Fellow former procrastinators, I hope you enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving! We have so much to be grateful for as the Lord changes us into Christlikeness.
I’m discovering a new thing to be grateful for – holiday hash. It’s a recipe I would not choose to follow, but the ingredients are all here, the need is pressed upon us, we are hungry, and we must partake.
It is enabling and efficient to focus on one major thing at a time. During this season, I like to set aside other demands so we can focus on Christmas. That way we can have a measure of relaxation in our celebration. That is not happening this year!
Sometimes we have to continue with a job even if it is inconvenient. Delay ceases to be an option. Action is required now. That’s where we are.
After starting our office clean out we put off further work. We’ve had both legitimate reasons (travel, sprained ankle) and feeble excuses (company for dinner, errands to run). Christmas provides a handy and reasonable rationalization to delay again. But we are keeping on!
We cleared the dining room table of a paper project, but now we have boxes of electronics and parts for the bathroom re-do in the dining room where we held a business meeting and a Bible study dinner. We have stacks of books in the living room along with an unneeded knee walker and boxes of give away stuff. The stairs display piles of things to take up or down as we go. Our daughter’s work has brought her here along with her gear. My husband has work requirements and responsibility for cleaning out his parents’ house. I have a new project underway.
In all this we will set up a Christmas tree. It’s a mess. But it’s progress!
I may not get all the decorations up. I may not be able to host a coffee, shop as I’d like, or attend some events. I can pay that price – so I don’t have to keep on paying the price for years to come. I’m inclined to moan about the time lost in September and October. I’m inclined to complain about things being stirred up with bits of this and bits of that going on at the same time in the same space. I’m inclined to pull my hair out in frustration and disappointment. Instead, by His grace, I’m choosing to enjoy progress and rejoice in the work the Lord is enabling us to do.
There will be days when we don’t move forward. At some point we will call a halt to office clean out so we do focus on celebrating. Meanwhile, I am happy with holiday hash. Bit by bit we are tasting more of the freedom and function we will have in the future.
What things must you deal with this holiday season that you wish you could leave off? Can you ask the Lord to give you a perspective of progress and gratitude?
The title “Holiday Hash” is not what I was expecting but it is what I needed :). As a recovering perfectionist, I like things to be just so. I am reminded to press on amidst the “interruptions”.
Great example, Wendy! Thanks! Whether or not we have other “big” projects going at the same time as Christmas, we all have interruptions to our plans. Yes, press on.