Last week husband Jack and I had a "discussion" about driving. . . mostly because I said "Whoa!" too much while we drove around Washington DC in the dark one evening. My position on the topic was that depth perception for midlife women is not as accurate as men's, therefore I was perceiving Jack's driving as more reckless than it was. His position was that in all our married life he had never hit anything with a motorized vehicle so I should be able to trust his driving . . . or maybe just close my eyes!
Turns out, depth perception is typically more accurate in men at all ages, so there's no real reason for me to perceive Jack's driving differently at my current age. Perception is a funny thing, though. The way I see things, there is an impending crash just ahead. In reality, our front bumper is a good, safe distance from the car in front of us.
I wonder if my spiritual vision is any better. In busy seasons like the holiday season can be for me, everything can feel like a collision of demands on my time: shopping and baking to do, house to decorate, cards to address, parties to attend, presents to wrap and mail. Some mornings when checking my list and finding it extra long, I skip my morning Bible reading to devote more time to my to do's.
The extra time this gives me for my tasks is negligible, but the impact on the depth of my connection to God is noticeable, especially because I want to make the Christmas season spiritually meaningful. When my spiritual perspective is poor, my long list of obligations looks like an unavoidable car wreck. But when my spiritual perspective is focused on trusting the God of Christmas to guide me, I can find better ways to handle the holiday stress. I need that daily reminder of God's gift of love through Christ to keep my Christmas perspective true.
This week, husband Jack and I are taking a few days away from the hustle and bustle to hide away in a little cabin near Shenandoah. We plan to talk and pray about where God is leading us in the next year and how we can faithfully keep our eyes on Him no matter how crazy life gets around us. We have plenty of coffee, a cute little Christmas tree, and lots of quiet surrounding us. We are anticipating hearing from God and getting our spiritual perspectives realigned while we celebrate the season together.
And I only shouted "whoa" once on the way here!
Merry Christmas, dear empty nest readers! I'm praying that God will richly bless you this Advent season with a sense of His presence. May your home and your holiday be full with the joy of Christ! I'll be stepping away from this blog for the next two weeks to focus on family and faith, but I will return in January to talk about some healthy midlife habits. If you want to read ahead, check out this post from last year to see my perspective on resolutions.
Blessings,
Cindy
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