I am writing this blog while eating at Chick Fil A on the way home from a whirlwind last minute 12-hour Christmas trip. Nothing wrecks my nerves more than playgrounds at these places so my husband always graciously allows me a few minutes to myself while he watches the kids. Here I sit scrambling to write a blog that is overdue while sipping on a Dr. Pepper. I have come to accept my ability to always find a way to be late and somehow feel as though I come up short in every scenario. So it’s fitting that this is the blog I’ve had in my heart to write for some time. I figured no other group of humans will relate like you other mommas {& possibly a few daddy’s, too}.
I didn’t have much time or space in my life this holiday to reflect or soak in the peace that this season has brought me in the past. In fact, we’ve reached that point where my little people have practice and parties to squeeze into an already packed week – one that includes 40+ hours of work outside our home for both my husband and I – that we are always running low on the valuable commodity of time. So I set about the season opting to breathe in a little of the Christmas spirit however I could fit it in – those little red cups my coffee came in helped some and I even put timers on our Christmas lights so at the end of a long day of running around checking off our to do lists and earning our paychecks we could at least pull into a home that looked all cozy and warm and filled with holiday cheer. I will say we didn’t have advent calendars and we never made it to see Santa, but between my husband and I we kept the elf moving around our house enough that he seemed real to our boys even without any fancy moves like playing in the flour or writing the boys letters. And I was feeling fairly content in the choices I’d made to offer myself grace when I needed it and not push too much of the “should haves” on us. But I kept having this nagging feeling that I was missing something. It was like there was a lesson looming for me and I wasn’t looking up to notice it. I started thinking about Christmas and the hope and joy that it brings to a crazy, busy heart like mine. I started thinking about how we celebrate the birth of Jesus and then exactly a week later break out our party hats and watch the ball drop to celebrate a new year.
Who washes away the old and brings about new better than Jesus?!! I mean that’s the Gift, right friends?!
Becoming a parent changes your heart and let’s face it – often teaches you more about your own faith than any other event in your life. Sometimes you might feel like you’ve reached the end of yourself and there may be times where you need to hit the new button before the sun rises again – even multiple times a day. So it’s truly no mistake Jesus comes and brings with him NEW! And not just for this one day – it’s a gift he offers every second of the day. As the new year kicks off and we begin to start again with our daily tasks that can sometimes seem rather daunting please don’t miss the gift that he offers. . .
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
This is true even for a hurried, messy heart like mine. Along with my {short} list of goals for the new year I am focusing on the gift of NEW that he brings to each new day for me and mine.
Happy {New} Year!
How can you focus on the gift of each new day this year? Where do you need him to come in with his newness in your life?
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