Perspective

So...yesterday.  Remember when I was so thankful it was Monday?  Well by Monday evening, I would have given anything to go back and start again. 

I decided it would be a good idea to clean out some closets in an attempt to make room for winter clothes.  Big's closet had obviously not been done in awhile...so I was there all morning.  I then got sidetracked by the extremely unorganized storage room next to Big's room.  In the back of the storage room is our Christmas Tree.  We have a big enough space that we were able to leave it up so I opted to drag it out.  I thought...I'll just drag it out and get it out of here so I can set up a table to wrap presents and do cards on.

Dumb Dumb Dumb.

I would never actually admit to Coach (even though he'll read this on here) that I should have waited.  Good grief.  At one point, the tree had split into three pieces and I had to hover over the entire thing holding in branches just to get it out of the door.  How he got it in there, I'll never know. 

Now...before you anti Christmas before Thanksgiving people get all mad at me...hear me out.  I am not decorating the tree.  I am not even turning it on...except to check the lights which DID NOT work.  I was simply trying to make room for gift wrapping and such. 

So.  I plug in the tree to see the lights in all their glory...and the tip top of the tree...DID NOT WORK.  I repeat...they don't work.  I then spent the next half hour trying to plug and unplug the lights.  Checking bulbs as if I knew what I was doing...when clearly I have absolutely NO clue. 

I decided I would finally wait for Coach to help, and moved on to organizing the gifts I had already bought.   I went in search of a small present I had purchased for my Sister in Law.  It was no where.  I searched and searched and searched.  It was gone.  If you know me at all...you'll know that it started to haunt me.  So I kept going back to the same places I had already been.  I recruited my friends to help...I yelled at the kids because of my own irresponsibility.  It was not pretty.

This all happened along with the cable box malfunctioning three or four times and my having to hold for approximately 32.4 minutes each time with the cable company when all I really wanted was some CHRISTMAS MUSIC TO PUT ME IN THE MOOD!

Sorry.  Sorry I was trying to "do" Christmas before it was time.  Sorry I was trying to make Christmas about something else.  It is Nov. 16th people...and I am already stressed about the upcoming Holiday.  Because I had a plan.  And it was a good plan.  To clean and organize and prepare for the "hanging of the greens" at my house.  Not that I am ready to decorate...but to be organizationally ready to decorate.  That is all I wanted.  To be organizationally ready to wrap presents.  To be organizationally ready to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ...oh...I see.  I get it.  I was trying to make Christmas about something other than Jesus.  Focus on the Season. Hmmmmm.  Okay.  So the next time I go to throw a hissy fit about the lights on the tree not working, I am to remember that the only light that matters was the star that led to Bethlehem.  And the next time I can't find THE gift...I am to remember the greatest gift we've ever been given...right?

He is the Reason for the Upcoming Season...I'll remember that.

Today I am thankful for all the stumbling blocks I came across yesterday.  Because this morning I have a new focus.  I am truly thankful for the lessons I learn when I can sit back and be thankful.  Thankful for things not working.  Thankful for lost gifts.  Because if it hadn't been for the stumbling blocks, I might have been on the same destructive path this morning.  I am also so thankful that we...the Nelson Family of 5...were able to sit at our table and have a meal together.  A real dinner.  It was wonderful...until Little burped and the big boys laughed.  Ugh.

Have a blessed day!
Referee of 3