It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas

Okay, so I have to admit I have been feeling overwhelmed and behind and all kinds of sorry for myself these last few weeks. I have been feeling crammed into our little space. It just feels smaller and smaller everyday as we seem to put more and more stuff into it. There are piles everywhere of files for the house--the paint pile, the tile pile, the receipt pile, the catalog pile, the history pile and now the Christmas card pile still awaiting my attention. Then there is the pile of bed linens we have been collecting and buying for the house piled up and overflowing the second chair in the house. Then there are the boxes under the table overflowing with curriculum to sell, house ideas and catalogs, baskets full of magazines and books yet to be read, the cat food bin, the empty Vitamix box.....and the list goes on. I could put it in the garage, but it is overflowing with all our laundry, the recycle piles, the clothes piles, the give away pile, the buckets of rice, sugar, beans, and flour stacked in the corner, the tile pile of real tile, more books and magazines, empty boxes etc etc. Everytime I do something in the house, I have to move two or three things to get to it or do it and then move them all back. It is truly an exercise in patience :) Needless to say, I haven't been feeling too much of the Christmas spirit or had the time to enjoy it. I just keep counting down the days, realizing it is getting closer and closer and I am getting no closer to being prepared. There are no decorations, little baking going on, little Christmas cheer at all. Today I was reminded to slow down and enjoy this time. Bob had the day off and I had some last minute errands to run. We made an unscheduled stop at a cabinet place that had something called a "boneyard" where they put discarded returns or seconds. The owner told us there were 'slim pickings'. Well, we immediately spied these lovely hickory cabinets for our laundry room that would match our kitchen cabinets. And, what a deal! Less than $300! Our quoted bid for cabinetry for the laundry room had been well over $2000! Later in the day, after finding some other good deals on several items for the girls, I was beginning to think waiting until the last minute was not such a bad idea after all. Well, the kicker came when we were walking into our local county co-op. Right by the door were several Douglas Fir trees and the sign said, "Free to good home while supplies last". I couldn't believe it. What a wonderful blessing. God gently reminded me that He is there. In all the midst of my complaining and my chaos, He blessed me with a simple tree that served to lighten my burden and my heart.
Our plan had been to find a tree on our property and decorate it that evening, but it was getting late and dark. We double checked that they were in fact FREE and Bob tied it to the top of the car. We purchased some outrageously discounted lights. I had previously purchased some discounted ornaments at Lowe's, knowing that finding and hauling down all our ornaments in the attic would be difficult, if not impossible to accomplish in our short time. We surprised the girls with this lovely tree and we decorated it while the woodstove kept us warm. Bob fashioned some hooks for us from some leftover copper electrical wire as well as our star on top. It is simple, but quite lovely. Finally it is beginning to look a bit like Christmas around here!

I would do well to remember this verse I found tucked into my day planner from my dear daughter, The Scribbler, "...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know our suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us. Romans 5:3." God poured out His love to us in the gift of His son, the greatest gift of all. And He demonstrates His love to me every day. He demonstrated that love for me in that while we were still sinners, He died for me. He came into this world a baby so He could experience our life as humans, have the understanding that comes with that, and know our joys, our sadness, our hopelessness, our human-ness. I would do well to remember that and rejoice in my "suffering" as small as it is in the big scheme of things. May you remember His precious and eternal gift to all as you celebrate this Christmas with your loved ones. God bless us, everyone!