Last night we gathered with the girl and family and friends to simply enjoy one another, talk and laugh.
This has been a strange, wonderful, emotional, happy, melancholy, busy, engaging and relaxing holiday week. After the way Christmas eve started, I wasn't holding out much hope. Yet, even though Hubs was a busy guy for Christmas eve, Christmas day and the day after, it slid back into a sense of normal. We've spent time with lots of family, either in person or virtually.
We loved on our puppies, who had a great Christmas holiday and are currently wrestling on the ground over the Christmas Carrots the girl gave them. They are toys that surprisingly they both love. We enjoyed watching them open their presents and laughed at them figuring out if they brought Mom the empty Kong's they suddenly got filled again.
Somehow those sweet babies went from tiny little bundles of joy, to full grown snuggle bugs. In just a years time.
Today is the 8th day of Christmas, only 4 days left and then I will take down the tree. Today, we will celebrate again with family. It was supposed to be Christmas with the girl and her kiddo's, but in true family fashion, we decided to celebrate yesterday, today will be the extended version and we will all gather for a final Christmas dinner. Both of our eldest girls, some friends and a final meal with the eldest grandson before he heads back south.
Life has definitely had a unique flavor lately.
I have to say this has been one of the greatest Christmases ever. It was far more about gathering with family and friends than it was about how much everyone could manage to spend on things that none of us needed.
The gifts have been full of practicality. Things that have been wanted or needed. Useful, with whimsy thrown in for good measure. All of us exchanged things that were practical. Nothing was shoved into a closet for lack of a place or need for it. I almost refused to go anywhere on Christmas day, I was so snuggly in my new weighted blanket. I have thought about getting one for literally years, had a million reasons not to. Fears that I would not like it, would be too warm, that it would be uncomfortable. Thankfully, Hubs remembered that I have wanted one forever and didn't listen to my fears list. I am in love!
My youngest grandson absolutely wowed me with his gift. The first he's ever personally bought me. And that incredible young man bought me mason jars! How incredible and thoughtful is that? He got his grandpa fishing lures complete with a promise to go fishing this year. We gifted him his annual lasagna, he loves it and looks forward to a whole pan that belongs just to him.
Before I go and make the the pies for dinner tonight, I wanted to take a moment. I've been reading a bunch of things that people are sharing. So many are filled with sadness and loss, reflecting on a very hard year for them and a struggle to look forward to 2023.
Reflecting back, I can't say I share their feelings. Was it an easy year, absolutely not. There have been so many struggles for so many, since 2020. But it was a blessed year. It was a year of wonder and grace. I didn't love the cost increases, I wasn't a fan of the non-inflation (get real folks - we did learn basic math when we were in school), and my heart has hurt at some of things I have watched being pushed and happening.
And then... Because the "and then" is the magical part. Of course the world vision being forced on us has been hard, painful and uncomfortable. Pretty sure that is the plan. It's the other things that have been wonderful. The growth, the learning, the bonding tighter with family and friends. The worse the outside world feels, the better the inside world gets.
I've eliminated a lot of unnecessary external things. I focus on my Hubs, our kids and grands, our pups, our family and friends and God's hand and blessings in all of it. We made unexpected trips for wonderful reasons. Hubs made a quick trip down to Alabama to see his sister and surprise our great-nephew for his birthday. Both of us and our pups decided to make a quick single day trip to Arkansas to celebrate the one year birthday of the littlest great nephew, that birthday was prayed so hard for.
As we are eliminating the unnecessary, we are able to celebrate the important with greater joy and presence. I'm looking forward to 2023. Do I believe it will be more of the same externally? Absolutely! In fact I think as long as we allow it to, this is a journey that will continue. But as I bowed my head to thank God for all of the blessings of this past year, I felt a calmness, a drawing closer to what is truly important. Hint... It can't be found in the world we occupy.
I am looking forward to changes that I have been making for almost two years, growing by leaps and bounds. I am embracing the unknown and taking back control. I am feeling far more confident, I can feel the power that comes from spending more and more time in God's word and understanding that we have had the power to change our lives all along.
I'm taking a bit of time as this year starts to wrap up projects left over from 2022, to plan out my hopes and dreams for the coming year and to just relax. I have big plans for this coming year. So much is in progress.
As I pray for the things being left behind in 2022, I choose to look forward to 2023 with hope, love, optimism, faith and joy. Words have power, even the ones we speak to ourselves. So I am choosing to speak the life I want into existence. Here is to a powerful year! Anyone else stepping into the power with me?
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