The holidays at our house start out with great anticipation. We look forward to our time in Lubbock regardless of the 12 hour trek…..Lots of cousins, aunts and uncles. The morning of our departure, the younger kids get in the car a full hour before we leave. We all have books and games and fully charged iPods. This will be so fun! By the time we arrive, the books and games have missing pages or pieces. The iPods are dead. The snacks are gone or have turned to crumbs. We are tired and grumpy. Ahhhh….family time.
I Corinthians 10:31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
I just hope that in everything I do, whether I am full of energy and organized or tired and worn out, I will bring honor and glory to God. Some times are harder than other times to fulfill this scripture. I am so thankful for God’s grace and mercy on me.
Sometimes I feel like this baby, I just want to lay down and cover my eyes.
By the time we left Lubbock, my patience was about gone. I was ready for everyone in the car to be silent and happy…or at least asleep for our 12 hours home. It was the hardest time for me to reflect the love and grace of our precious Savior. I felt like this baby. I was done. I had nothing left.
What about you? Did the holidays leave you spent or energized?
FRONT PORCH FRIEND 
The holidays usually leave me spent and feeling a little guilty about it. I’m the type of person who needs alone time, and over the holidays I just don’t get it. I can feel the stress building in me, rising and rising. It’s not that I don’t enjoy being surrounded by family; I really do. I just wish I could take occasional time-outs.
I think part of the stress is that I finally get time off from work, but instead of relaxing and doing things I’d like to do–reading, listening to music, going to a movie matinee, having lunch with a friend, it seems as if the whole time is taken up by the holiday and its preparations–shopping, cooking, cleaning, travel. I’m more tired at the end that I was at the beginning.
I love spending time with my family–that’s the good part. I just wish there were more peace and less bustle over the holidays.
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Holidays or not, I need that reminder to do everything to the glory of God….
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I think God is talking directly to me. This is the second powerful testimony I have received concerning I Cor 10 :31 during this holiday season. Thank you my two beautiful friends. I am committing now to applying this more in my day to day life.
I am usually totally charged by the holidays. Choosing that ‘perfect gift’ for the grandchildren, watching their faces when they receive it to see if it really is the ‘perfect’ one. Fixing everyones favorite dish sometime during the week! (God has blessed me with a special husband who jumps right in there and helps me clean up. Without him, all the things I love to do would not be near as much fun for me. Thank you, God.) Getting together with family you get to see only once a year. Remembering past holidays when Granny & Grandaddy , Mother & Daddy, Cousin Theresa and many others who have passed were still with us. Good times! One thing my family does that keeps the holiday joyful and less stressful: All the adult family members draw names for gift giving. We also set a spending limit on this one gift. It really cuts down on expenses( a joy sapper) and shopping time (another joy sapper). I could go on and on……. Again, thank you for the beautiful lesson. Help keep me faithful and accountable.
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What a beautiful picture of the holidays. We do need each other, don’t we? Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. You are an inspiration to me.
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