Peace and packing

I normally have a bit of trouble when it comes time to put the Christmas decorations away each year. I get sappy. From where the uneasiness stems, I don't exactly know.... but this year is worse. First of all, I love Christmas and "decking" our home out with lights, garland, and my Christmas tree collection. I love teaching Aaron about it all, from the birth of Jesus to where each ornament came from. So, for me, wrapping Christmas back up into the storage boxes is a little sad. It signals the end of another year, another blitz three-hundred and sixty-five days come to pass... left me standing in the living room staring at the bottom half of a naked artificial Christmas tree, listening to Van Morrison in one ear and the baby monitor with the other, thinking on all that will change before I see this tree again. It is not just the end of a year in the Stacer household, it is the end of an era, the Boerne days.

Since it makes no sense to return the refilled Christmas tubs to the attic, they are going to sit out, awaiting their turn to make the trip two hours north to a new attic. I said I didn't want to start any sort of packing until after Christmas... and now that time has come. The non-essentials first, since we won't know how long this crossover is going to take.

Anyway, just some of my thoughts. Putting out Christmas decorations generally makes me think of all of the things Jesus has made possible in my life. As I am packing them up this year I think of how God has guided us to a new home, how He is giving me (both of us really) an unfathomable peace about the whole thing, and has provided for us every step of the way. I look forward to what He has in store for our family over the next few months as He strengthens our faith and our ability to glorify Him as we navigate this experience.