My kids woke up last week and asked how many days till Christmas. I love the sweet excitement and Christmas spirit that beams in their eyes. That sparkle...that shine...why don't we have that all year long?
There are countless stories in the Bible that talk about how bright and full of light the people from heaven are when they come down to talk to people on earth. Like when Moses sees God and Moses' face shines so bright when he comes back to the village that people couldn't even look at him. The kingdom of heaven shown bright on his face. Like glowing liquid gold poured on his skin. A reflection of the Mighty God.
When you're pregnant, people often say that you have the pregnancy 'glow' about you. Something about carrying a child, not quite released from heaven...not officially 'here' till their birth, bring a glow about you.
When you see someone who lives in close communication with God, what do you notice first...their eyes. How their eyes are kind, or bright, or soft. The love that wells up inside them spills out of their windows to their soul. The love that has been filled in them from their heavenly father. The humility of seeing suffering here on earth, yet knowing the joy of their eternal promise and life in heaven.
When Christ was born, the light shown bright above him. People found him by following the light. We sing about those...with their eyes all 'aglow'.
I was recently in Mexico and came home with 'something' that gave my stomach a horrid ride for days. My guess is E. Coli given the symptoms I read online, but who really knows...
While down and out something amazing happened...I had to stop pushing. I had no energy or strength to make it to the multi-daily obligations I had jammed packed in my holiday schedule. Every day was something, if not several big things.
Cancellation after cancellation....left lying in bed thinking about so many things. At first I felt guilty because I was letting so many people down (in my own small perspective).
But you know what happened? Everything happened...perfectly fine...without me. Go figure.
And I got out of my own way to be humbled by the big man himself. I remember not having energy to raise my voice at my kids. Not having energy to care or fight over drama that came up. I let a lot of things go... Not by choice, by any means, but out of necessity.
Oddly enough, in that 'calm' of my 'storm of sickness' came the light. Came the beauty. Came the peace of mind. The light in my eyes...centered on the true meaning of Christmas again.
As if my Mexican left overs weren't enough to knock me down....I had a scare thinking I had a blood clot and spent an entire morning in the ER and then woke up the next day with a monster head cold that took me through Christmas Day.
God certainly wanted my full attention.
But you know what...I loved every minute. And my family got a mom who was ill, yes...but she wasn't crazy, exhausted, yelling, pushing, dashing, prancing through Christmas. I was present. In jammies milking cough drops and barely talking....but I was present.
Then after Christmas come some dreaded days...the anniversary of my dad's passing (2 years this time so still fresh) and then on New Years Day...his birthday.
While I try to put on a happy holiday face for my family, I really just want to ignore any of those days are happening and simply 'get through' them. But that's not what life is about.
So here we are...12 minutes before New Years Day 2017.
We booked a room at the Great Wolf Lodge tonight. And my husband, stepson and older son are all sleeping there. But I know my six year old would crash hard after swimming all day. Being 5 of us in a small hotel room, I didn't want to make him miserable while the others party...and didn't want the others to have to go to bed early on his account.
So I came home with him. Luckily, we're just 20 minutes away. I tucked him in and he was out cold by 8:42pm. I'm enjoying some quiet time (always a treasure) and a fine glass of red wine. Ate the last of my Toblerone bar from Christmas and decided to finish this post I started days ago.
2017
9 minutes away...
2016 was about getting through....as 2015 was pretty much full of transitions and grieving. I wanted 2016 to be more living, less crying. We did well. I wouldn't say I succeeded, but it was a year with lots of cherished memories.
2017 brings a new challenge. I want to live my year with my 'eyes all aglow'. I want balance. I want to be present. I want to put my phone down and pick up my books. I want to try Whole 30 at least once, if not multiple times. I want to grow my relationships....with my kids, husband, family, friends. Not through social media...but through true, live, facetime. I want to grow my businesses, but with balance and purpose.
The one thing I learned at the closing of this year is that in order to find that 'glow' for my eyes, I will only get it by looking up. Before anything else in my life, I need to be present with Him. First. Last. And every moment in between that I feel myself derailing.
So here's to a bright and bold 2017. God bless us all. xo
3 minutes....and counting....
There are countless stories in the Bible that talk about how bright and full of light the people from heaven are when they come down to talk to people on earth. Like when Moses sees God and Moses' face shines so bright when he comes back to the village that people couldn't even look at him. The kingdom of heaven shown bright on his face. Like glowing liquid gold poured on his skin. A reflection of the Mighty God.
When you're pregnant, people often say that you have the pregnancy 'glow' about you. Something about carrying a child, not quite released from heaven...not officially 'here' till their birth, bring a glow about you.
When you see someone who lives in close communication with God, what do you notice first...their eyes. How their eyes are kind, or bright, or soft. The love that wells up inside them spills out of their windows to their soul. The love that has been filled in them from their heavenly father. The humility of seeing suffering here on earth, yet knowing the joy of their eternal promise and life in heaven.
When Christ was born, the light shown bright above him. People found him by following the light. We sing about those...with their eyes all 'aglow'.
I was recently in Mexico and came home with 'something' that gave my stomach a horrid ride for days. My guess is E. Coli given the symptoms I read online, but who really knows...
While down and out something amazing happened...I had to stop pushing. I had no energy or strength to make it to the multi-daily obligations I had jammed packed in my holiday schedule. Every day was something, if not several big things.
Cancellation after cancellation....left lying in bed thinking about so many things. At first I felt guilty because I was letting so many people down (in my own small perspective).
But you know what happened? Everything happened...perfectly fine...without me. Go figure.
And I got out of my own way to be humbled by the big man himself. I remember not having energy to raise my voice at my kids. Not having energy to care or fight over drama that came up. I let a lot of things go... Not by choice, by any means, but out of necessity.
Oddly enough, in that 'calm' of my 'storm of sickness' came the light. Came the beauty. Came the peace of mind. The light in my eyes...centered on the true meaning of Christmas again.
As if my Mexican left overs weren't enough to knock me down....I had a scare thinking I had a blood clot and spent an entire morning in the ER and then woke up the next day with a monster head cold that took me through Christmas Day.
God certainly wanted my full attention.
But you know what...I loved every minute. And my family got a mom who was ill, yes...but she wasn't crazy, exhausted, yelling, pushing, dashing, prancing through Christmas. I was present. In jammies milking cough drops and barely talking....but I was present.
Then after Christmas come some dreaded days...the anniversary of my dad's passing (2 years this time so still fresh) and then on New Years Day...his birthday.
While I try to put on a happy holiday face for my family, I really just want to ignore any of those days are happening and simply 'get through' them. But that's not what life is about.
So here we are...12 minutes before New Years Day 2017.
We booked a room at the Great Wolf Lodge tonight. And my husband, stepson and older son are all sleeping there. But I know my six year old would crash hard after swimming all day. Being 5 of us in a small hotel room, I didn't want to make him miserable while the others party...and didn't want the others to have to go to bed early on his account.
So I came home with him. Luckily, we're just 20 minutes away. I tucked him in and he was out cold by 8:42pm. I'm enjoying some quiet time (always a treasure) and a fine glass of red wine. Ate the last of my Toblerone bar from Christmas and decided to finish this post I started days ago.
2017
9 minutes away...
2016 was about getting through....as 2015 was pretty much full of transitions and grieving. I wanted 2016 to be more living, less crying. We did well. I wouldn't say I succeeded, but it was a year with lots of cherished memories.
2017 brings a new challenge. I want to live my year with my 'eyes all aglow'. I want balance. I want to be present. I want to put my phone down and pick up my books. I want to try Whole 30 at least once, if not multiple times. I want to grow my relationships....with my kids, husband, family, friends. Not through social media...but through true, live, facetime. I want to grow my businesses, but with balance and purpose.
The one thing I learned at the closing of this year is that in order to find that 'glow' for my eyes, I will only get it by looking up. Before anything else in my life, I need to be present with Him. First. Last. And every moment in between that I feel myself derailing.
So here's to a bright and bold 2017. God bless us all. xo
3 minutes....and counting....
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