The Christmas decorations are down. Our mantle, which was filled with festive greens and twinkling lights, is now bare. And my husband is urging me to redecorate it, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
Not yet, at least.
You see, I love the Christmas holiday. I love how the decor makes everything feel warm and cozy and the atmosphere surrounds you like you’re walking around in a comforting hug. But now that it’s down? Turns out I love that, too.
It’s clean and uncluttered and fresh and invigorating. I know some people can’t stand the emptiness that comes once the Christmas decorations are put away, but this year I’m loving it.
The other night as I was drifting off to sleep, I started thinking about our day-to-day life. Maybe it’s the endless pandemic protocols, the fact that my kids are older and need far less hands-on support, or just the doldrums of January. But my life felt uncomplicated and uncluttered. Painfully so. So I began brainstorming ways I could fill it. And not just little ways. BIG ways. Ways that would fill every last bit of margin in a family that feels like it has plenty.
And then I remembered the mantle.
It just finished a season of fullness and chaos and beauty. And I’m not ready to decorate it yet, but when I do I’m thinking about adding a couple of candlesticks and maybe another small piece or two. I’m not totally sure yet, but I do know one thing: I’m not filling all the empty space.
So I returned to my thoughts about what’s next for this life. And while there are definitely times to pray for BIG things in our family, I’ve realized this is not mine. Instead I’m praying for small and meaningful ways to make a difference rather than vacillating wildly between FULL and EMPTY.
Just because there’s empty space doesn’t mean it all needs to be filled.
Do you struggle to accept margin in your life? How do you decide what deserves your time, energy, and commitment? Tell us in the comments!
