Peace

The holidays can feel like a whirlwind. There’s a sense of excitement and eagerness. There is so much to prepare for, so much to do. We have gifts to wrap, cookies to bake, trees to decorate, traditions to be upheld, songs and books and movies to partake in.  And after it’s all said and done, there is the day after Christmas and … what?

Peace. The sense of peace that you’ve made it. All your loved ones were hugged or seen or spoken to. All the gifts were given, the songs sung, the books read, the traditions continued. There are probably leftovers in the fridge so there’s no need to cook much today. The kids are all happily engaged in their new toys. There is no more to do on this day but settle into the peaceful feeling of being done. 

And that’s what we’re doing today. We’re relishing in being “done” for the day. 

Sure, there are tiny scraps of wrapping paper on the floor despite having gone over it multiple times. There are piles of toys and art supplies and gift cards spilling over the tabletops. And every single fuzzy blanket we own is either wrapped around a child or sitting discarded in a heap on the couch.

But the simmer pot is on and it’s giving off the deliciously satisfying aroma of Christmas spices. Many cups of coffee have been had in our beautifully crafted new mugs. Breakfast was pour and go: cereal and frozen fruit. And we’re using the heater to stay warm this morning, not the lovely but high-maintenance wood-burning fire. Easy. Comfy. Peaceful. 

It’s not that I don’t have a million things running through my mind. I do. I could get lost in all the tasks I need to get back to after the holidays. I could put a hundred items on my calendar and still feel like I didn’t fit it all in. I could stress out about the laundry or the floors or the million other chores I’ve been doing the barely been doing over the last two days. But I won’t.

I’m choosing peace. I will sit in the post-Christmas mess and enjoy the time spent with my family. I will vaguely consider all the things I need to do on Monday without letting tension creep into my shoulders. I will do a couple things around the house that will make a small contribution to a large project without getting overwhelmed by it. I will pray about our future plans instead of worrying about them. 

I choose the peace that is offered to me everyday by Christ. Peace in the midst of noise and mess and life.