After the Holidays Are Over

I know, it’s been almost a month since I last posted or at least it seems so. I was going to post last week but didn’t have anything ready so this week I got on it (well after prompting from Mom).

This Christmas was a different one. I learned a whole new meaning of the word melancholy, for it seemed like that was how my holiday was going.

I’ll be brutally honest with you, I struggled the weeks leading to Christmas. I know what Christmas is all about, I know what our focus is to be, but I also know it is a special time to be with family and share those traditions you always do together.  There seemed to be a void in that department. I was far away from family this year. My one sister was now halfway across the county and every one else was up north. And it seemed every time I planned something so my husband could help it fell through.

And then… it seemed  we weren’t going to able to go home on Christmas day, only 3 days on the weekend. It was rough, yet I knew I should get over it, my sister wasn’t able to come home at all. To make a long story short, I gave up on getting home, or at least I tried to. I was sad and on the verge of bursting out in tears every time I thought about it.

I poured out my heart to the Lord, because I knew it was all rooted in selfishness and un-contentedness. Boy, that’s about my biggest struggle lately. I can’t go into it here, but you pray for me. I struggle to be content with where I am in my life. My birthday is coming and I wish there things in my life that aren’t here. And I must learn to be content. I must, I must.

My Amaryllis on Sat. (a gift from our landlady)

Anyway… We did manage to go home for Christmas, for a good five days. It wasn’t enough time but I was content with it despite being sick with a cold my loving husband gave me for Christmas. The presents were great,but the family time was greater.

I did have great fun surprising my husband with the vintage harmonica he thought was gone forever. And he bought me something I had wanted for a long time- A digital SLR camera, with lenses and all the goodies. So I’ve been busy, snapping pictures here and there.

If you look closely, Monkey’s face is at the top.

I also found a picture challenge on Pinterest for the month of January, with a different topic for each day (thanks Gina!). It’s been fun experimenting. I’ll try to do a post on that soon, maybe at the end of the month with all the pictures. Here’s one:

The theme was lunch for January 1st.

I’ll try to post again soon. If you could keep Working man’s work in your prayers, the weather’s been a real issue, but the Lord’s in charge of the weather and He takes care of our every need. Working man just doesn’t like to be home all day without something to do.

While the fire roars in the stove I’m going to go watch some Leave it to Beaver with my husband for the last few minutes of the evening…