I’m not sure when I let myself, my pace, become somewhat harried, frenetic even, but lately I can’t quite nail down who I told what to, and wait, what did we do last weekend, and did I speak out of turn, and dinnertime has come around again and I have to cook something? Perpetually working on my computer with no fewer than nine tabs open at one time, and iPhoto right behind that, Lightroom behind that, and, and, and.
Let’s just say, I am taking right now, right here, to make some promises to myself.
I’m going to slow down this Christmas. The thing is, this fast pace was never really me. I’ve always been great at slowing down. (Too great, maybe.) It was the speeding up that I didn’t really do well. My family might’ve even called me lazy! Certainly laid back. Sunday mornings, I can attest, my parents would be pulling out of our driveway and I’d be running frantically out of the house, one shoe on, yelling, “Waaaaait!” as they left for church without me. Slow was my only speed. But somewhere along the way, four children, and then two more, and a household and a side-gig that became more than a side-gig and then another side-gig I kind of forgot how to slow down.
It’s made my brain sort of foggy, and makes time go even faster. You guys know how much I hate that.
So what’s this mean? Better boundaries. Phone away. Check it at lunch. Then put it away again. Sit on the floor nearby while the boys play. If they ask me to play, say yes. Read a book, my own book, with my idle time. Let them see that more. Get out some games for easy access. We played memory today, and Chutes and Ladders, and it was so much more satisfying then the alternative. Make our list of Advent good deeds to go along with the Giving Manger. Get more sleep. Have moments of quiet alongside my coffee. Sit with nothing to do, and just observe how excited Anders is by each and every ornament on the tree. Protect mealtimes, always. We’re good at this with dinner, but breakfast or lunch can become times where eating and working are going hand in hand. Eating together, eye contact and conversation. Meet at the table and consider it a sacred space that it is. Quiet the to-do list in my head. (Back to meditation; will 2019 finally be the year when I implement it?)
We’re doing daily Advent readings out of this beautiful little children’s book, recommended to me by many, and based on the intro alone, Steve and I both fell in love. I’ll close with a small part of it:
There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle — the piece the makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.
And a beautiful Christmas song that helps with all of the above.
Hope you guys find the quiet this season.
Have you guys ever listened to Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God album? It tells the Christmas story starting in the Old Testament, continuing into the New… it’s definitely not your typical Christmas album but it’s become a family favorite at Christmastime.
We haven’t! Thank you!
Slowing down for Christmas sounds like a great plan to have. Relax and savour your family time. 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Yes, yes, and YES! (PS thanks for sharing daysofgrey on instagram a few days ago. I’m obsessed!)
I hope you have a wonderful quiet time!
Mariya | http://www.brunetteondemand.com
Love this! I made a list of 2-3 must do things for the holiday season and left out all the other oblugations. My favorite part of to just stay home and hang by the light of the tree and drink hot cocoa, or have family game nights. The biggest thing has been to let go of expectations, both mine and outside influences. That’s been a game changer.
letting go of expectations. gosh yes. this year my sister asked if i was doing elf on the shelf (she’s not). i was planning on it, but in addition to that i was also doing giving manger. christmas cookies. a paper chain advent countdown. advent readings. gingerbread houses. and and and. i decided… no. i’m not! the elf will stay put this year and I DONT CARE.
Life changer: think about what you’re making for dinner during your first cup of morning coffee. That gives you time to defrost, prep veg or make salad dressing while the boys are playing nearby, and when 5 pm rolls around, you are happily smelling all the smells and sipping some wine. The ‘every night they need to eat’ frantic race to get food on the table is no way to live!
that is a GREAT idea.
This book makes me cry in the best way. The way she ties each story back to Jesus is something I so missed even though I grew up in church. What a wonderful Advent reading.
The Jesus Storybook Bible is just the best. I’m not much of a crier, but so many of these stories move me to tears! I think every Jesus follower should read them whether they’re kids or not 🙂
I came up with “Christmas kindness” last year to try to get the focus more on giving then getting! The kids open a new card each day…they really enjoy paying for the person behind us at the drive thru, or leaving popcorn and candy cane at the redbox or just giving someone a compliment.
LOVE the books that tell the whole story of the Rescuer. I hope you are able to slow down and soak up all the good that this time of year brings!
love love love this. I, too, have developed a super foggy brain from being rushed all too often. I take on more and more, and then when I look up and realize that other things have fallen off because I’ve forgotten all about them (usually the laundry, hahahaha), I drop everything and start over. It’s an exhausting cycle! Thank you for this sweet reminder 🙂
Beautifuly written