The beauty of our unintentional simplified Christmas

Christmas morning 2021

Can you guess who ISN’T sick?

Our Christmas break hasn’t gone as planned. 

….Canceled our surprise gift to the boys- a fun vacation Dec 21-24. 

….Canceled our plans to go visit extended family Dec 26-29. 

…..While our boys were playing sardines inside, they found a certain stash of presents from a certain someone. Luckily they were already wrapped, but still…..

…..The disappointment, worry, and exhaustion from little sleep and taking care of sick kids.

Let’s just say it started to weigh on me. 

During one of my little girls naps I laid down to try to catch up on sleep and just have a couple minutes to process through all my emotions. As I lay there crying, my sweet 5 year old boy quietly came into my room and whispered, “love you mom, love you a 100 meters.”

As a very needed smile spread across my face, my focus was immediately realigned as my heart swelled with that deep mama love. 

He didn’t know yet about all the canceled plans but he did remind me of what mattered. 

My focus had shifted to the stuff. 

What matters?

• That pure love I felt from my little boy. 

• The happiness I felt from my little boy both in his heart and what he helped me feel in my own heart with a refocus. 

• The real meaning of Christmas. 

“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” – President Russell M Nelson

Life throws new circumstances at us regularly. I’m learning that focusing is a daily grind. It’s a daily endeavor of bringing back our thoughts to what really matters. And what really matters is what really brings joy. 

Vacations are fun and memorable, but it’s not what matters. 

The new toys and gadgets are fun, but it’s not what matters. 

So I’ve found a beauty in our unintentional simplified Christmas.  

And I’m so grateful I have my tiny teacher to help me remember and relearn again and again that what I make matter by my daily focus will determine my level of happiness.