For the most part, days are ordinary. My sister in law said it well earlier today when we were doing what we do – phone chat. We touch base almost daily.
Not so long ago, my brother would go through the phone bill, get frustrated with the costly long-distance minutes and try to put the kabosh on our daily calls. Needless to say, we’re thankful for these days of cell phones & unlimited.
Today, she was filling me in on her exciting times in Atlanta: a trip to Costco, taking a kid to tennis, rearranging her house. She’s always switching things around. And in the switching she started to get excited about having Thanksgiving at her house this year. So she decided to look for a few Fall decorations while she was out running errands.
Apparently such decor was nowhere to be found. Christmas – yes. Fall – no.
And she thought about how often in the rush we miss out on some of the good. And then she thought about all the good than can be found in ordinary. The ordinary we live every day.
“There’s sacred in the ordinary,” she said. “We get ready everyday; we run the dishwasher. We drive to the same places. Then return to pick up. We fold and put away the laundry. And then we do it all again the next day. We live regular life that is on the whole ordinary.”
Okay.
She continued and tied the bow, “I’m sort of moved by all the retail Christmas onslaught and my effort to find the Thanksgiving in the midst – seriously I had to search in the store to find anything Autumn. It made me think about not rushing today to get to tomorrow. Live in the day. Enjoy it. Otherwise I will miss it. It will be gone and I’ll look back and wonder what I was doing.”
There you have it. How to #hydratefortheholidays when aisle upon aisle of Christmas decorations and gifting might make us feel like we’re WAAAAAYYY behind or like we must stick our toe into the maddening rush so we don’t miss out?
Perspective.
Recognizing that there is sacred in the ordinary. Relish regular so we don’t forget to live today’s day. We might miss something wonderful in the rush for tomorrow.
“I love November,” she continued. “The leaves changing colors is beyond beautiful.” They live outside of Atlanta. “I guess I just don’t want to let induced-rush by retailers take away from the beauty of today.”
Me neither.
Let the leaves turn color and sink into all that comes with November and the amazing holiday it hosts. Sink into the beauty before the starkness of winter sets in.
Let’s not let the October/early November Christmas push (did you hear that Black Friday sales have have actually already started? According to Digital times, Black Friday is now “more of a season than a day.”) distract us!
Instead,
- remember: YOU ARE NOT BEHIND even though the Christmas stuff tempts us to think we are
- Talk to yourself [let’s just admit it – we all do] You don’t have to buy. That advent calendar, as cute as it is, may or may not be there in a few weeks, but something else will be.
- By all means, don’t let the commercialism of it all drag you down. The meaning behind the celebrations is anything but commercial. When we drive by lights, think about the Light they signify. And, be happy for the house that looks so good rather than let it say anything about us or our self worth.
Above all, when bombarded like I was
in the parking lot and
at the entrance of the store,
use it as a finger-tie reminder to stop and be thankful. Exercise thankfulness so that when we’re tempted by all the stuff, we’re well hydrated/trained to focus, with gratitude, on all we already have rather than on what we could, would or should have.
Thankfulness.
Gratitude.
Simply Thanksgiving.
Isn’t it interesting that Thanksgiving is void of STUFF (gifts, parties, décor, music, rampant commercialism,…) The Thanksgiving holiday tends to focus on family and relationship. Food and freedom to overeat. The colors of Fall. The beauty of nature that precedes the stark gray of winter.
Let it sink in.
Thanksgiving IS the hydration. Because it’s hard to be thankful with our eyes on ourselves. It centers on recognizing and thanking the Provider for provision.
And, everyone has something for which to be thankful. I thought about that this morning as I was taking a shower.
A simple reminder of something for which I am thankful. I’m so grateful that, so far, we haven’t needed to use that shampoo this year. But if we do, at least we have it :)
Thanks for walking the road with me.
– Kay
… here’s one of my favorite Letting Go’s from I’m Happy For you. I might have been hesitant putting these together, but they’re some of things I find myself grabbing.
I hope your sister-in-law also looked to nature for her autumnal decor! Beautiful fall leaves, pumpkins and flowers are prettier than anything she can find in a store.
Oh yes, Joan. You’re right about that. Lucky dog lives in Georgia where she can and does gather plenty in her backyard. We’re still trying to exit Summer here in Dallas :)
Kay, I just discovered your blog and want to say thanks for reminding me that I am not behind, even though Macy’s, even before Halloween was here, said I was. Today I am relishing the regular. Thanks again!
We’re in it together, Brenda – relishing in the regular :)
XOXO
Kay I just got on your e-mail list! After hearing you for the first time on Focus on the family,I loved your message! How refreshing to hear and read such authenticity ! I loved your blogs!! Looking forward to your messages whenever you do!! I am a grandmother and I am hoping to pass on these encouraging words of truth! Keep on blogging!
I really needed to read this! I was led to your Focus on the Family broadcast and then your blog. Awesome God-given advice and reminders to be thankful and how to do it!