{This poignant post from the archives was originally published on December 17, 2017. But I felt like it needed to be shared again. Merry Christmas, friends. Many Smiles, Elisabeth}
So, this was supposed to be a blog post about some sort of fun and festive DIY kids craft for the holidays, but as I sat in front of my computer for over an hour, nothing festive was really coming out.
All I could think about was real things. Real insecurities. Real worries. Real thoughts.
This morning I woke up to the sound of a screaming toddler in my ear and the realization that I was already late to an appointment for his occupational therapy.
So, I scattered. I yelled. I dragged. I rushed.
It was one of those days, you know?
Where there’s so much to do and just not enough time. Not enough energy. Not enough patience.
As I went about my day I continued to question myself and my abilities. Was I doing enough? Am I ever going to get this organized mom thing down? Why do days like this still happen?
When my husband got home from work, he brought up the idea to watch Elf and drink hot chocolate as we finished decorating the living room for Christmas. I rolled my eyes and started going off on how I had a million things to do and how behind I was on so many things. (Including this blog post. Yikes.)
Nevertheless, he usually knows exactly what I need and why, so I just went along with it at this point. So, we did just that. We drank hot chocolate, watched Elf and decorated the living room.
And it was exactly what I needed.
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As we all snuggled on the couch, I remembered how grateful I am for my husband and our marriage, after many trials have tried to tear us apart.
For my children.
For their health.
For mine.
For having a living room to decorate, whereas at one point we didn’t.
For still being alive to see it all, after losing my own mom earlier this year to cancer.
Suddenly, everything else seemed so silly and I remembered who I was. A strong woman who has overcome hell and who will overcome chaotic, frustrating, unorganized days like today.
I realized that this is a perfect example of what Christmas is all about.
Apart from it being a time to reflect on the birth of Jesus, it’s also a time to reflect back on our own lives this year. A time to be still in the midst of busy schedules. A time to come together with the ones we love and remember to be grateful for them. A time to be kind. A time to be loving. A time to show mercy.
As Christmas draws near and the month keeps getting crazier, I just want to encourage you to take a moment.
Be still.
Reflect.
And remember who you are.