The Eye of the Storm

The week after Christmas is like the eye of a storm... I love it and have decided it is my absolute favorite time of the year. The weeks leading up to Christmas are a frenzy, producing stress as we scatter around to finish shopping for everyone on our list and as we plan menus, bake cookies, attend parties and send off christmas cards to all our cherished friends. As the New Year rolls in, it too is a busy time as we pick up speed, go back to work and switch to high gear determining to succeed in new years resolutions made. But.... ahhhh ...the week between Christmas and New Years... there's nothing quite like it. The kids are home, we are off work a few more days and we relax and settle into our own quiet little world at home together.

Over the years our family has developed a pattern during this week... we spread a big puzzle out and sit down together at our leisure and work on it as we talk about idle topics. We choose novels to read... this year I'm reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. GREAT BOOK! Each morning before I drag myself out of bed I give myself the luxury of reading my novel for 2 hours or as long as I want. We also enjoy sitting down to eat together for as many meals as we can... I especially love when Rick makes pancakes in the morning for everyone. We also keep a variety of board games purchased as family Christmas gifts under the tree... from time to time one of us will pull one out and suggest we play it together. We watch movies or GO to the movies together... this year we went to see "Voyage of the Dawn Treader". Most of the week we also keep a fire burning in the fireplace to add to the warm, homey, safe and welcoming feeling that just seems to ooze all over the place this sacred, special week of the year.

This week, tucked between Christmas and New Year's, is a gift indeed as it gives us margin to re-group before we begin yet another year in this thing called life. I believe the sacred week was made for rest! In the context of rest healing can happen... relationships can deepen, decisions can be made, new directions can be pursued and life becomes richer as we begin another year.

As you rest take some time in the last few days of this sacred week to make a date with yourself. Write down thoughts about last year... jouney back and record the big events that happened each month. Include your hopes, regrets, joys and emotions and then dream a little about the future. No need to make guilt producing promises just be honest with yourself and free yourself to dream. I plan to use what I have written as a prayer to meditate on everyday for 2011. It includes lessons learned, dreams I long for and love I hope to share to help others grow.

I hope the next few days, before 2011 comes charging in, you give yourself the gift of stopping to fill up with new thoughts to move you forward into your best year yet!