This blog was so graciously written by Niki Kredit, a long time volunteer and friend of Katelyn’s Fund!
I was at Hobby Lobby recently. To my delight I discovered that all of the holiday décor was 50% off! I don’t go shopping very often and very seldom buy anything that is not food or household necessities but I was in a shopping mood. The store was full of festive Thanksgiving and Christmas loveliness and I got bit by the bug for sure! I found some wall hangings that I really liked that were seasonal, which is something I don’t usually change but why not?! The picture hanging in the bathroom had water spots on it and was legit about 20 years old so I justified a replacement when I found something I liked.
The wall hanging I chose to put in its place is a blue and white sparkly scene in winter. There is a snowman in the trees and winter bunnies and birds perched on and around it. It is snowing. Pine trees are draped in heavy snow and it is both peaceful and whimsical. (These are 2 things I like to emphasize in the bathroom because….well you know. It is not a room to take anything too serious nor get too worked up!)
When I got home I put it up right away. I fall in the category of not decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving but this one was more winter than Christmas specific…..and we are beginning the stirring and talking and thinking and moving toward Christmas as of mid-November. Preparing for Christmas for me involves scheduling all the things and making sure there are no conflicts….church and school programs, family gatherings, etc.
There is a parallel I see here with adoption. When a family like mine and maybe yours is called to adoption it can feel like an invitation or an assignment. When the call came from God for us to start our adoption journey it felt like both an invitation and an assignment. Like mid-November, it felt like a wondering and a stirring, a thinking and a moving in a direction toward something exciting and awe- inspiring, as well as a small whisper of fear of the unknown and dread of the” what could happen”.
The third layer of the parallel (much like the third ball of a snowman) is when I consider what Christmas really means….as Christians we purpose ourselves to not forget the real and significant reason we celebrate this season…..the birth of Christ Jesus. We begin to talk and think and move and meditate on the season of Advent, the season of preparation that leads to the birthday of the One True and Only Worthy King Jesus.
In this advent season of preparing I choose to recognize the peace and the whimsy of the holiday….the peace that comes from the longer nights, and what the first snowfall of the season feels like when it lingers into dawn…..as the peace of Christ surrounds my soul even in the busy frenzy of the season. I choose to smile and delight in the whimsy of the holiday music, the decorations, the cookies and candy, the gift giving and receiving because these are all wonderful components of the best birthday party even planned!
Just so you know, I purchased 4 wall hangings at Hobby Lobby that day last week. I didn’t buy them intending to share them as a blog but whadayaknow…..here we are anyway. Stay tuned for picture number two coming soon.
