confessions from a non-decorated home

i'll be honest, it has been a challenge for me to not get all knotted up in the fact that my home is not decorated for christmas yet.
in fact, i'm not exactly sure when it will be completed.

for years, i pulled out the plethora of christmas decorations the second week of november. it would take me about two weeks but i'd be all done by thanksgiving. but the last couple of years i've wanted a much 'less decorated' home. i really don't want the clutter, albeit cute festive clutter, all over my home. makes me nervous. and this year, i want even less clutter.
especially with my dark floors and white furniture finally the way i've dreamed...

i mentioned this less is more plan to savannah who promptly told me that one of the main reasons christmas is her favorite holiday ( besides the obvious birth of christ) is the way our home is decorated.
who knew?

i look back at photos of how my home was decorated years ago & i think...WHY? why did no one save me? seriously. manic clutter everywhere. oh my word. now i love it in shops and other peoples homes but why oh why did i have every single piece of christmas decor that i owned all over my house? there is no answer.

i think i sorta feel guilty not using all of everything. isn't that the stupidest thing? i mean just because i have red & white polkadot goodies doesn't mean i need to mix them with all things glittered. every single ornament does not need to hang from the tree every single year.
 liberating thoughts. i know.

fresh greenery
vintage ornaments
silver & gold
there you have it
that's the plan

so anyway, back to the uncompleted home.
here is a list of my disclaimers if for no one else but me~
i worked day shift at my job on thanksgiving day.
i've done a few photoshoots....another story for another post.
savannah is knee deep in basketball cheering & emi is soon to start her season. yep, two girls cheering basketball. otherwise known as the sport with a gazillion games that never ends.
i've been sick for a week.
i have a teenager who is lobbying to be at the mall first thing friday morning. shoot me now. not to be confused with the teenager old enough to drive herself and her closest friends who plans on arriving at said mall at five a.m.
& it should rain all day the day after thanksgiving. making for a tough time getting a tree.
i may have as many as three photo shoots saturday.
sunday we have church morning & evening.
monday is my sweet guy's birthday.
so
the house may get decorated in december. not november.
big deal, right?

tonight i came home to a house that i truly grateful for
with 5 people who i love more than life itself.
after eating dinner with a brother who i think hung the moon & his fantastic wife
& her incredibly talented sister. ( go dawgs)
and my parents who have been married to each other for over 44 years & love each other like it has only been 44 days.
my heart is full .....

we were finishing up our dinner when dan got a call. one of his friends had passed away tonight. a young man who loved the lord & was an excellent role model to the kids he taught. absolutely heartbreaking.
to the williamson family, you are in our prayers tonight. we are so sorry....

that call , a bittersweet reminder of the fragility of life. a reminder that death is no respector of holidays.

14 years ago my friend susan came over and wrapped christmas lights around the tree for me.  gregg had passed away a couple weeks prior to thanksgiving.  that labor of love, i will never forget. was it before or after thanksgiving? it matters not. the sweet friend who wanted to 'be there for me'...that's what i remember.

anyway.

my home may not be decorated yet for the holidays.
but i pray my heart never loses site of what THE holiday is all about.
i pray i never get so busy worrying over things that although are nice and lovely, are only temporary and lose vision for what is eternal.

matthew 6.21

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.