After attending two church services, one black Friday shopping excursion, hanging three shelves and baking four apple pies over the course of the long holiday weekend (p.s. I still have apples…) I’m not done savoring this one little word:

gratitude.

I’m grateful that Thanksgiving came in spite of my bratty attitude which proceeded it.

I’m thankful that despite my complaining God still invites me to come and dine filling my table with food and friends and family.

I’m humbled when I realize our imperfections sometimes are what make us approachable.

I’m appreciative of every blessing when a room redo comes to fruition without spending one cent.

Early Thanksgiving morning I sat in my “new” living room and read these words…

Take God Seriously and little else.

As the days shorten and the year rolls to a close we do well to remember that one simple sentence.

Lots of you lovely folks have your trees up already. I’ve seen them and they’re beautiful.

I’ve marveled over them on Instagram and in my neighborhood.

And I can’t deny I’ve been perusing the Hobby Lobby and plotting a pastel vintage Christmas, crafting sequin covered shiny trees weeks ago.

But I’m still not ready to part with my glittery pumpkins just yet.

Maybe I’ll get on board once the calendar flips to December… which is only about a day away… or possibly not until the week before Christmas.

I move when the spirit moves me and it sometimes moves at the oddest times.

So I added a vintage ruler star to the mix for now and called it a day- besides the good book says I should do everything with thanksgiving…

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ~Philippians 4:6

{sorry it was a corny joke I couldn’t let pass…}

Now is the time our schedules are filling up faster than our tummies after that second helping of mac and cheese from last week’s feast and the true spirit of the Advent season is threatened by a swarm of sales pitches singing louder and louder: Spend, buy and get– because you deserve it.

But I’m not convinced.

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons.

It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

‘Tis the season of striving, straining and wearing ourselves out wishing and wanting- but only if we rush headlong into it without thought.

{Pay no attention to the cat who refused to move or our rumpled blankets… we don’t do perfect here– and I’m learning to be ok with it.}

So, can I invite you in to share one more thing?

As Christmas bears down on us at breakneck speed: You have permission to pause.

To go simple.

To slow down.

To savor.

To let the truth sink in.

How wonderful, in spite of dark, dank and dirty conditions, light came through the birth of a savior even though we didn’t deserve it and surely didn’t expect it.

It’s becoming more apparent every day, as the advent calendar counts down to Christmas and we tick the boxes off our lists the only way to “Christmas” well is to wait and watch for God.

Straining, driving effort does not accomplish the work God gives man to do. Only God Himself, who always works without strain, and who never overworks, can do the work that He assigns to His children. When they restfully trust Him to do it, it will be well done and completely done. The way to let Him do His work through us is to partake of Christ so fully, by faith, that He more than fills our life.

A man who had learned this secret once said: “I came to Jesus and I drank, and I do not think that I shall ever be thirsty again. I have taken for my motto, ‘Not overwork, but overflow’; and already it has made all the difference in my life.”

There is no effort in overflow. It is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites us today and always.
–Sunday School Times

May we guard against overwork and give in to overflow this Advent season.

May we marvel at the gift of gratitude throughout the whole year not just one day in November.

And may we come to Christmas with the best leftovers from Thanksgiving filling our hearts.

♥

It’s my pleasure to create connection, community and sometimes cute stuff just for you- Click right here to find out more and to get your set of printable scripture cards! Can’t wait to see you soon in your inbox.

Linking up with these lovely blogs below!

#Graceandtruth

#Womenhelpingwomen

#SmallWonderLinkup