December.
December 3rd at that.
Last time I wrote a blog post was June 21. Not sure how that happened. Actually well I do. In the life as a Youth Pastor--Summer is well Mission Trips, SUMMER SCHEDULE, Summer Camp, then Fall...trying to catch your breath. This Fall didn't exactly present that for me this year--but all for good reasons and all things I feel thankful to be called to---but here we are---December. We've had the Christmas tree in our house now for twelve days. It was finally graced with beautiful white lights 48 hours ago. Progress People. Tonight Aunt Mia will come over for dinner and the tree will finally get it's proper dressing.
A few things I've been pondering as we enter this Christmas Season....
I want to be Present. I want to put my phone down when I'm in the presence of my husband and son and I want to be present in our conversations. Jude is full of sentences these days and I want to make full eye contact with him. This month I'm making a concentrated effort to put the phone down.
An off season. This was an ongoing debate in our house that started two months ago when I started googling "gobble jogs" around where my in-laws live. I couldn't handle the thought of not running on Thanksgiving Day (my reasoning---Fall 2012 I trained for my first race the Gobble Jog 5k Thanksgiving Day that then led to three half marathons for 2013. Kind of a big mile marker in my "running career" (in my opinion) and I just wanted to run on Thanksgiving Day. I digress...) The hubs asked me to not run on Thanksgiving Day and spend the day with family. I'm being completely honest in this post to tell you I really, really struggled with this. Which put a whole nother spin on things I had to deal with in my heart: priorities, etc. I submitted and did not sign up for a race. (Every one say, good girl :) Day before Thanksgiving 2013 I found myself in the doctors office being diagnosed with a sinus infection and bronchitis. So there you go. A forced off-season. I'm dreaming big and praying through what God has for me in 2014....but for right now....I'm going to take a step back and breathe deep of all that this down season has for me. And at the same time make sure my priorities are always where they should be.
Jesus. Christmas. Jude. Little man is 2.8 this year. ...and a whole lot of fun. Every morning he comes downstairs, sees the Christmas tree (the bare one with nothing on it), and asks if Santa has come yet. He is for the first year grasping this whole Christmas thing and with that I feel like there is a whole lot of pressure as a parent. I so want him to get it. I trust Jesus that he will. Experienced parents out there---what do you do to make sure your kids don't miss it????
Those are just a few things I'm pondering at the moment. Goals, Dreams, 2014....there's a lot more going on in this heart. What about you? What are you pondering on today? For me it's on a rainy Tuesday afternoon in a coffee shop. Praying for you that your heart is full (even if it is pondering!) wherever you may be.