Popsicles and Popcorn: Busy, Busy, Busy

I realized I hadn't posted anything here since Thanksgiving! It is now Christmastime! I have been so busy. I do not wear "busy" as a badge of honor. I despise it! Somewhere our society has made busy something to strive for. You are viewed as a good parent if you have your kids doing activity after activity. After all, won't they miss out if we don't give them all these "opportunities"? What happened to kids just playing outside with neighbors. Or playing house or school? My good friend Sally commented once, "I remember being a kid and running out the back door to just play and hearing the screen door slam."Kids don't do that anymore. We shuttle them to and from one activity to another and feed them fast food along the way.We start this at the ripe old age of preschool. I even have family members who ask why I haven't signed my "Littles" up for some sport. Because they are 6! They need to play and pretend and ride their bikes and argue with one another and learn how to solve problems.

What are we (Americans) doing? I ask myself this question. With 5 kids life is going to be busy. I get that. But when you can't even get a breath? Somethings gotta give! Some of the choices we have made need to be reexamined. My kids love sports. I love sports and I love watching my kids play sports. They are good at what they do but.......at what cost? And the volunteer things I take on may be good things but.....at what cost? I find myself making dinner most days at mid morning because the rest of the day is too full. (I refuse to eat out all the time) My friend Allison lives in Germany and I am so jealous. Their way of life is so different. They linger. They slow down and have long meals. They enjoy talking with friends and neighbors. Stores are closed on Sundays. Striving for the next level doesn't seem to be the driving factor of their lives. Enjoying life and its pleasures is what life is about there. I want to live there. Actually, I want to live in Lego village. We have a Christmas Lego village and we collect and set up each year. I want to live there. I want to stroll down the street and have a pastry at the bakery and a cup of coffee. I want to walk to the shops. I want to go to the town center and watch the Christmas tree lighting. Enjoying the blessings. My prayers have actually been to live in "Lego village"....seriously!!!! I am hoping if God moves us, He places us somewhere like that.

So I am doing some soul searching and praying for God to direct my/our paths for 2013. I want to linger. I want to have a long meal and share. I want to have long talks with my children. I want to read more than one short book to my kids at night. I want to sit by the fire and watch a movie once in a while. I want to be where God wants me/us to be. I don't think He wants "busy". How can we hear Him if we are so busy? How can we find the blessings He places in our lives if we are always running, and hurrying? As we all saw today with the school shooting, life is short and it can change in a blink.

Yes, I have found the time to squeeze in the Christmas stuff as these pictures show. But I don't want to squeeze it in......I want to soak it in and slow down.