Midweek Moment: Black Friday, Red Hot Monday….

Did someone holler Road Trip? Oh the thrills, the excitement of hearing ,”Are We There Yet”, a total of thirty- six times, my eight year old daughter screaming ,”mama he’s looking at me”, while my son  is shouting, “get a life”, the music blaring on the DVD player as we sing along with Little Orphan Annie , “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you tomorrow”, the motion sickness, the occasional poots (from the men of course), the bathroom stops, ahhhh It makes me  just want to flip my wavy brown hair back, as I imagine it is blowing in the wind and pretend to be Barbara Streisand and sing out,” Memories”…..

 SO we decided to load our gang up into the Tahoe for a little road trip on Thanksgiving Day. Little luggage, very little makeup, a half empty can of hair spray, no curling iron, no Spanx, not even a blow dryer… already I feel an anxiety attack. Did I say no makeup?

While others had traditional hot meals planned of Turkey, ham, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie…… our lunch bags were full of Peanut Butter & Nutella Sandwiches, raisins, white chocolate covered Oreos and sour worms for dessert! You talk about getting the mom of the year award!! Move over Angelina Jolie, The Brady Bunch and June Cleaver. I am sure to be sharing that trophy this year. What makes it even greater is that after being hounded  all day by my thirteen year old son to drive him to an early morning sale, I gave in and awoke at 2:30 in the morning to stand in line for over two hours so that we could retrieve a much wanted item on his Christmas list. You KNOW I am sure to get cream filled chocolates  and roses along with that there trophy! I know what you are thinking…… please don’t burst my bubble. Just let me dream.

I’ll be honest there’s  a little “rush” you get when you stand in a line two hours early to get a ticket for a discounted TV and they tell you there are only twenty and you get number fourteen, whew, it makes you want to shout! I loved that kind of “bonding” with my son. Without a doubt Tyler has already picked up on my shopping traits. He has more shoes in his closet than most of my friends and can sniff out a bargain thirty miles away.

BUT come Monday….  Well, I call it Red Hot Monday, because it describes my attitude sometimes when I am making the adjustment from coming back from a family trip. There’s the unpacking, the three extra loads of laundry, the cleaning out of Saturday’s biscuits or donuts from underneath  the car seats, playing catch up from all the delayed house chores, sorting of the mail, the adjusting of schedules from staying up late & sleeping in, the emails, phone calls…. it can be so overwhelming! Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the true meaning of the season. Will my kids remember me for how I folded their underwear or pressed their jeans or will they remember those fly by night, family excursions? This holiday season I don’t want to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle that I overlook the true spirit and meaning of Christmas. What memories can I create for my family, how can I show my children to offer God’s hope to someone who is struggling financially, someone who is suffering from loneliness, isolation, a sickness, or struggling with a broken marriage? I can tell you that within a matter of weeks Black Friday, presents and trees will be a thing of the past in my sons mind. For one thing,he will already be planning his gift list for his birthday party in May, yet the time I took with him to create that lasting Christmas bond  at 2:30 a.m. in the morning with absolutely no makeup, no hair spray, & no spanx will forever live on within his memory.

I am proud to say that this will be a weekly post by my wonderful and beautiful friend, Beverly. She is part of a marriage ministry that will rock your socks off. Not only is she talented, but she is the probably the most genuine person I have ever met. She has agreed to write a post for me every week for the sole purpose of encouragement. I love her writing and I am just glad she is going to be a regular on this blog. Check out the end of the article to find out more about her and her wonderful site, Intentionally Yours.

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