, and i am so grateful that i took the time i did with them, though of course now i wish it had been more, but we all will do that.
They don't remember the gifts at all, or which years were lean, which were filled with expensive toys or even what they received, but the silliest little things...
snowflakes of typing paper hung with abandon in ALL of the windows one year
the blizzard of 1977 and being snowed in
piling into my bed during a thunderstorm
the dog all dressed in my scarf and hat
getting up before sunrise
the house full of lit candles and the smell of baking bread
Don't waste time in regret for what you don't feel this year, but hang on tight when you do have a moment that moves you and pay close attention - they are only small for a moment.
i found your blog thorough your comment on another. It's delightful and i'll be back.
Merry Christmas...
Thanks for posting the Corinthians: Love is... Its what I needed this week :)
ReplyDelete