Monday, December 19, 2011

Moms of the World...This One's for YOU

This is for all the harried, stressed, TIRED moms (or dads) out there
this busy Monday before Christmas....take my advice.  
Stop what you are doing (well, after you are done reading this of course....)


Stop what you are going to do NEXT before you do it, 
before  you start in on that laundry mountain,
before you begin the frenzied list of errands that is clearly going to stretch
into next Thursday, 
before you lose your mind in this Christ-mas season.


Do this.


Go somewhere private.  This CAN be done in front of others,
but if it's your first time or you're really stressed or 
not particularly "out there," it's best to be alone.


Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.


Raise your hands up to the heavens.  You can do the straight up 
style or the menorrah style, but get those hands up.


Focus on the God who loves you, 
who gives us this season to remember His Gift of His Son
who came to bring us forgiveness and mercy through 
His birth in a manger and His death on a cross.


Then, feel your own emptiness and tiredness and sing this
simple children's song.


(Although not a traditional Christmas song, it is
a traditional "week before Christmas song" for me!)


Give me oil in my lamp; keep me burning.
Give me oil in my lamp I pray. (Hallelulia)
Give me oil in my lamp; keep me burning.
Keep me burning 'til the break of day.
(now praise:)
Sing Hosanna, Sing Hosanna,
Sing Hosanna to the King of Kings
Sing Hosanna, Sing Hosanna
Sing Hosanna to the King.


Repeat as needed.  Your lamp and the whole holiday are empty without Him.  Admit that and everything falls into perspective. 


I just did this, and it has made all the difference.

1 comment:

gianna said...

I love this! I cracked up!

Almost every Sunday after church when I put all the kids in the van by myself and everyone is screaming and yelling at each other and me, I sing Loudly, "The Joy of the Lord is my strength! The joy of the lord is my strength. THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH, THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH! I sing it and sing it until everyone stops screaming at each other!