A Balancing Act

Because I haven't blogged about my random thoughts lately, I thought I'd take a moment to do so.  Call it having a lot on my mind or some stuff rubbing me the wrong way...whatever you want to call it..feel free to read or just to ignore. ;)  My husband noticed I was being quiet last night after I read another post on a blog by an extremely talented and inspirational woman.  I guess I'm not quiet very often.  The post really annoyed me.  It seemed so extreme about taking Santa completely out of Christmas.  Now, I can be an extreme person from time to time.  But to totally disregard Santa based on silly reasons just rubs me the wrong way.  Now, if there is a bible verse that tells me not to ask for Christmas gifts from Santa or sit on his lap I will listen.  But I have yet to see one.

I'm a Christian.  I would think most people who know me know I am one.  But I don't pound it in their heads either.  My view about life is that it is one big balancing act.  I am balancing being a Christian, a mother, a wife (the rest are in no particular order), a friend, a daughter, a sister, a neighbor, a school parent, a dog owner, a house owner, a good citizen...and I'm sure the list goes on.  Plus, I'm juggling my hobbies, my responsibilities, my health, my spiritual journey, etc...etc....etc...

Yikes--just making that list overwhelms me.  But when I look at each day and prioritize my day and my life, I think it's easy to see that I'm balancing everything as best as I can.

I loved this question from Mom2Mom which is a biblical based program I attend at my church for moms-I'd highly recommend finding this program and joining one close to you if you have young children--back to the question-do your children know what your priorities are?  Maybe I didn't write that in the best grammatical way possible but you get the point.  Do your kids know what your priorities are?  

Geeze this made me do some thinking--I don't want my kids to think my priorities are checking my phone, emailing, or googling random things.  I don't want my kids to think my priorities are going to parties or social events or even always volunteering.  Nope-I want my kids to know that they are my priorities--their daddy is my priority.  God is my priority and being there for others when they need me is my priority.

It is all a balancing act.  How do you incorporate Santa, Christmas trees, holiday traditions, church, friends, family, presents, and most of all Jesus into your holiday season?  Holy Moly--It takes a lot of balancing.  It takes picking and choosing what your family is going to be able to do.  What's most important and what's most important to teach your children.  It may take saying no.

Have you ever had a moment where your whole world tumbled over and you fell flat on your face?  Perhaps it was an unexpected event that happened or perhaps it was something that had been creeping up on you for quite some time.  All those balls that you had been trying to juggle came crashing down in one second flat.  Life is crazy like that.  You cannot predict everything--no matter how good of a person you think you are-life does not promise us that it plays fair.  God doesn't promise us an easy life.  So, we have to get back up and go back to juggling.  We have to re-evaluate our lives, our priorities, and our energy.  We can't do it all so you have to choose what's most important.

I love this from a book I just started called "One Thousand Gifts".  Instead of focusing on a bucket list of once in a lifetime opportunities, focus on how you live your lives on a daily basis.  I may never get to jump out of a plane or climb to the top of Mount Everest, but I do get to be there for my children everyday.  I do get to hug a friend when she is mourning a horrible loss.  I do get to bake cookies for a neighbor who is going through a tough time.  I do get to celebrate with my daughter when she scores a goal or has an A on her spelling test.  I do get opportunities to laugh with my children, pray with them, flirt with my husband, and live a blessed life.  I do get to celebrate all that God has done for me including His best gift of all on Christmas.  Now, whether Santa comes to our house?  Don't think it matters as long as Jesus is our focus during this Holiday Season.

Happy Holiday Season everyone!