lifefullyinhabited

Ready, set, go, its Cyber Monday!!!! Well, I don’t know about you, but cyber deals started flooding my inbox on Thursday last week. So my strategy is to not go on any retail websites. I didn’t go shopping all weekend, not even for Small Business Saturday. Cyber Monday is a non issue for me.

I already got the best deal ever. The deal of a lifetime, the deal for all time.
I have the presence of God. Everyday, all the time, for now and all eternity.

Yes, eventually I will have to shop. And yes, I know retail people have to make a living, too.
But honestly, do we really show our loved ones how much we love them by buying them the cheapest goods on the planet for a holiday that has nothing to do with materialism?

Christmas, really is the best deal ever. God gave up something really precious so we could have His presence with us always. Christmas. Period.

You can have that deal too. Wouldn’t you rather have the promise of eternity in your hearts than a cheesy sweater on your back?

So before you all go clicking with your mouse and whipping out your cash and credit cards, stop and breathe and think for minute.

Give thanks. It’s only December 2nd. There really is more to life than a retail deal. Our loved ones deserve more from us than the hunt for a deal. Maybe they just really want our real presence to show up.

And maybe for the courage to do that, we need to have His presence with us.

There is something about the sound of the dog vomiting that wakes me out of deep sleep. Some people may hear that sound and, snuggled all toasty in their bed, would just turn over and deal with it later. Not me.

So that is how my day begins today. And the cleaning up happens right away. An hour later, I find the second pile. In a completely different room than the first. And I wonder, did I sleep right through the sound of the first episode? I must be getting old.

And for this I give thanks? Well, I am practicing giving thanks in all situations. So what kind of thanks can you offer for dog you-know-what. The only thing that comes to me is that at least I am up early enough to study my lesson for teaching K4 Sunday School.

And it is the first day of a new month, which I always love. I get to turn over to a new page on the calendar. I love that. It’s nice to be awake early to enjoy this calendar glow for a few more minutes.

It is also the first day of the last month of the year. Something wistful about that. December always screams past me in a terrific rush. This year I want to try to linger a bit longer in each day.
Try to stay present in each day a bit longer. As the days get darker earlier, I want to escape to my bed earlier and earlier.

Also, I am thankful that there were only two piles of you know what.