see?

it's the day after Christmas.  we didn't really do our usual Christmas stuff yesterday.  because of my sister's  work schedule and such we're doing 'family Christmas' (exchanging gifts and such) on new years day.  so yesterday we just chilled, went on a walk with the dog, and ate lots of cookies.  because of this and the lack of actually cold weather the last couple weeks it hasn't really felt like Christmas.  we didn't have presents under the tree until yesterday afternoon, we don't have Christmas lights up on our house, my sister isn't here. but i've been learning a lot lately about what truely matters, what God really calls us to.
yes, Christmas is very important because it is the day Christ was born and that's a pretty important thing.  like life-changing.  but our culture's obsession with the material reprocussions of Christmas and so many people's analysis of life during this season has taken over.  yes, i want to give special attention to His birth around Christmas, but i want to really live for Him all year around not just when the songs on the radio talk about His birth.  and a huge part of that is seeing.
truely seeing.
perspective is such a huge thing, as i'm realizing more and more.  He calls us to a childlike faith, simplicity.  to take life one day at a time and truely be thankful for everything.  to see where He has and is faithful and blessings He has given us each day.  to see today and praise Him for it, whatever it brings, and simply trust that He will provide tomorrow.  also, to see that we're in a battle.  that satan is lying to us everywhere we turn and to see those lies.  to see that He will win and is always victorious and that if we recognzie those lies we can lean on Him to defeat them.  it's about seeing and realizing, to really experience His Presence everyday and live the full life He offers.  it's a constant thing, to see, but it's soooo worth it.


p.s. i've been reading Practicing the Presence by Goldsmith and Waking the Dead by Eldridge... legit.