And then, in the twinkling of an eye.
Christmas was over.
The company is gone and in their wake my house looks like a bomb has exploded.
The presents have been open, some have already been forgotten
(seriously, we need snow for those snowboards to be of any use!),
some broken (sigh) some well on their way to becoming a well loved and one of their favorite toys.
But besides the mess and the busyness what message did my Children take away of the holiday season?
Honestly, I don't know....and that disturbs me.
A lot.
As I drank my cup of coffee this morning I contemplated starting the monstrous task ahead of me with
taking down our Christmas tree, wrap the decorations and store them safely away for next year.
Which also means I have to wrestle boxes out of the garage....and somehow navigate them around the mountain of laundry that needs to be done.
Hmm..
I have a Birthday Cake to prep for and bake and decorate so the tree can wait.
At least for today.
I noticed a feeling that crept over me this morning...
maybe it had something to do with Mr. D asking for yet another new toy.
Seriously.
3 days after Christmas and already he wanted:
* a new car mat
* a blue light saber
"Why can't he find contentment in the things he has already?!?"
Blame it on the media and the incessant commercials for newer, bigger, better.
My 7 year old already is swallowed in stuff and I am feeling buried alive in all of the clutter.
We have too much stuff!!
Speaking about stuff...If you have some time, check this video out and you will understand a little more about The Story of Stuff and why little red flags are popping up all around me.
Christmas has turned from the birth of my savior and somehow along the way it got turned around to
"I want to get... I want to give..."
and unless your a child most of the " I want to get or I want to give" get's thrown right out the window.
Who can afford to buy you a new car, and a flat screen tv and an entire wardrobe for Christmas?
Yeah, I drew a blank there too.
I wonder if perhaps after a turkey hangover and too many glasses of eggnog we naturally all start thinking and reflecting about changes we would like to see happen over the new year.
In our lives and those around us.
Hmm, Christmas and New Years resolutions have to be linked?
You think?
It's almost Like walking past a mirror...
forcing us to ponder if what we see Is really my reflection?
Or is someone standing in front of me?
Is that how those around me see me?
Or am I having an off day?
How am I going to change the face I see to the one I want to see?
I know a few "Resolutions" of mine...
1. To be debt free and never touch a credit card again.
2. exercise and eat healthy so I can model that behavior for my children (Back away from the eggnog..)
3. set up a cleaning schedule so I am not trying to squeeze in everything in one day.
Honestly, I am exhausted already and we aren't even at New Years eve!
And I am sure you are too.
It’s well known that New Year’s resolutions don’t have a high success rate.
So why do we make them in the first place?
"Moreover, it may have something to do with “Tradition! Tradition! Tradition,” as the characters in the musical Fiddler On The Roof famously sing. Setting New Year’s resolutions is believed to go as far back as Babylonian times. It’s said that Julius Caesar started the tradition of making resolutions on January 1st as a way to honor the Roman mythical god Janus, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past year and forward to the new year. Romans mostly made morality-based resolutions, such as seeking forgiveness from their enemies." Quote found here: Why we make new years resolutions
So, if they don't work...but I still want the reflection in the mirror to reflect His image instead of my own...
How am I going to do that?
How am I going to show this to my children?
How can I teach my children:
Acceptance
Contentedness
Courteous communication
Forgiveness
Generosity
Gentleness
Kindness
Patience
Perseverance
Respect
Self-control
Courage
Righteousness
Humility
Joy
If the goal is to bring Jesus into every aspect of your family’s life and make spiritual formation an integral part of your children’s daily routine.
Without setting a "resolution" that is doomed to failure?
What does that look like?
How do I grow Godly character in my Children's life and reflect it in my own?
Thankfully, I have found the exact place where I can go!
Kids of integrity
It might not be a "classic" resolution but it's an important one.
One that will take an entire lifetime with lessons learned daily...
And since God isn't finished with me yet, it's time to get cracking!
Speaking of contentedness...
Last night at bedtime it was Mr. D's turn to chose the book for our night time story.
So, we curled up we read this book:
I love how to it reminds me that the only one I truly need to impress is Him while reminding me to put my trust in him to make me happy.
It's not about things...I don't need to compete for anything!
I think you will enjoy it too (even if you don't have children!)
It's called,
And this is what it's about:
It's a new day in Wemmicksville for the enchanting wooden people, and there's a new problem for the little Wemmick named Punchinello. The Wemmicks compete with each other to collect the most--and the nicest--boxes and balls in order to appear more "important" than others, which means that, once again, there is havoc in the village. And one again, Punchinello is caught in the middle. But in the end, there's a message that kids need and parents will love: God's children are loved because He made them. They do not have to collect "things" to compete for status in His eyes. With the warm illustrations of artist Sergio Martinez, this new sequel to the phenomenal bestseller You Are Special is sure to become a classic in its own right. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
You can buy the book here!
So, now that you know what I am going to be focusing the rest of 2011 and all of 2012 on.
What about you?
Are you making any new years resolutions?
How are you planning on keeping them?
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