(I was asked to guest write for the site “Wholly Mother” and wanted to share it with everyone here…. Go check out their site, it is a wonderful resource for health, wellness and fitness. )
Here it comes… I can always feel it before I see it….
It starts with the simple redirection of “You don’t want to get that for your birthday, honey… Christmas is closer,” I absently divulge to my eighth child as I mentally brace myself for the four year olds inquisition of how many “sleeps” till Christmas. I pull Siri close whispering my question and furrow my brow closing one eye and peeking out the other…. the verdict is in and so is all the Christmas chocolate at the grocery…. 56days…. even less “sleeps”.
I see you Christmas… but after all these years of mixing in children, two companies, ministry, both homeschooling and brick and mortar schooling, family obligations, shepherding my flock of dairy sheep on my farm…. and now a thriving Spiritual Direction practice and The Late Service podcast… this. isn’t. my. first. rodeo.
(be sure to click on all those links)
Can I let you in on two secrets…
One,I believe in you. I am a mother…. and you are too… and no matter how overwhelming the holidays can be as they surge like white (christmas) rapids through a narrow month and half canyon… You are going to do great at so much of it. You will buy the gifts and deck the halls like no hall has ever been decked before. Some things will go just as you planned and some will slide sideways… count it all as a win, you are amazing and you will rock the socks stockings off the holidays.
But here is the thing… the second secret is… and this will change your life… you need to carve into this holiday season and right where you gape it open, insert time. I know… time is a tricky thing and all the merry making and such burn straight through that bullion-like commodity. Much like the scotch tape and scissors, time never seems to be where you left it.
The key to acquiring more time, which I wish I had learned many many babies ago, is to breathe. They taught us it for labor… but who knew it was a life hack for getting more time? This God of ours… He did everything with breath… He breathed into us… He used His breath to create the stars in the sky… and when Jesus wanted to pass on the gifting of the Holy Spirit it says He breathed it onto them. When we connect with our breath we are connecting with one of the very first things He ever shared with us.
So breathe…. in for a count of four… hold for a count of four….out for a count of four.
Breathe…. when that family favorite gets a bit blackened and take out is required
Breathe…in that delicious hot drink and lock eyes with that person you love.
Breathe…. as you slink your cold feet beneath the sheets and tuck them under his warm legs…. because he hates it but he loves your nearness
Breathe… before you get out of the warm car and everything is remotely hushed.
Breathe… before you flip the page on a lovely Christmas Jan Brett book as you drink in these lovely babies of yours who may not remember what they got this year but who will never forget their mother used to snuggle them.
Breathe because it is a gift that every mother knows is true as they wait to hear the first one from their newborn.
Breathe because doing so is like a momentary Sabbath , reseting and resting simultaneously.
Breathe because it is a type of holy communion… it is one of the very first gifts He ever gave us… and each second we stop time and breathe we are offering up this moment in remembrance of the One who gave all of these moments to us.
So breathe…. in for a count of four…. hold for a count of four…out for a count of four.
