Busy December Week

I haven't posted here for a week, while I've been busy with Christmas season activities. First, I began Christmas cards. Then I asked my husband to bring up the boxes of decorations. We only put up a small tabletop tree, but we decorate the living room, dining room, family room and kitchen with all kinds of candles and Christmas momentos. Much of that follows a penguin theme. Our tree has penguin lights and penguin ornaments. We have several penguins which sing Christmas carols or songs. We didn't intend to decorate around a penguin theme. Over the years we just acquired more penguins, who invaded our Christmas decorations. I usually get stressed putting out all those decorations. My husband has a few decorating tasks, but I prefer to do the rest. I suspect the stress comes from believing I have to accomplish the task all in one evening or one day.

This year we simplified Christmas customs by only buying one another one big ($$$) gift. My husband bought me a new sewing machine maybe after hearing me scream at my old one too often. After taking my old machine for maintenance and learning the company no longer manufactures the necessary replacement part, but would substitute a comparable part, I considered getting a new machine and looked at several models. One had a built-in feature for which I had to use a special, difficult to attach foot on my old machine. That feature alone would eliminate much of my frustration. My husband volunteered to buy that new machine for me as a Christmas present, when I couldn't decide whether I wanted to buy it for myself, because I anticipated buying presents for my husband. After test-driving that machine, I fell in love with its features and ease of operation. So I agreed that my husband could buy me the machine, if he would let me buy a big gift for him, like maybe a new bicycle. His current bike is a 1970s Schwinn which accumulated many miles of riding over the years. After looking at new bikes and not finding exactly what he wanted (his old bike in new condition), he decided to take his old bike to a local recreational equipment store which could completely overhaul his bike. So I bought the bike overhaul as my Christmas gift to him. Thus, we eliminated hours of wondering what to buy one another, hours of shopping and hours of wrapping gifts.

Likewise we discussed not decorating the house, and procrastinated the decision and decorating for a few days. We had already purchased two lighted penguins (about 2 feet high) which we placed on either side of our front door. I suspect those penguins started the whole decorating discussion this year. We saw those in the window of a 'Stupid Prices' (very cheap store) and talked the manager into selling us his window decorations for a ridiculously low price. I LOVE walking home carrying a life sized (for a King penguin) penguin decoration. Many people stopped to comment about our penguins. Even if we had no presents under our tree, I realized I would miss the decorations. Those decorations include many candles which we light during meals and during advent evenings. So I asked my husband to bring up the dozen large boxes of decorations. However, I decided to finish and mail my Christmas cards before opening those boxes.

2 days later, I slowly started putting out decorations. First, I had to make space for those by removing clutter and moving things around. When I looked at those dozen boxes, I could easily feel overwhelmed. So I reminded myself how much I loved seeing our house decorated and that I could do as little or as much as I wanted each day. I didn't put myself on a deadline or feel rushed. I just opened one box at a time and found places for everything. Then my husband assembled the tree, decorations and lights. He also hung lights on our front porch. I felt amazed that my decorating experience was so stress-free this year. Then I recalled that the ThinWithin book study is teaching me to stay in the present moment, seek God's guidance and take one day at a time, or sometimes one moment at a time.

Now we have time to just enjoy advent rather than scurry around doing Christmas shopping. My husband's extended family opted to not exchange gifts this year. We had already sent something to my brother. In that same spirit of just savoring advent, I have limited myself to 2-3 small tasks daily, besides self-care stuff like meals, exercise, prayer journalling, my TW 4 Life study, etc. I could (and 'should' if I want to 'should' on myself) do sooo much more, but for now I want to just take one day at a time. I have a list of tasks I would like to accomplish during December. Every day I tackle 2-3 of those tasks as I feel motivated. Obviously this blog didn't make my list. LOL

I initially began this blog to journal my physical recovery from gastrointestinal symptoms. I have noticed infintessimal improvements day by day. I can't explain those improvements. I'm not doing anything different, except focussing on 0-5 eating, daily and sometimes moment by moment prayer to take my frustrations and fears to God, rather than obsessing over what could destroy the peace I feel this month.

Yesterday I felt very worried about driving to a musical (for which we have season tickets). After a day of heavy rain and strong winds, the weathermen forcasted even stronger winds and heavier rain turning to snow after dark, which could mean traffic tie ups and accidents going to and coming home from the musical. So I just prayed all day for safety on that journal. Amazingly the winds died down and the rain was very light during our journeys to and from. The musical ('7 Brides for 7 Brothers') had EVERYTHING I love about musicals, humor, romance, great songs and fantastic dancing (including some ballet). I'm so glad we didn't let extreme weather forecasts keep us from attending.

I can only attribute my improvements in gastrointestinal motility to 'peace which passes all understanding'. I could feel stressed about 2 different decisions I currently face: (1) whether to agree to alter clothing for a local women's shelter; and/or (2) whether to lead an online ThinWithin workbook study group. Right now I don't want to do either, although both possibilities seemed exciting, when I first volunteered (1) and/or was asked (2). I don't want to take on anything that I don't feel God leading me to do. So I'm currently praying about those possibilities, waiting for clarity. Some days I lean toward alterations. On other days I lean toward leading a group. However, today I don't want to do either. I love not taking on anything else right now, while my focus is on healing my body and improving my relationship with God.