- 1/4 of the lights on my garland is burned out.
- I've only made a small fraction of the Christmas goodies on my list.
- Poor Joseph in my nativity set has a broken staff.
- All the snowmen decorating my house mysteriously got "rearranged" this morning, and now look rather strange.
- I have no tree skirt for my wimpy-looking, 3-foot tree.
- Our tree topper (for now) is a huge, gaudy, gold ornament that my oldest daughter stuck on top.
But you know what?
I don't really care.
Because this matters more to me:
And this:
And these:
In the past Christmases, I did care, a whole lot.
My house has absolutely no hope of looking like Pottery Barn, but come on, I still wanted things to look...smell....and, of course, taste amazing at the holidays. I wanted my holiday homemaking to be the stuff of legends.
Too bad I wasn't having any fun. This year, I just don't care, as long as I have fun and see those smiles. And have time to just live.
This morning, I got to be the Kissing Monster outside with my three littles. My 3-yr-old told me, "Momma, I'm almost fweezed!" I was glad that I've slowed myself down enough to be right there!
In a few weeks, all the cookies will be eaten, the decorations a distant memory, and presents will already be used and incorporated into the rest of our "stuff." All these trinkets and treasures and pleasures will pass, but the souls of my children will not.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt. 6)
So the question is, how can I really give my "heart" to my children, thereby making them a lasting "treasure?"
Check back tomorrow for more.
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Oh this is so good. It goes write along with what I was reading this morning. This put me over the top in tears. My house sounds like your house. My littles keep rearranging "my perfect" decor, my kitchen is not smelling great with delicious treats yet (as I had planned) and the gifts that need sewing are NOT sewn yet. ...Sigh... Thank you for reminding me of my children's precious souls. <3 Tabitha
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tabitha! I think in the future I will look back at these times as some of the best ever.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a breath of FRESH AIR! Thank you! I came across your blog from Passionate Homemaking. My children are the same increments as yours. I have a 4, 2 1/2, and 15 month old. It is so nice to know someone else struggles with these issues with children this age. Sometimes I just want to lock myself in the bathroom until they are older and more rational. It is so hard to continually stop what I am doing to teach them how they should live. Thank you for reminding me that it is important and valuable!
ReplyDeleteThanks, mommyviews! Today I took in a moment where folding wash & listening to my kiddos play house was as peaceful and enjoyable to me as snuggling in the early quiet of this morning. I wish us moms could redeem every moment of the day in that way! God bless.
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