Day 41

I always look forward to the Christmas season, but I was especially looking forward to my first one being married and celebrating this special time of the year with my husband.  I anticipated being filled with joy and writing about it for my faithful readers to enjoy.  I thought I was ready to embrace the busy bustle of the season filled with parties and times with friends and family. I predicted cozy days of baking Christmas goodies and wrapping presents in beautiful packages with ribbons and bows. 

It didn't quite happen like that.

Succinctly put: I survived. Barely. The last three weeks contained an onslaught of activities that left me exhausted and run down. I felt like I was running just to catch myself, and doing a poor job of it.  Don't get me wrong: there were many fun activities, good family times, and special moments during the last couple of weeks.  But the problem for an introvert like me is that I need to time to recover between activities, and I just didn't get that opportunity very much.  If I ever found a moment between running hither and thither, the house needed cleaned or the laundry needed washed or dinner needed to be made for the next day when I would once again be gone all day. That being said, I don't think I had as much joy this Christmas season as I was hoping for.   It makes me a little sad thinking about it.  I had a lot of opportunities, and I didn't make the most of those opportunities.  It wasn't that I didn't have joy, but that I could have had more of it.  That was the purpose of starting this blog, so that I would be more aware and make more of an effort to find joy.  I realize that I still have a ways to go.

As we begin 2012, I have a simple goal: I want to be better than I was before.  That does not apply just to this area, but to all areas of my life.  It's a big goal, but with God's help, I can achieve it. I find great joy in the knowledge that each new day is a chance to start again.  When I fail it's not the end.  When I miss an opportunity there's always another one.  Thank you, God, for grace.

May you find joy in this new year.