Soldiering On

My little soldier- She is getting ready for the local Nutcracker performance.

A bright little moment today getting the pictures made for the program.

Sometimes the holidays are hard.

Sometimes you are struggling through something right in the middle of the holidays.

It might be a personal pain that no one really knows about or one that everyone is talking about.

No matter what it is, it is difficult to navigate the holidays with an ache in your heart.

How do you reconcile the celebration with the struggle?

The holidays alone, with all the expectations- the ones you put on yourself, the ones you put on others, the ones others put on you, can be a mine field of chances to lose it.

I don't have an answer.

I am not particularly good at waiting for God to show me the way to face things.

But wait I must.

I haven't a clue how to do it without Him.

While I wait, I will decide to make the holidays a treasure hunt.

I will find things to delight my heart in because my God is on the throne and I am His child.

Things like my son being asked to carry one of the wise men gifts for the Hanging of the Greens service at our church.

Cute little stinker.

Things like my husband having the whole week of Thanksgiving off.

Or my little girl getting me, my husband and my mom to bike ride with her.

Hammock time.

Seeing my Aunt for Thanksgiving and knowing she lost 15lbs by eating right- props to her.

The more time I spend treasure hunting the less time I will spend nitpicking.

It will certainly make the waiting easier.

And when at last my course is clear from my God above I will have a mental chest full of holiday treasure to boot.