Of Christmas Past

This week marks two weeks that we’ve been back in the south and in our own little house.
Back to the balmy 70′ days, although I don’t expect this to last all winter.
I’m just thankful for all the cold and snow we had in Colorado,
so now I don’t mind the warmth this time of year. As much. :)

It’s quiet time in the household.
One down for a nap, another quite content with paper, scissors, and glue stick.
And I quite content with a few cookies that a friend brought over yesterday…
If she knew how quickly we devoured that plate, well, I’d be embarassed. :)

We’ve had to find a new normal for our little family,
schedules and time change and even just being together most of the time.

In Colorado I was in class every morning, and now I find my patience stretched!
For three months we were only together half a day, and now we re-learn what is expected of each other.
Granted, in the past four weeks since leaving the west, it’s not been a normal schedule at all.
Much traveling and time with family and friends, and now getting resettled.

It’s taking the kids and me a bit of time to find a rhythm with each other again,
and honestly, there is some needed training that has been going on with the kids
as well as repentance and apologies from me.

I often think of the quote by Ann Voskamp,
I don’t remember whether it’s in her book or if I just read it on her blog one day…
“The parent must always self-parent first,
self-preach before child-teach, because who can bring peace unless they’ve held their own peace?”

It’s so very true.
Unless my heart is first at rest with my God and with the today He’s given me,
I will never be able to welcome peace in my children or my home.
Peace is not brought by forceful words of, “Guys, play nice with each other!!!!!”
or various other strategies. It’s brought only by the Spirit of the Lord allowed to indwell.

And as a dear friend reminded me once,
sometimes that means falling to my knees at the kitchen sink and pleading for His Sweet Grace,
first of all to be lived out in me and then that I can share it with my children.

Even when it feels like I don’t have time to stop,
like there are things to deal with now and I have to keep moving,
nothing is more important than allowing the Sweet Spirit of Jesus
to be present and to be residing and in control.

It’s not that I have some little hellions on my hands, not at all. :)
But it’s just that I desire our home to be one of rest and peace,
not one of chaos and perpetual cat-fights.
And I do believe that with Jesus, that is possible. It just starts with me, not with my kids…

[of christmas past]

[the whole dear family]

[the three dating couples, two of which are engaged!]

[fun family times]

 

[family rule for christmas eve and day]

[brown paper packages tied up with string, and other pretty presents]

[the tree, and homemade ornaments]

[christmas eve candlelight dinner]

 

Enjoy your today! And upcoming weekend!
~ clarita