Are you feeling it?
As I undertake all of the my errands during this season…it’s just not feeling like Christmas. I don’t know what it is but this season feels different to me. Could it be the ads that start running well before Thanksgiving or the fact that holiday decorations are now crowding out the Halloween stuff in October? The extension of Christmas well in to October can be exhausting.
The tree is up and the lights are on the house…I am playing the Christmas Carols but something is missing. Could it be snow? I guess that is a possibility. I have a feeling the root may be a little closer to the heart. This is my first year without a child at home fulltime. Notice how I qualified that. I have a wonderful son going to school in Omaha and he blesses me nearly weekly with a visit and we talk on the phone frequently. My daughter is 3 hours north of me completing her first semester of college. I see her on occasion and am proud of her maturity this fall. This is my first season with no children living at home. It sounds like heaven – right?
The house has been very quiet this fall. They refer to this as an empty nest….I think it’s a weird reference. I thought I was ready for this change. In some ways I was…. but in most I was not. I miss the entourage of friends coming in and clearing the refrigerator or getting ready for the big event. I can remember many events when I walked in to a cloud of hairspray and glitter as the girls prepped for their “big” night.
Now there’s Saddie, Sully and Lucy. They are my other 4-legged kids and they do fill in many of the voids. They are entertaining, warm and cuddly. However, it’s still not the same.
I have a new appreciation for parenting during this season. Our window of time is so short with our children and it is a blessing in so many ways. For the holidays, I have adopted a family and many other children to help during this holiday season. I know turning my attention to others is the first step in helping me to get in the spirit. I am also going to re-read a couple of my gratitude chapters and focus on ALL that I have been blessed with. Family, friends, wonderful neighbors, a nice place to live, a fun car to drive, laughter, smiles, and above all else: LOVE!
As I am weaving through my gratitude list I want to make sure it starts with prayer. I pray for guidance, wisdom and the heart to express love to everyone I come in contact with.
It’s starting to feel more like Christmas……join during this time of spiritual renewal.
Gratitude at Work 