Holey, Wholly, Holy

The holiday season can be really challenging. We have commercials and shows that talk all about family and coming together and everything being blanketed in fresh snow. But the reality behind the scenes can be vastly different. Family can be hard. The world is not always an easy place in which to live. And the ground is definitely not coated in pristine snow from Thanksgiving to Christmas in most places.

I came back from our yearly Thanksgiving trip a little sad that it wasn’t like that greeting card image. I met up with a friend on Monday morning and we shared what our Thanksgivings had been like. As I pictured the time, I looked for the nuggets of goodness to hold onto. I had five days with both my boys and my husband. Yes, a lot of it was spent in the car and in tense extended family moments. Yes, one of my sons was working hard on the equivalent of his dissertation the entire time (it was due in a week and a half). But I had this rare gift with my boys and so I decided to hold onto that part of the week tightly.

I have spent the rest of this week listening to other people’s challenges, just as my friend listened to mine on Monday. It reminds me of the importance of having people in our lives who are present with us no matter what is happening. People who listen intently, know us intimately, love us unconditionally, and are willing to tell us the hard truths when necessary – and stick with us when we get mad at them for bringing those truths up!

As we enter into this “holly, jolly” season where everything is supposed to be “merry and bright”, who shines a light into your blues? How do you look for the nuggets of goodness in the midst of the challenges of this season where everyone expects things to be awesome, but the reality is they may not be?

If you are looking for community, we’ve started a Banned Book Club at Holey, Wholly, Holy. Maybe this can be a place to find that nugget of goodness! We are currently reading “Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison and our next meeting is December 6, 2023. It’s a Zoom call at 7:30 EST. If you’d like to join in, send me a message at revjodietz@gmail.com and I’ll send you the link. If you’re looking for a place to belong, to be heard and accepted, we invite you to join us!