I am so excited about our family’s Great, Great Gentleness Experiment! It took us a little while to pin it down. The first idea or two didn’t work out. But I think that may be because God had something better in mind.
For the first time in our family’s history, we will not be spending Christmas Day with any extended family. It is a rarity for us, and I began to anticipate the gentle joy of a just-the-four-of-us Christmas morning. (I love our families, but sometimes it's nice just to be The Orwigs.) But it also got us thinking about all of the people we know who don’t have any extended family, or even immediate family to share the holiday spirit with. The pinnacle of holidays becomes a sad reminder of what’s missing in their lives. So we’re sharing the gentle love of Jesus by inviting some single, displaced friends over to share our Christmas Day with us. It’ll be casual, cozy, and oh so sweet. I’m really excited!
Of course, that’s not happening until the 25th. So what are we doing on the 20th, the actual day of the Great, Great Gentleness Experiment? Well, we’re spending some time together as a family, likely lounging around in our jammies for a bit and enjoying a wonderful breakfast…or maybe brunch. And then later in the day hubby and I are heading out of town for a mini-getaway. We’ll do a little last-minute gift shopping without having to hide the items in the cart under coats, eat at one of our favorite restaurants that the kids don’t like, go see a movie that doesn’t have a castle in the opening sequence, and then crash in a bed that neither of us has to make in the morning. All while the kids spend the night with wonderful friends. (That’s their act of gentleness—isn’t it awesome the way that works out?)
Yes, Virginia, even parents need a little gentleness.
I hope you and your family find a wonderful way to share gentleness together!
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