Holidays

Holidays could be renamed to Busydays. I get that, I get why people want to have parties, get together, celebrate... I get that, but it doesn't make it any easier. I mean, just this month alone, we have already had many days of Christmas shopping, multiple Birthday parties, small group get- together's, family dinners, more birthdays...it's only the 16th. It's a good thing I'm a people person or else I would be buzzed out. Um, have I also mentioned that my oldest child is only 3. Once those littles get un-little then we have all of their crazy stuff to do as well. Wow, sigh, and wow again.
I am blessed and grateful for everything we get to be a part of. Family, church, small group, work thing, other organizations. I just hope I can remember to breathe through it all.

That is my hope and prayer for these times right now. BREATHE. Reflect on everything you're doing and who you are with, but most of all, make it INTENTIONAL. I don't want to just go through the motions, I want to really get to know the people I spend my life with. Breathe.

Breathe.
Reflect.
Be Intentional.

Jesus took his time with everything He did. He wasn't rushed. He was the most intentional person ever and LOVED everyone. He dined with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes. He spent His time pouring into others. He hardly ever had time alone. He gave so much. Do I reflect any of those qualities? Do I even TRY to reflect any of those qualities? I've been reading through the gospels and have longed for Jesus to show me who He was. Praying that He would open to my eyes to the kind of Man He was and to really feel it inside of me. I want to know Him, to really know Him.

The Lord has been bringing to my mind over and over the LOVE that He has for everyone. Not just His friends, the disciples, family, the good people or the rich ones. But really, it's everyone. I know this is a simple thing to grasp, but honestly He's been banging this over my head the last month or so. I want to see people like Jesus saw people, the orphans, the widows, the missionaries. We had such an opportunity to reach out to a sweet college girl over Thanksgiving and I felt so blessed to be able to spend some quality time getting to know her. She is so sweet, LOVES the Lord, is so giving of her time and energy and wants to be a missionary after she graduates. I know The Lord had been preparing my heart for that. Along with that though, I want to pour out my love and myself to our families. Sometimes your family members are the hardest ones to get along with! I can't pour myself into everyone else and then leave my family high and dry. I need to be intentional with my family (and I do mean siblings and parents), always wanting to know them better. Ya know, we think that as families we know everyone and everything about each other, but honestly sometimes they are the ones we know the least!

With that, I know that from here on out, I will be a different person this Christmas season. Christ is my focus, all else can fade into the background. 

Breathe.
Reflect.
Be Intentional.

I'll get off my soap box now.

Peace