I usually begin Christmas shopping in October, quite proud of myself if I am finished by December first. But this year is different. This year, Thanksgiving snuck up on me and Christmas was suddenly a month away! Against my better judgement, I have only managed to purchase one gift. One! And the only reason that purchase happened was that it was an item being sold at church to raise money for refugees in the Middle East.
I am way behind, folks! Or am I? Because when I think about it...there is a good reason my mind has not been on buying gifts. Not only am I homeschooling, but this year I am homeschooling all five...and two of them are Kindergarteners.
Oh. My. Word.
My brain has been consumed with phonics and readers and addition and skip-counting, not to mention Gracie's second grade work, planning and overseeing the 5th and 6th graders, and just keeping the house in some semblance of order which has not exactly left a lot of time for things like "Making a list and checking it twice!"
So instead of stressing about the shopping that still needs to be done, I am cutting myself some slack. I will probably go online at some point and knock it all out with some free shipping to boot, and maybe even get around to addressing those Christmas cards! I will drink a lot of coffee (with peppermint!) and let my kids lounge in front of a Christmas Movie because it is cold outside. I will light candles and sing carols and stop...just stop and be still and take time to worship my King. I am looking forward to Advent even more than usual this year. I'm sure it is because of the busyness we haveendured enjoyed this semester...it is just time to take a breath and focus on what is most important. God's gift to us...ridiculous grace swaddled up and squirmy and lying in a filthy feeding trough.
Yes! This is the One Gift that really counts: Jesus! Let's fix our eyes upon Him and anticipate His birth celebration with a holy joy!
I am way behind, folks! Or am I? Because when I think about it...there is a good reason my mind has not been on buying gifts. Not only am I homeschooling, but this year I am homeschooling all five...and two of them are Kindergarteners.
Oh. My. Word.
My brain has been consumed with phonics and readers and addition and skip-counting, not to mention Gracie's second grade work, planning and overseeing the 5th and 6th graders, and just keeping the house in some semblance of order which has not exactly left a lot of time for things like "Making a list and checking it twice!"
So instead of stressing about the shopping that still needs to be done, I am cutting myself some slack. I will probably go online at some point and knock it all out with some free shipping to boot, and maybe even get around to addressing those Christmas cards! I will drink a lot of coffee (with peppermint!) and let my kids lounge in front of a Christmas Movie because it is cold outside. I will light candles and sing carols and stop...just stop and be still and take time to worship my King. I am looking forward to Advent even more than usual this year. I'm sure it is because of the busyness we have
Yes! This is the One Gift that really counts: Jesus! Let's fix our eyes upon Him and anticipate His birth celebration with a holy joy!
Oh gosh! I really would like to be a fly on your wall for just one day! I will have a 4th and 3rd grader, and a 4 year old Chinese daughter and a 2 year old toddler next year, and I am stressing! How in the world do you get it all done? I do online shopping almost exclusively now, and love me some free shipping!
ReplyDeleteKristin,
ReplyDeleteHa! One of these days I need to post "a day in the life" just for laughs. The best advice I give anyone who asks how I get it all done is to NOT get it all done. I prioritize what is most important and do that first...the rest happens as time/circumstances allow. If my kids know how to learn, well, that is more important to me than stuffing their heads full of facts that they will forget in 6 months. And my laundry is RARELY caught up:)