You know that week between Christmas and New Years? The weird week of leftovers, holiday hangover and confusion…you may be putting up Christmas décor and you may still have it up and will leave it until Valentine’s Day. If you are one of those people, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. I am one of the people who have their decorations up the day or so after Christmas. Bye tree, trinkets, clutter and fluff. The stuff gets put up and the house feels clear and cleaned up. A fresh start. As much as I adore the holiday and the decorations, activities, events, family time, crafts, baking, cooking, eating, presents, memory making etc…. the time comes that it is over and I’m generally ready for the conclusion.
So we find ourselves in this middle place. We’re in this week of packing and cleaning, eating leftover ham sandwiches and pie… you can feel the holiday bloat, you’re sluggish, not sure of the day and school break still has a week left of it. The kids are already bored with the new toys and you’ve taken 145 loads of trash to the dumpster. Your mind feels a bit overloaded and the thought of a new year, a possible resolution, goals, refocus, reflection, etc seems like a lost cause. OR, maybe it is life. For me, the fact that a new start, fresh year, holiday is over, etc is LIFE GIVING! :)
I am quite the nerd when it comes to the new
year. I love a new calendar, planner, set of pens, thinking about possibility, goals, new routines, rhythms, and ideas… the whole thing just gets me excited. The cleared out space of home, new start, clean slate….I just love it. I wonder then, why I struggle so much with grace.
year. I love a new calendar, planner, set of pens, thinking about possibility, goals, new routines, rhythms, and ideas… the whole thing just gets me excited. The cleared out space of home, new start, clean slate….I just love it. I wonder then, why I struggle so much with grace.
See, the clean slate, fresh start, new day is available every day, not just at the new year. The ability to start fresh and have another chance is something we’ve been given through Christ.I forget that in May I have just as much of a fresh start available as I do December 31 or Jan 1. #gracenotperfection
I want to tell you that even though I enjoy the new year, I know that there are many of you who do not. I remember a time when I really hated the new year. As I sat in a hospital with my sick child, the thought of the new year did not bring happiness. We weren’t looking at a clean home or new goals… I was looking at deciding on life or death decisions for our son. We were looking at 2 risky surgeries, lots of scary nights and finally his death. New Year’s wasn’t a chipper time you’d say. The new year can mark another year without your loved one, a year since a divorce or a job loss. The new year can remind us of past hurts, current hang ups, the unknown future. New year’s can be a frustrating time. I know that not everyone appreciates it like I do.
I want to encourage you, though, wherever you are, to find the good even in the dark. Perhaps you’re in a truly dark season, but I encourage you to seek out the blessing. I know it seems like there are not any blessings in it, but I know you can find them.
Some things I have found to encourage me during this time of year, moving into the next:
-reflect upon the year. Even if you think and know it was the worst year ever, do it. Reflect, take some time to think about the year, all the ugly parts, the good parts, the fun trips, changes you’ve made, changes you were forced to make, the struggle, the fight, the fun… take it all in and reflect. Let all the emotions happen and be thankful. Yes, every part of our story is being used for a purpose. We can be thankful for that. It is refining us. Let the reflection and thoughtfulness help shape you and prepare you for the year ahead.
-look ahead and make some decisions on things you can improve. I’m not saying you need a bunch of New Years resolutions, goals or big aspirations, but even if it is just drinking more water or setting a set bedtime or just reading more, I suggest finding some ways you can grow and get excited about them. We can all stand to grow and try new things. Last year I set a goal of reading a book a month for 2017. I ended up at 14 books for the year, so I was actually a head of my goal! Who knew I could do that. Ha
- if you are married, have a yearly meeting. We sat and had our year end meeting last night and it was great to just talk about the year, all that we had accomplished and ways we dropped the ball and then look ahead to next year and plan our financial goals, health goals and ways we can parent better, love each other better and just enjoy life more. It was life giving to have that time together. We didn’t plan some big thing, we got the girls to bed and then sat down in the living room with the iPad and talked things out. We had both thought about it earlier and brought the items to the meeting. It lasted an hour or so and we both were glad we took the time to go through it all. We switched roles in the last year. He has taken on the huge role of financial officer for our home and I continue to uphold the duties of the CEO you might say. When both of the roles work together, the business functions better. Thankful. If you need help with this, holler. I would love to give you encouragement and tips.
-don’t set huge goals that you know you can’t attain. Start small and work from there. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Extend grace and keep remembering that life happens a day at a time.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.”
Every season of our life is ordained and supposed to happen. Not every season is pleasant and that is ok. Not every new year will seem new or happy or fresh. That’s ok. The Years may bleed together in places and it feels like you will never get a fresh start, that’s ok. Allow Him to guide you through, that Red Sea Road and navigate you to the other side. Trust. Keep your focus on the Savior and do not get distracted. Let the hard seasons to the refining work in you. It’s worth it.
Things I am planning for the new year, just because, this feels like super accountability as well:
-January Whole30
-read a book a month again this year
-continue the new morning routine I’ve begun in the last few weeks of this year
-going through the book A Simplified Life by Emily Ley and putting into effect and practice the tactical tools in it.
-slowing down with my girls
-finding rhythm in our day to day life that allows us to flourish(this sounds cheesy, but balance isn’t a thing and this is something that is attainable)
-learning to listen
I hope and pray that you all have an incredible new year! The clean slate, the fresh start…here we are. Soak it in and be encouraged that the year ahead is full of possibility, success, and victory. Know that there is also going to be struggle, frustration and possible heart ache. God has this and he always has. He will sustain us and guide us!
Here for you! If I can encourage you or help you in any way, let me know!
Shaina
Shaina
