Holiday Imperfections....

I want to share my Big News FIRST -

I PASSED both sections of my state real estate licensing exam!!!

(Insert heavenly chorus singing "HALLELUJAH" right here.)

I can't even begin to tell you what a relief it is to have that behind me!  For the last few weeks, it felt like I was eating/breathing/sleeping Principles of Real Estate.  For the last two weeks, I haven't even made it to the gym and my body is really letting me know it's not happy about that!

But, now I feel that I can truly slow down and focus on enjoying this special time of the year.

We've already arrived at the last week before Christmas.  Unbelievable!  But, still plenty of time to wrap...and bake...watch our favorite holiday movies...and tweak the decorations.

With some time on my hands this morning, I got out and about and visited some of my favorite blogs.  So many inspiring posts, filled with awesome photos of lovely Christmas decorations....all so perfect!

However, out of the corner of my eye, this is all I can see.....

 YIKES!  Not very perfect, huh?   Eddie and I did some more Christmas shopping on Friday and this is where everything ended up....shoved behind the bed in the back bedroom!  But, in my defense, I had to get it out of sight (sort of) before the grandkids came over on Saturday.

Besides, this is the back bedroom, which serves as a guest room and office/staging area for me.  In addition to studying and hiding gifts back here, it's where all the gift-wrapping gets done.  (And, for the record, let me just say that I will never again use glittery ribbon when wrapping presents....never!  What a mess!!!)

Viewed from this angle, it truly looks like a mountain, don't it?

Oh, well, this IS "Real Life".  And sometimes, at least around here, "Real Life" gets a bit messy!   Although my attention was focused elsewhere for the last few weeks, I can now focus on getting the last of the gifts wrapped.  The ingredients for making Christmas cookies and fudge are already set out on the counter in the kitchen, just waiting for me to get started.  The house is freshly dusted, vacuumed and smelling like a Christmas tree (thanks to the wonder of a Scentsy burner); the laundry is almost caught up....

Whoa!  There I go already....planning to hustle and bustle to get everything just perfect, when mostly what I need to do is just sit down with a nice cup of coffee and Be Still, both in mind and body.

It's okay to do that once in a while.  Just let go of the desire to be perfect and embrace some of our imperfections.  (I don't know about you, but I really suck at being perfect....and I excel at being imperfect.  Consequently, learning to accept my imperfections, including a bit of mess here and there around the house, should be of utmost importance to me.)

So, as we enter the final countdown to Christmas, I hope you will excuse me as I slow down a bit and savor the moments.  After all, the kids are not going to remember how clean my house was when they look back on this Christmas.  They are going to remember the time we spent together, making treasured memories.  So, in the end, it really doesn't matter if "things" are not perfect. 

How are you spending these last couple of days?  Are you at a place where you can savor the moments and accept the imperfections? 

Wishing you peace and contentment as you prepare for the holiday...

Jane