"Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of.
But don’t compare yourself with others." (Galatians 6:4, CEV)
After a quick trip around Blogland this morning, I am stunned
and amazed by all the beautiful sights and tales of Christmas Day.
The majority of our celebrations lie ahead of me yet.
While many of you are cleaning up after the events of yesterday,
I'm spending the day attending to the basics of food preparation, cleaning house,
making up beds, and firming up plans for the weekend.
My house and decorating and planning fall SO short of all I've seen,
and to my horror and shame, I discovered a seed (or weed) of panic, envy and discontent
lurking just under the surface of my consciousness.
Crowding it out, was the memory of the words - GOD'S words through Apostle Paul:
"Don't compare yourself with others."
And so I took the time to find the whole verse.
Galatians 6:4.
I NEEDED that - and now I'm off! To do my OWN work well today....
Counting my blessings,
rejoicing with those who rejoice,
weeping with those who weep,
and determined NOT to compare myself with others!
I DID have a quiet, lovely Christmas Day. We spent it
with my parents enjoying a fine meal, table games, a few games of shuffleboard,
and a drive through their small town's Festival of Lights.
And my husband gifted me with the tree (above)
based on an idea I'd "filed" in my Pinterest's Christmas category.
After the weekend, I'll figure out how/if to finish it--
maybe stenciling some words on each "branch".
Good morning dear Rebecca ~ Since I've been blogging I've noticed the discontent that can crop up by seeing all of the beautifully decorated homes and wonderful gardens. That can eat away at you taking the joy that you had with who you are and what you have. I didn't want to be discontent and have prayed about it and feel more at ease with who I am and what I have. I don't know what God has in store for me, but I do know He holds me and all of my tomorrows.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this lovely reminder from Galations.
I think that little tree is sweet and having different words on each branch a lovely idea.
Love and hugs to you ~ FlowerLady Lorraine
Indeed, Lorraine! I've been aware of it before and DO try to "nip it in the bud"! There are so many OTHER perks to blogging that I don't want to spoil it.
ReplyDeleteLove and hugs to YOU. ♥
Thank you for this reminder. I catch myself wishing our family was like theirs or my house was decorated like that one. I have so much to be thankful for and need to be peaceful and content - working on it. I know the rest of your Christmas will be great because you are just that kind of person. Take care.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Rebecca, thanks for the reminder, May your Christmas celebration this weekend be filled with many joyous memories.
ReplyDeleteWishing you continued blessings in the New Year!
Hugs,
Sue
Remember that reading blogs is like seeing the highlights of other's Christmas while we see all the behind the scenes mess and stress of our own holiday. :)
ReplyDeleteI love your wood tree project. I'm probably going to start putting the Christmas decorations away today. After a month, I'm ready for the decluttering to begin.
I know. I know, Elizabeth. Just have to remind mySELF of that frequently even though I "know" it :)
DeleteI hear you...
ReplyDeleteI looked at a bunch of blogs in a Christmas decor party and was a amazed at what I saw. But you know what? I like what we do for us! We enjoy our home and our decorations. No stress here...
Glad you were able to spend your day with your parents and give them a Merry Christmas!
Deanna
Again, I must give kudos to your dear husband. I love the tree he gave you, and I'm assuming (based on what I know of his talents) that he made it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely gift...
And...I want to add that I love to play shuffleboard. We have a shuffleboard court at our lake lot, and when we get a chance, we (Paul, Mama, Daddy and I) play several games. It's so much fun!
Have a beautiful New Year, my friend.
Hugs,
J.
Both my mother and father continue to be able to play. They have a court in the Activity Center in their retirement village.
DeleteI think this happens at one time or another to most bloggers....I will jot the scripture down for future use. :)
ReplyDeleteThe scrptures are always in the nick of time my friend, so thank you, I always look forward to your posts, lovely lady. You are so blessed to have parents to spend Christmas with, how wonderful, that is a gift in itself. I have a mother which I didn't see this C'mas, as she had to stay for her two sons and their families, but tomorrow I will be home for her B'day!..she will be 83, but she's in great health. Wish you a wonderful New Year 2013, with lots of happiness and blessings by our Lord and may HE take you by HIS hand and guide you with HIS special light.
ReplyDeleteFABBY
I AM blessed. (My parents are 85/86.) And blessed to be guided by the Scriptures. They are instructive, corrective and encouraging...
DeleteI hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with your mother (I'm sure you will.) Happy New Year to you.
Blessings...my Christmas season was more sober this year and the decorations took second seat...but the joy was in Benjamin and his joy and how he reminded me of the real reason for Christmas. As we had my 97 year old mother in law here days before I was also reminded that seeing each other outweighed everything else.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your wonderful Christmas...and thanks for the reminder!!
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a lovely Christmas too. So wonderful you are going to be able to get together with your children and grandchildren this weekend, know you must really be looking forward to it.
That is a great scripture you shared, and always good to remember like you say, cause truly there is always someone better at something or better off than us, and there is always someone worse at something or worse off than us.
That is just a fact of life, so comparison is really such a waste of time,
and can just make us feel terrible or cause us to be puffed up.........lol
Course, the enemy of our soul always wants to feed us those thoughts if he can..........he is surely not a fair foe.......
You asked if we had New Years plans, we really don't......I was thinking today we should probably make some, guess I will see if they are having
a watch night service or not first. Most of the time it is just a nice
quiet night at home watching movies and then watching the ball drop, a kiss
and quick phone call to the kids to wish them Happy New Year and off to bed! The kids will all be together tho, they are all going out to dinner together along with some of their other friends. Us we prefer quiet and the safety of home on this night that so many celebrate with alcohol. We will be praying for our kids safety as they venture out.....lol
Hope you have a wonderful time with your family this weekend hon,
and a most joyous and Happy New Year,
Love and Blessings, Nellie
Such a Candid Post my Friend and a gentle reminder, because we can all find ourselves in that uncomfortable and tormenting place of comparisons. With me it's always my housekeeping shortcomings since a Domestic goddess I am certainly NOT... and behind a house full I find it difficult to keep everything clean, Styled and orderly as I often see here in the Land Of Blog! *Winks* But then I remember, this is not Reality exactly, it is Edited Realities to some degree... and certainly everyone's circumstances and resources vary and so the back end story of what it costs {and I'm talking more than dollar bills} has to be taken into consideration as well. I am content with my Life and in the areas I find myself to be weak or slack I can always be a Work In Progress if I so Desire. Sometimes the Shame and Embarrassment comes because it is an area we realize we might have done better at or want to do better at... and so it nags at our subconscious level because it is a Desire to some degree... at least that's what I find in myself. So I always ask the Lord to help me this day to do better at those things I strive to improve... and that which I can't, so be it! Have Fun with the extended Family coming to Visit for Christmas... and your Waves Of Christmas I can't wait to see and hear about!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
We spent Christmas Eve day with Friends and Family, and Christmas Day with other Family, and the day after with more family.
ReplyDelete........and, when we compare ourselves with others......it's never good, for we are either *better than they are* or we *don't have what they have*.
*others* should inspire us to do better.
Rebecca, I wish you could read my journal entries and devotional notes from today and see how it goes hand in hand with your post I just now read. THAT WHOLE comparing thing! ALSO that you wrote about Immanuel... God with us too. This isn't the first time God's used you to get my attention. Thankyou for sharing what you've learned .... once again you've blessed and encouraged me. xoxo
ReplyDeleteSooooooooo, I wish I could read 'em, too! (I had a similar experience this past week when I'd just journaled a prayer in response to a devotional I'd read...and then came a "confirmation" in the form of a tweet! No DOUBT God was active in the timing & arrangement and got His message across clearly!)
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