Me: Undressing in front of an open window

True story. The Hubs and I have a pretty dialed in routine. 

He makes the coffee while I start the laundry.

I fill the bowls while he pours the juice.

And apparently?

He closes the curtains to our cloffice. (Ya know, the closet/office.)

He was away for a shoot this week (the kind that involves cameras and drones, not guns) and I was deep in thought, pulling off layers of exercise clothes with nary a care.

It was only when I grasped the waistband of my yoga pants to tug them down that I happened to look up and realize – ugh, whoops – I’m changing clothes in front of an open window.

My goodness, I was grateful I still had a shirt on as I walked to the window and pulled the curtains shut.

Looks like I need to do a little bit more paying attention.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s can be pretty weird right? 

I often feel fuzzy about what day it is, or what I’m supposed to be doing. Do I have to pack up the Christmas stuff now… or can I leave it out until February?

But collectively – perhaps globally – we’re also in this period of transition. It’s not just about flipping the calendars and saying goodbye to 2020, though that’s part of it, it seems like something more. As vaccines roll out and we think maybejustmaybe there is an end in sight for this pandemic, there’s an awful lot to think about. 

What does that mean for you and me?

It could mean a lot of things. So instead of nailing down resolutions for 2021 or preparing to foist yourself back into your life pre-pandemic routine, I’d like to encourage you to just give yourself some time to pay attention.

Maybe while you’re paying attention, you can direct that attention to a few specific questions.

• What gifts can I remember with gratitude as I say goodbye to this season?
• Has living in a pandemic brought on some fresh anxiety for me?
• Are there new worries or fears that I perhaps ought to get into the habit of bringing to the cross?
• Has my pace changed in these pandemical times – and was any of that change perhaps for the better?
• How is my body feeling? How might I care for it better in the year ahead?
• Does the idea of new resolutions fill me with excitement or dread?

You see, friend, even if all of us have lived through 2020, each of us has lived a different year. We’ve had different wins and different losses. Different highs and lows, successes, and failures.

And God’s plans for you, precious you? They are different from His plans for everyone else.

So in the midst of ringing in the New Year with a bang or a quiet, peaceful hooray, consider this your permission slip to take some time to just pay attention to what your soul might need in this season of transition. 

While you’re at it, remember:

Be kind to yourself. Don’t ignore the unease or dismiss the discomfort. Our most important lessons often come out of the hardest seasons we face. So grab a notebook and a pencil if it helps, and see what you can learn by just paying attention.

Looking back can be a precious gift to our souls before moving forward. 

And maybe? You won’t undress in front of the neighborhood because you’re paying attention.

P.S. My favorite/most popular New Year’s Post from ten years ago – when we had just one little kiddo in the Collie family – will bless you, heart and soul, if you can take a moment to read it. (It’s really good news.)

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