My New Motto...

My Christmas motto this year is.....drum roll please....... 

"It doesn't have to be perfect." 

And if you know me...at all...you know that's BIG for me! 

So guess what?  This year, when Ella only took a few minutes and then pointed to a tree that was NOT semetrical exclaiming, "I want this one!"  I recited said motto in my head and responded, "It's beautiful!  Let's cut it down!"

I decided to go ahead and let Jason rip out a wall in our living room the day before Thanksgiving.  Knowing full well it would be in mid renovation during the whole Holiday Season.  But instead of keep people out, I recited said motto and have invited girls over for tea, friends over for Ella's birthday, people for game night...oh and BOTH of our families for Christmas Celebrations.  There may very well be exposed studs, gaps in floors and wires hanging from the celing when our families gather here...deep breath...recite motto (Hey I didn't say it was EASY for me :)

Because our house is in mid renovation, I have no disire to clean it until it's all done!  So dust and cobwebs are accumulating as I type!

I did not can a thing this year (remember...I was really pregnant...and then having a baby...and adjusting to life with two) so there are no homemade goodies to do our usual wrap and deliver to neighbors and friends.  They'll get a card....and maybe some cookies...if I whip some up! 

Instead of keep everyone around for agonizing click after click to get a "perfect picture", I had my sister take two shots and said, "One of 'em is bound to be good enough!"  Thus, our Christmas picture has Josiah making a dreadful face and Ella donning a half hearted smile.  Hey, it's a more realistic peek into our life anyway! 

And you know what?  It's all okay, because...say it with me now...It doesn't have to be perfect!

I like this years motto.  In fact, I think I'd like to make it my life motto.  Because the less time and energy I spend on trying to make things "perfect", the more I can spend on being real, and savoring the moments, and concentrating on the important things.  Things like messy baking sessions with my little.  Snuggling and reading Christmas book after Christmas book.  Thanking God and counting our blessings, pinning our leaves on our blessings wreath.  Singing Christmas carols.  Praying for others.  Giving to others.  Spending time with friends and loved ones...the list goes on. 

And really, the most important thing is the One who IS perfect!  God's perfect gift of a Savior born to us.  THAT is what I want to spend time on, what I want my family to ponder, what I want my kids to learn...and by golly, I think it's happening.  Because not only do I have a little one that MAY OR MAY NOT have told pre-school mates that Santa isn't real. (Don't worry, she's a very quiet girl and basically just whispered it when others were saying he was real.  We're not out to ruin anyone's fun and we still partake in Santa fun too.  Afterall, St. Nicholoas was real...and we talk about how Santa is based on him.) But she also makes up impromptu songs that are compilations of the truths about God.  And she's theologically dead on. 

My absolute favorite is this... Whenever she's been playing with her manger scenes...this is how I find them.  "Everyone is worshiping Jesus," she tells me. 

My heart bursts with joy each time I run across one of these.  Not only because I know my little girl's heart is soft to Jesus, and the truths we are asking God to help us teach her are sinking in.   But because it makes me stop...pause...and remember our Savior born in a manger...

and worship Him!