Countdown to Christmas 2024….Day 10
I usually try to write these fresh each day.
Since I had some time last night, sitting in the chair where I do my work lately, I decided to type out a post for today. You will see it below. I felt a tad sorry it wasn’t more uplifting, but it was where I was in my mind and heart at the end of a very long day.
This morning, God provided the encouragement I needed and perhaps you need as well. So here is a two part post <3
Last night…
We are just shy of halfway to Christmas Day and it’s not looking good folks.
Our back bedroom looks like the staging area for Target pickup orders.
The craft ornaments I paint every year have yet to make it upstairs. That is just as well because the tray I paint them on still has Thanksgiving and fall craft projects on that the kids never finished.
Even though we have bags of things purchased, the people who have not been shopped for exceed those who have and I am having trouble even thinking what to get.
Our kitchen counter has far too many papers piled up and I am afraid to look and see if I have missed something crucial. I am sure if there is a Kohl’s coupon it expired yesterday.
But I have been where our people are doing their things. I have enjoyed watching and cheering and applauding.
The teaching gig is a lot of work and reminds me again how sad it is that we pay athletes millions of dollars to play a game and teachers a paltry sum to educate our children.
So with all that spilled out, I need to head to bed so I can get up and do it all again tomorrow.
How about you?
How are you doing?
Let’s take a collective deep breath and then another one.
Let’s glance over at the sparkly tree and say a pray for the people we love.
Oh yeah, and then let’s go put those tubs away we said we were going to return to storage last week….Ha!
This morning….
I took the time to read from my Bible read through for 2024, a devotional I read every day and the Emmanuel book I shared with you recently.
As I read the words of Ruth Chou Simons for today, this question jumped off the page.
“What earthly concerns are you so fixated on right now that you may be missing the resurrection hope you have in Christ?” pg. 106 Emmanuel
Before I started any of my devotions, I had made a list that included some of the things above and more. Things that are weighing me down.
So this question had already been answered.
It stopped me in my downward spiral and raised my eyes above the temporal things that have captured my attention.
I looked back over the list and realized that some of the things are manageable with God’s strength and guidance, and some will have to be divinely handled. They are above my ability, skill set and calling to fix.
So I prayed over each accordingly and I have renewed hope as I head out in a much better and and spirit set than I had last night.
I will emphasize again for both of us the importance of making time in God’s Word and prayer a priority. We cannot do this life alone. We have a helper in the Holy Spirit. The time we take to start a day with Him is crucial for our spiritual health.
Carry on, friends…and yes…put the storage bins away in your free time.
That hasn’t changed from last night <3