Before you decide you can't do all these gatherings...remember God designed family.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I love the holidays! Everything feels cozier and a little more full, with all the traditions, family, special activities, and food. There is so much to experience and I want to practice being in the moment. Sometimes I get so caught up in the details or making an event happen that I don't experience it fully. If I’m honest, I also use this behavior to deal with the people or situations I'm not happy with and call it contentment. I'm pretty sure the secret to being content in all circumstance that the apostle Paul talks about is not avoidance.
God has intentionally set us up inside a family unit
We didn't get to state our preferences or make a choice. As our Creator, He decided which people to surround us with and placed us in that family. I know family dynamics can be hard and I’m confident God does too. I still gather at my Grandma's house for Christmas. She is the mom of 10 and has 43 grand/great-grandkids. We all squeeze in her little house for three days and two nights. This situation is not ideal! - it's hot and crowded, my kids only eat sugar and stay up really late, we don't all believe the same things or behave the same way and there is almost always drama. I could easily say this is too much and not add this chaos to my family's holiday. But they are my people! I am who I am because of them, the good and the bad.
God wants to teach us the secret of being content in all circumstances.
Let's not disguise our contentment, but see our behaviors for what they are and use every situation to see what God want to teach us now. Learning contentment will take practice. This week seem like a good week to start, right? (I know, I'm not so sure either, but I think the first step won't hurt that much.) We can begin by renewing our mind toward the family God's given us. Each person - sisters, brothers, moms, dads, in-laws, and our kids were placed on purpose in our family.
Join me in praying this week.
Thank you, God, for loving us so personally and completely that You use every part of our lives to draw us closer to Yourself. We confess we don't always want to be with this family you have chosen for us, but trust You are using every situation for our good or their good. Thank you for having an intentional plan to grow us and train us inside a family - what an all-knowing amazing God you are. We offer our holiday season to You and ask You to help us renew our mind, keep safe boundaries, and honor You in all our interactions.