December awaits

December is knocking on my door.

It feels like a rare treat to have a week between Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent.  The past few years, Advent has started the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and with it, all the splendor, craze and expectations of December.  I love Advent, and I can't wait to break out our Advent calendar for the First of December.  But this week has itself been a gift, a brief reprieve from the holiday prep and hustle.  

At least, that is how I should have looked at it.  Instead of savoring this week as a calm before the storm, I have hustled it away.  "There is so much to be done!  Hurry up, and let's get on with it,"  I have hustled impatiently.  Our decorations, stockings and tree are not even up, and there is already too much Advent concern, craze and consternation in my heart.

Time to quiet myself to embrace the coming season.  Advent is too precious an opportunity, too precious a celebration, to fill with frenzy and worry.  

So today, I have made a few resolutions to help me rein in my schedule, curb my responsibilities, and make room for the season's blessing.

1.  

December blog break: only 1-2 posts per week.  

Writing is usually a relaxing break, but during the Christmas season it can become one more chore added to the list.  I will have to accept that if I stay true to this resolution, I will hit an all-time posting-low this month.  In a month where we'll celebrate a birthday, a baptism, many feasts, preparations and Christmas, this is hard to accept!  Still, the hope of more time freed and fewer To-Do list items is the worthy goal.

2.

No new meal plans this month.  Break out the plans of weeks past!

Meal planning is usually time well spent.  But, with all the travels, parties and eating away from home this month, creating new meal plans each week has diminishing rates of return.  This season, there is no need to re-invent the plan every weekend.  One of the great blessings of posting our weekly meals is that I have a whole archive to work with.   There are over 70 Grocery Bag posts to choose from.  Talk about reaping a harvest in due season!

3.

No more online shopping.

I have decided that online shopping makes me crabby.  Who cares what cyber deals I miss?  I can't scroll through another 100 pages of photos looking for another gift.  I turn into the Grinch.  If I need to get a sitter for a weekday morning of shopping alone, so be it.  I guess self-awareness is half the battle.

4.  

Daily Advent

In order to make our Advent a daily experience, I'll need to make time, everyday, to sit quietly with my kids, hang an ornament on our Advent Jesse Tree, read the Bible story together, and talk about it together.  Other afternoon activities will need to wait.  The mealtime dishes or daily emails might go untouched for a few extra hours.  I'll need to remember the investment of time is worth it. Hopefully as a result, we will all be growing together.  

Have a Blessed Advent.