Kristen's Blog

I would like to share with you some thoughts I wrote down a few years ago.  It is a reminder to everyone, including myself, to stop and appreciate family during this holiday season.   During this season, it is easy to get wrapped up in the busyness of life and forget about the true meaning of Christmas; to celebrate Christ’s birthday.  During this celebration we should be focused on our friends and family, not worrying about the hustle and bustle that the world brings to this season.  This is just a quick reminder in the midst of life to stop for a moment and be thankful.

Written November 12, 2007:

As I visited my grandmother-in-law’s home today, who is now in a nursing home, I was reminded of the value of family.   This reminder occurred to me as I walked through her home that is being prepared for an estate sale.  All her possessions now have a price tag on them.  Her pots and pans that she once cooked family meals with now have a price tag.  Her bed that she once slept in also has a price tag.  Sadly, everything in her home has a price tag.

As I walked through her home, I couldn’t help but to think about how this precious home was once full of life, and how it is only full of “stuff” now.  My walk made me think about all the  memories that were made in her home.  We will no longer have the visual reminders that are in and surrounding this home.  We will no longer be able to touch the tree that my husband climbed as a young boy or see the kitchen and living room that our family once gathered in at this small house. How sad is that? How sad that so many Christmas’s, Easters, New Years and other celebrations were spent gathered at the dining room table that is now gone.  The dining room is now filled with just “stuff” to be sold at the sale.

Once there were little feet dancing on the hardwood floors and little babies crawling on it. My husband’s aunt spent her last days at that house dying of breast cancer. Oh, the wonderful days of visiting her at that  house. My mother-in-law grew up in that house. What must she be feeling?

All I know is I have to hold onto God’s love for me and treasure my family everyday. Taking this visit made me realize that I need to treasure my family everyday of my life because one day my house will be empty. One day there will not be little feet dancing on my floors due to the inevitable circumstance of change. One day, it will just be an empty house full of “stuff” instead of laughter. Our family is one of the most important parts of this life and during the hustle and bustle of this holiday season we need to stop and remember that. We need to never take our family for granted even when their driving us crazy!

God bless,

Scripture of the day:

He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23 (New American Standard Bible)

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 7:20 pm and is filed under Hope. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.