Ignorant Historian

I’m on a roll…this blanket is also a present (recipient TBA). Sorry the picture is off…my new phone definitely doesn’t take as good of pictures as my last one. I might have to start pulling out my real camera (especially when it comes to niece time)!

I’ve lived in various apartments and townhouses for over 7 Christmases now, but for various reasons (space, non-celebrating roommate), I’ve not had a full-sized Christmas tree until last year. Even then, it was my roommate’s and her house, so while I was able to add my own ornaments and touches, the decorating was primarily hers.

Since this is the first year to be on my own, it’s the first time I’ve been able to decorate how I choose. Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I was excited. Growing up, my mom would literally put a tree of various sizes in every room (maybe still does…I’d have to count). Clearly, Christmas decorating is a big deal in my family.

Looking around my apartment and my budget, here’s what I came up with:

I made this small ceramic tree in middle school. It’s sitting on the kitchen/dining room ledge.

This nativity set was made by my grandmother (Hi, G. Zoe!). She made three sets: two for her daughters and she gave the third to me, her only, favorite granddaughter. This nativity set sits in the dining room, above the books that I’ve had checked out from the library for a long time… Maybe they’ll become a part of the double baby-watch, because I certainly haven’t been reading much fiction lately.

Since the birth of the Savior is the most important thing about this season, I actually have two nativity sets up. The other is on the bookshelf as you enter the apartment:

This wreath is on my front door (I realized I’ve been showing you pictures walking from the back door to the front. So if you climb up onto my balcony and come in the kitchen, this is the order you’d see things…). I assembled it myself, as I really wanted to use LED lights and loved this bow. The neat thing about these lights is that they’re also on a timer, so they’re on from 5-11 PM each night without me doing anything extra.

And finally, for the grande finale, the tree:

As you can see, I decided to make my tree match my apartment. Everything on the tree is new (that and  the wreath are this year’s new additions). I had wanted a prelit tree, but then I had a hard time finding one that used LED lights, and that was important to me. For less than the price of a prelit tree with traditional lights, I put this one together with lights. Best thing? It uses less than 30 watts so I’m not wasting energy and money.

I also had hoped to get a 7′ tree, but ended up “settling for a 6.5′ one. I’m so glad I did…I forgot to factor in how short I am. This one looks great in the space, and I’m able to reach the top. Barely.

For those of you who are skeptical about LED lights because their light is bluish, check out the “warm white” color. It is a bit brighter than what I’m used to with traditional Christmas lights, but not bad/weird.

I considered adding a stocking (or two…being optimistic?) as I had the perfect place for them and I think they’re cute, but I decided not to put up a stocking. Certainly nothing against those who do, but I’ve decided to keep Santa and his accouterments out of my decorating. I find the whole Santa Claus thing (as it is usually done) not only distracts from the real miracle of Christmas, but also adds the whole “naughty/nice” thing which flies in the face of the gospel, which should be the real focus now and year-round.

Last Sunday of the month…boy, it’s gone fast! So far I’ve mentioned how thankful I am for my Savior, family by blood and choice, and my church. Finally, I want to share how I’m thankful for my unemployment.

Say what?

Yep, I truly am thankful for this unemployment. Don’t get me wrong, I’d prefer to be employed right now, but I believe that I’m not for a good reason.

Not that I’m entirely sure of what that reason is.

So far I’ve seen how unemployment has stripped away something that I wrongly took pride and identity in. I’ve seen how it’s one thing to say that I trust God when I have regular paychecks, and it’s another to say I trust him when I don’t know when I’ll get a paycheck again.

My unemployment journey is not over. I don’t know when it will be. But I do see more opportunities to actively trust God, knowing that He is sovereign over all situations, good and bad.

May I be able to say with Paul:

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Third day this week working childcare

I’m sad that my camera washed out the colors…they’re really pretty!

For the last couple of years, I’ve been incredibly content where I am. I haven’t looked to do anything else but what I was already doing.

But this fall, God has shown me that perhaps my “contentment” wasn’t contentment as much as complacency. Instead of actively seeking God to know what His will is for me in this moment, I just continued the status quo and assumed that I’m where I’m supposed to be. I don’t think God requires us to be constantly changing our circumstances, but I do think that He wants us to always be willing to change our circumstances. Somewhere along the way, I dropped the willingness and settled in, comfortable. After all, I love being comfortable.

Losing my job (and the month or two of uncertainty beforehand) shook me from my complacency. I’m not able to continue my complacency as I’m no longer able to go with my status quo.

And for that, I’m incredibly thankful for this time of unemployment.

Photo by rosefirerising

I started last week’s discussion of thankfulness with the overwhelming and obvious. I think this week’s follow up is also a clear choice.

I’m thankful for family, both by blood and by choice.

I’ve chosen to live far from my family not because I don’t love them (really, I do!) or don’t want to spend time with them (I still choose to see them a few times a year), but because this was where the school I wanted to go was.

But that was 3 years ago. Why am I still here?

I’ll blame that on my “family by choice,” the people in my small group at church. These are the people I see at least weekly and do life with. These are the people I call when I need a place to do laundry, a ride to the airport, or someone to talk to. These are the people that call on me when they need help around their house or with their children or want someone to talk to. These are the people who see my struggles and strengths everyday and help me see them too.

My life would be very different and less colorful without both types of family. I thank God for each one of them.

Showering Love on New Little Ones

• I didn’t apply for as many jobs this week, since I took a couple of days off of the search. I’m back at it though. My application count is now at 36.

• Working the election went well. It was much busier than the last time I worked, which is encouraging. I also saw about half a dozen people I knew, which I didn’t when I was working in my neighborhood.

• I took the day after the election completely “off” and just read all day. It was awesome. Unemployment definitely has it’s benefits.

• I got to spend some good time with people both in person and on the phone this week. Though it’s easy to get stuck in my self-made schedule, I want to make sure I’m always reaching out to others. I need that.

• I still haven’t turned on my heater. Neither the heat or air has been on since early September. It has become a bit of a game for me. I might have to turn it on this coming week as I’m having a few people over. I don’t mind freezing myself out (as if 57 degrees, the lowest my thermostat has gotten, is “freezing”), but I’m not going to do that to my guests!

I wasn’t unemployed a week before I realized the similarities between unemployment and singleness. Hear me out:

• You’re in the minority. “Everyone” around you is in a relationship and employed.

• People look on you with pity/sympathy.

• You get a lot of one-time gigs/dates. Okay, I don’t really get dates, but some do. I have been blessed with a few random jobs here and there though.

• Both give you a great degree of freedom. Combined, I could easily turn my schedule upside down, and I’m not sure any one would care. I don’t have any plans on becoming (more of) a night owl. In fact, I’ve slowly been shifting my schedule about an hour or two earlier.

• They are just seasons of life…neither is likely to be terminal.

See what I mean? I’ll enjoy both unemployment and singleness for as long as I have them!