Although the pandemic was an incredibly scary time for most of us, riddled with uncertainty, my family believed Covid-19 was a blessing for us – because it was the main reason we moved back to Oklahoma from Los Angeles. It also allowed us to spend as much time with each other as possible, since we weren’t able to leave the house. This is not to trivialize anyone’s experience with Covid. I spent weeks in the hospital with it, and unfortunately we lost people close to us. But in the midst of tragedy came something we were desperately seeking: time with one another.
When I think of Christmas, I think of time with family around the tree, sharing a beautiful meal, watching It’s A Wonderful Life, and celebrating our one true King’s birth. Admittedly, in years past, we hadn’t taken the time to do this with family. If we did, it was so brief and rushed that we couldn’t really enjoy our time with those we loved.
The word “boundaries” has come into my vocabulary more and more, especially since becoming a mom. I believe that if we don’t set them for ourselves, we are left vulnerable to allow others to set them for us. One of St. Luke’s values is balance, and our staff knows that sometimes balance might be difficult to come by. However, my mission has become protecting balance and keeping boundaries in my own life.
Psalm 128:2 says, You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
I believe this not only applies to us working diligently in our day-to-day life, but also to the time we choose to set aside for our children, spouses, parents, extended family, friends, and inevitably to our relationship with God.
I think boundaries and balance have everything to do with how we enter this Advent season. If we set real time aside to be in the Word, with God, and with our families, we can have better balance in our lives. I think we prepare ourselves to receive God’s gift and His blessing during the Advent season by allowing there to be room and space to receive it in our hearts and in our schedules. It takes work, but I know that where there is work, there are blessings to follow.
Kelsey Paul, Director of Arts Education and LifeLight Worship Leader
