Close to Home

"In what ways could you meet a need around you this week?" is the reflection question from tonight's devotion in "Shadow and Light". And I didn't know how to answer it. I have been feeling pulled in so many directions this week even as the excitement of the season starts settling in. There are Christmas cards to finish, gifts to wrap, a Christmas program to prepare for, and a major trip to visit family where we leave in less than a week. How am I supposed to meet a need on top of this?

And then my son struggled with bedtime. Admittedly we have not been as consistent about bedtime the past 6 weeks or so as we had been. And he's been adjusting to being in daycare part time when previously he either stayed home or with my parents. On top of that, my husband has some deadlines he's trying to meet that have been fairly stressful and also require some overtime.

I realized I need to start at home. While we need to think outside of ourselves, our family, and our close friends, there are times when we need to take care of the people closest to us and meet their needs. My son needs some reassurance and some help navigating these big changes in his life. My husband needs some space to unwind and also time to connect with me. Right now, these are the needs I can meet.

So I stepped in to bedtime and helped my son work through his big emotions, which gave my husband time to breathe after the chaos and stress of his day. Yes, it meant that I didn't maybe get everything done I wanted to accomplish tonight. But it saved both my son and husband from frustration, which benefits them both and also benefits their future interactions.

If you're feeling overwhelmed and like you can't do one other thing this season, look closer to home. Find the needs in your home, family, or friends. Maybe it's as simple as spending that little bit of extra time to offer reassurance, or to step in for a short time to give someone else just a small bit of breathing room. Maybe it's sending a text to someone who's been on your mind to let them know that someone is thinking of them and they matter.