Today was a fun and funky day. As usual, I didn’t get all the things done that I wanted to. You moms thought you were the only ones who had that problem, right? So not true! The things you learn to deal with as moms are part of growing up. As a mom, you often get to deal with them in a more in-your-face way, but they are all things that are part of life. One thing that is part of life is that the to-do lists are never done!
As I’ve said before, I gave up trying to get ALL the things done that are supposed to be done by Christmas. It was impossible for me to do all of them (especially since the list kept getting longer and longer!) Besides, I wanted to enjoy my family, have time to think about WHY we actually celebrate Christmas (what a concept!) and have relatively stress-free holidays. This is what I did.
I now send New Year’s cards/letters…yes, they look like Christmas cards, but they are usually sent after New Year’s. That way I have updated addresses, can answer/thank people for gifts or comment on info in their letters.
Another thing I do less of is a lot of baking…especially not mounds of cookies. (The girls are no longer here. We usually travel to see them and grandchildren.) Ron and I cannot NOT eat sweets if they are in the house. We usually have a little, but the older we have gotten, the more we have tended to gain weight.
I know I won’t have any sympathy here, but it is hard if you never had a problem with your weight, to first of all wake up to the fact that you actually ARE overweight and second, to know HOW to lose weight since you never had to do it! All that to say that the few things I bake to take to friends are done either after all the other things are done or in January.
The advantage of January is that you can bake when you are often shut in because of cold weather anyway. Then, when you are ready to deliver, you can plan to do it when you can stop and visit for a bit. That is rarely possible at Christmas.
So today, one of the two places I went gave me awhile to visit and catch up with one friend. The other one was busy trekking children to lessons. It was still fun to cheer them up with some small things to show they were thought of…at Christmas and throughout the year. I’m not sure who enjoys this more, me or them…but it is always fun to get in touch once more.
What are some of the things you do during or after the holidays to build relationships with friends or family?
I know of this body that rebels against your attempts to command it. I am grateful that we believe that we are just at the beginning of life, that it goes on forever, and in a new body when this one is done. How fearful it has to be to have a body that is “disintegrating” and think that’s all there is. So much time left for you and me – more than we know.
My “year of connecting” is full of surprises so far. Twists and turns I didn’t expect. It’s a little fearful as God has suddenly opened up an ability to feel what others are feeling – it’s not a very male thing – we men don’t generally do this – and it’s new and a little overwhelming at times.
I hope you don’t mind that I continue to pray for your year of “eucharisteao”.
May God bless and keep you and yours
Oh, I completely hear ya regarding sweets in the house. The only one I dare keep is very dark chocolate because it doesn’t set me up for sugar cravings.
Thank you so much for stopping in at Cranberry Morning and your comment on the birds. What a Creator we have indeed!
We jokingly call the dark chocolate our health food. some study said it was healthy for something related to cholesterol so we grabbed onto that one and milk it for all we can:) i’ve enjoyed your blog. hope we’ll be talking more in the future.
for me, relationships take time and effort. I enjoy most, but there are always challenging ones…extended family seems to offer them up beautifully on a plate:) during busy times of the year…like Christmas, I get so bogged down with what has to be done that I can’t enjoy the people…unless I work at it. that’s why i’ve done some of the things I have. I know i’m (a bit) weird, but it seems to work out.
Martha, I got a New Year’s card from my brother this year. 🙂 I love that idea. During the holidays I try to focus on relationships by spending time with extended family. That’s hardly a novel concept, but still something I have to intentionally do when there are family members you’d rather avoid.
Bridge
martha—i send new year cards, too! they even say “happy new year” on them. great minds, great minds.
i always enjoy when my sister in laws bake a ton of sweets for the holidays, but am not too fond of having tons of cookies/cakes around during the busiest & most sit-around months of the year.
at the start of every january jay hosts a board game convention at the church, “presby-con”. this year is looking to be the biggest so far!
so true:)
i just saw the rest of your comment. that game thing looks so fun knowing you all i’m SURE it is:)