Author: Kim

Meat or Manna?

Published on by Kim

Count your blessings. It’s all over — on coffee mugs, pillows, bumper stickers. It comes up often around Thanksgiving. We know we need to do it more often, even if it seems cliche.

We need to count our blessings because we have so many, enough that any count we do can only be a start. God provides all His children need for life and godliness. Most of us have been blessed with luxuries far beyond that as well.

In one convicting sermon I remember, we were challenged by the preacher to think about how often we “scream for meat while manna falls softly on your shoulders”, just like the Israelites. Ouch.

In this holiday season, the manna is falling. Every day. Daily bread. We have what we need in delicious plenty.

At the same time, in this materialistic world, the siren call of the meat is everywhere. Our wants are being highlighted and tickled. What do you want for Christmas? Bright shiny things on display in every store. Sales are everywhere. I want things I don’t have. I want it. I need it.

So where is your focus? Let’s live today in gratitude for God’s gracious provision.

Christmas Decorations

Published on by Kim

What to do with ALL THAT STUFF?

Decorations do help make this holiday season a beautiful and special time to celebrate and remember. They can also be an expression of creativity that blesses our Creator, the maker, and all the viewers.

But they add up. More boxes are needed to store them. The closet door has trouble closing in January. Sound familiar?

So…back to our question: What can be done with all the decorations?

Consider where they are stored. If you have a place that is out of the way, hidden until opened once a year, and a manageable size, you are helping yourself a great deal. Tripping over the cascade of ornaments in July doesn’t make anyone happy. For many years, all my decorations were stored in an antique chest that served as an end table year-round. I opened it twice a year, once to decorate and once to store again. The rest of the time it was a great table.

Is the size of the storage space reasonable for your purposes? Think about what is important to you when decorating for the holidays. Do you have more than is serving your goal? There is a difference between finding a space to put stuff and deciding how much space you would like to assign for certain things. Look at the purpose and then find the place.

Reflect on what is stored. Again, think about your goal with decorating and pass on what you do not use and doesn’t meet your purpose. Just like clothes, you don’t need to save a wreath for 10 years after you start using one that suits you better — or just in case you ever might want to display it. Be intentional about your stuff, just like you carefully spend your time and energy.

Have a plan for how stuff is stored. Use the closet tips we’ve talked about before. Label, label, label. Know what you have. Contain stuff. Fix it before you pack it up; you won’t want to do repairs when you are ready to decorate. Put it up so it’s easy to take down when you want it.

May you have a merry and beautiful Christmas! And more organized storage for next year…