I’m sitting here watching my children playing a game on the living room floor. I’ve been thinking about Christmas decorations. I’ve never done many decorations, not because I don’t want to but because we don’t have many and it just seems like more stuff to have to keep track of and “stuff” gives me anxiety.  I do put up a few things but not many. I’m not sure where the tree will go this year because the corner of the living room is where it normally gets placed, well there is a big comfy chair there now, and there’s not much room anywhere else in this little house. I bought the chair from a neighbor a few streets down back  nearly a year ago and it’s placed in the corner where the TV can’t be seen and it’s right next to the book shelf. I wanted a comfortable chair to sit in where I could read my Bible and not be distracted by any screens (without going to the bedroom or sitting at the table) and this chair became available at the perfect time.

Back in January my New Year’s Resolution was very special, because it’s the first time I can remember ever having one that I truly cared for enough that I kept it: I resolved to read the entire Bible, from cover to cover, in three months. I believe I finished on day 84.  I was very pleased to have actually kept a New Year’s Resolution and I think I am going to do it again. We’ll just have to see! So this just “happened” to be available for me to get when I needed (wanted) it the most …. when I was reading. A lot. Every. single. day. It was just right, it was only $30 and I know the Lord blessed me with it.

I started thinking about the tree and decorations and how so many of my friends already have their trees and Christmas lights up. I laughed a little bit to myself thinking about how in a week or two that a huge retailer is probably going to be selling Valentine’s Day stuff already, maybe even Easter candy. Hahaha!

I will do Advent (I like this one) with my children but it will probably be my birthday (the first week of December) when I actually get around to putting up a tree and if we’re being honest, I’m going to take it down by New Year’s if I can. That’s a change, by the way. I use to make it a point of putting my tree up before Thanksgiving and not taking it down until Valentine’s Day or so. So there’s that. Today is a bit of a grace day for me. I wasn’t going to get on the computer at all, I actually didn’t even bother to pray about anything to write about, that’s just how disinterested I was in writing today. But I said I’d write every day and so here I am. Can we call it my grace day?  I am thankful that the Lord put it on my heart to take a moment to sit down and write when I don’t necessarily feel up to it.  My heart is particularly tender today, maybe we’ll talk about it tomorrow. Maybe not. I’m believing for safe travels for all of you!

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16