My girls and I took a trip to Punxsutawney this December. Traveling for eight hours with a one year-old and a four-year-old takes courage and patience. Thankfully, with lots of snacks, songs, and videos, it went very well.
The abode their “PapaJoe” and I built holds beautiful memories. Our family home was built on a foundation of mutual love and respect between a man and a woman and their Abba. The hopes, dreams, and desires He placed in our hearts came to fruition during our lifetime and I’m eternally grateful.
Since our residence wasn’t decorated for Christmas, I pulled out all the boxes containing the wreaths and trees. My Grand babies were “helping” with this process. Many of the items were dusty and tangled. Every time I tried to do one thing, there were several other things that needed attention. I started sweating as my frustration grew. I badly wanted the girls to see our home decorated a certain way, but as a colorful word almost slipped off my tongue, I realized decorating our household was not a priority this year. Spending time with my girls was. I placed most of the decorations back into their boxes and only put out a few of my favorite things. Just like that, my inner and outer world was restored. Peace and joy replaced my anxiety almost instantly.
When little things don’t go as you had hoped, look to Me lightheartedly and say, “Oh well.” This simple discipline can protect you from being burdened with an accumulation of petty cares and frustrations. If you shrug them off immediately and return your focus to Me, you will walk through your days with lighter steps and a joyful heart. -Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, pg. 275
Abba, thank You for the sense to put things away that are only causing annoyance and irritation. The girls don’t care about putting up a thousand lights, but they do care about spending quality time together. What a wonderful week we had enjoying each other in a warm, cozy, and lightly decorated home! The warm fireplace, the home cooked meals, the daily adventures, and time with family and friends are the things that matter the most during this season.
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention of god. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings out the best in you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2 MSG