Slow down!

We sit at work and school wishing the days away and wonder how the weeks and months went by so fast. We are always ready to jump into the next season of life before we can finish the one we are in. I mean that literally and figuratively. Seriously, when everyone started sipping their pumpkin spiced lattes in the middle of August, I was still sitting at the pool in 80+ degree weather.

If we're in school, we want to graduate. If we're single, we want to get married. If we're married, we want kids. If we have kids, we can't wait until they crawl, walk, talk, go to school -- and then we wonder where our babies went. Why can't we let life just be?

For crying out loud, our mall had Christmas wreaths up on the entrance before Halloween. Pictures of Christmas decorations are already starting to pop up in my Facebook news feed. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. I mean, I am even related way on down the line to Martin Luther--who one legend says started the tradition of the Christmas tree! But as a culture we have become too obsessed with the feeling of Christmas and everything that makes it magical to us -- lights, decorations, movies. Most of the time we're just looking for a cozy, nostalgic feeling and not meditating on Christ's birth. I'm guilty of it too. I will confess I've already had a peppermint mocha or two, but mainly because I don't really like pumpkin lattes. I will fully embrace Christmas movies, music, decorations, trees, shopping, lights when the time comes, I just don't think we should skip over Thanksgiving to do so.

I just love Thanksgiving. I love waking up and watching the parade while I help prepare food for the meal. I love that its sole purpose is to just be with family and friends and enjoy each other without the pressure and stress of gifts. I love simply reflecting on the goodness of God and thanking him for my many blessings. {Side rant} And by the way, why is it not enough to just tell God how thankful you are? Why do we feel the need to announce to all of cyberland once a day for a month what we're thankful for? {End side rant} To me, Thanksgiving is not a kick-off for Christmas. Thanksgiving is still very much fall and should be celebrated in its own way. So while visions of sugarplums dance in everyone else's heads, I'll keep enjoying the bright trees, crunchy leaves, crisp air, and everything else that is fall. 

And if that's not bad enough, now it starts on Thanksgiving night.