I love your honesty, Alli. There is so much in what you wrote that resonates. Today the secular Christmas chaos also descended into my heart. From what was a peaceful entrance into Advent to today's desolation of realizing I have to buy Christmas gifts and compete with expectations of what Christmas is or has looked like for others... I also wanted to numb out, scroll, do anything but clean my constantly messy house and admit defeat... after a computer game or two, listening to a Praisewriters' interview, and pairing socks and folding laundry, the calm eventually came back and a short moment to journal a few ways that God was speaking to me today. I started off poorly by not making space for silence and prayer and beginning the day with fretting over birthday planning for my son who turns one in February. Do we have a party? Do we not? Can we even afford one? The consumerism and expectations are overwhelming and make me feel more and more like the comfortable American style of life is beyond our reach as a family. It's exhausting. This may sound strange, but I feel happy for the Holy Family that Jesus could be born in a manger and share that first Christmas surrounded by people who loved God and each other and that was enough. They did not have to compare that humble dwelling and their poverty with all the people posting their beautiful dwellings and affluence on instagram.
Emily, thank you for sharing your heart. I am praying for the peace of Christ to transcend all else that is not serving Him or you well. You are a gift to our Father and he loves you so. Grateful to have you on the journey with me!❤️
I’m reading this on 12/22. My children are young adults. We are all broke. And so we agreed “no gifts” this year. And I’ve had the most glorious and peace filled Advent. UNTIL TODAY. Really? No gifts? As in… zero??? Are the kids ACTUALLY okay with this? Or do they secretly believe moms got something up her sleeve? Lord have mercy on me because my sleeves have got nothing!! And so I was grumpy with my husband, ran to a few stores, battled the traffic, and still feel anxious all because of the worlds lie that people coming together and celebrating the birth of our Savior isn’t enough. How do we untangle this mess we created?
Ahh, we sure do make the messes, huh?? It's interesting that we so have the DESIRE to embrace the simplicity, but we are broken too. We worry, we second-guess, we panic and feel like we are somehow missing the moment, or disappointing others. I can relate to much of this, friend. Praying peace and much, much calm into your soul.
I love your honesty, Alli. There is so much in what you wrote that resonates. Today the secular Christmas chaos also descended into my heart. From what was a peaceful entrance into Advent to today's desolation of realizing I have to buy Christmas gifts and compete with expectations of what Christmas is or has looked like for others... I also wanted to numb out, scroll, do anything but clean my constantly messy house and admit defeat... after a computer game or two, listening to a Praisewriters' interview, and pairing socks and folding laundry, the calm eventually came back and a short moment to journal a few ways that God was speaking to me today. I started off poorly by not making space for silence and prayer and beginning the day with fretting over birthday planning for my son who turns one in February. Do we have a party? Do we not? Can we even afford one? The consumerism and expectations are overwhelming and make me feel more and more like the comfortable American style of life is beyond our reach as a family. It's exhausting. This may sound strange, but I feel happy for the Holy Family that Jesus could be born in a manger and share that first Christmas surrounded by people who loved God and each other and that was enough. They did not have to compare that humble dwelling and their poverty with all the people posting their beautiful dwellings and affluence on instagram.
Emily, thank you for sharing your heart. I am praying for the peace of Christ to transcend all else that is not serving Him or you well. You are a gift to our Father and he loves you so. Grateful to have you on the journey with me!❤️
I’m reading this on 12/22. My children are young adults. We are all broke. And so we agreed “no gifts” this year. And I’ve had the most glorious and peace filled Advent. UNTIL TODAY. Really? No gifts? As in… zero??? Are the kids ACTUALLY okay with this? Or do they secretly believe moms got something up her sleeve? Lord have mercy on me because my sleeves have got nothing!! And so I was grumpy with my husband, ran to a few stores, battled the traffic, and still feel anxious all because of the worlds lie that people coming together and celebrating the birth of our Savior isn’t enough. How do we untangle this mess we created?
Ahh, we sure do make the messes, huh?? It's interesting that we so have the DESIRE to embrace the simplicity, but we are broken too. We worry, we second-guess, we panic and feel like we are somehow missing the moment, or disappointing others. I can relate to much of this, friend. Praying peace and much, much calm into your soul.