Holiday Survival 101

I didn’t forget to blog. I’ve been busy surviving the Thanksgiving holiday! Since my four school age children were on a four day school break, I decided to take off work. In my pre-school-break- mind, I had plenty of time to sit and write, cook, exercise, and read with my kids. My post-school-break-mind is almost broken!

Nothing—absolutely nothing, went according to plan.

I didn't follow the SCF plan.

I didn’t exercise [unless you count the 8 hours I walked during black Friday—shopping!]

Thankfully, Thanksgiving Day was on a ‘normal’ day on the SCF plan. Even though I didn’t fast on Wednesday, I was conscience every day of what I should have been doing.

Today I am thankful for new beginnings. The fact that I can jump right back in and continue on makes me smile.

How did you do over the holiday?

Do you ever dread going home for the holidays? All those unspoken questions circling the atmosphere…

Who will wear what?

Who gained the most weight?

Whose kids will behave or not?

Silly isn’t it? *If you don’t have sisters, you probably won’t understand (love you sisters!)

Let me share my holiday survival tips with you. Feel free to add to this list!

Holiday Survival 101

Dress comfortable—make sure you wear clothes that you will be comfortable in (no, that doesn’t include pj’s!) You don’t want to be tugging at your blouse or skirt or picking at your pants (if you get my drift).

If you’ve gained a few pounds since last year, don’t make excuses. Confidence is better than a spandex girdle. Stand up straight and enjoy yourself.

Let your kids be themselves. Relax! Even if they need more discipline you’re not going to accomplish anything in one day, except being stressed.

Accept your differences. Even though you and your siblings were born into the same family you are individuals. When you get married you merge your family culture with your spouses, creating a new family culture. Realize that you are not little Jane or Baby Jo—it’s okay to be grown up!

Last but not least—as an adult you are required to honor [honor: honesty, fairness, integrity in one’s belief and action. Webster] your parents, not obey them. To honor means you hold them in the highest esteem and respect, so you're honest and fair to them. You may not have the same rules or preferences you grew up with. You honor your parents by being authentic and transparent, not by trying to please them. They love you!

When I was growing up my parents did not allow my sisters and me to wear pants. It was a preference they had. I obeyed their rule while I lived at home [Eph. 6:1]. After getting married, my husband and I continued our parent’s preferences for a while, but realized that we were not being authentic. God had not asked us to follow those preferences. We were following them to please our parents—that made us guilty of pleasing men instead of God.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” –Gal. 1:10.

“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;” –Eph. 6:6

I believe in modesty. According to the Bible modesty is not preference, but a command [1 Timothy 2:9]—so my daughters and I wear pants, modestly. I respect my parents and honor them by being authentic and transparent with them. My actions should speak louder than my choice of clothing!

I’m sure that each of you has an example to share. Mine is just one of many I could share. The point is to understand our differences and give each other room to be individuals. It makes for much less stress and more family enjoyment!

What are your holiday survival techniques?