Sometimes the need to CONTROL your daily life takes away the JOY of everyday life.

I watched a Christmas movie last night where the main female character played a super organized person.  She had routines for everything including morning coffee, healthy breakfast, super clean home, suitcase packed flawlessly, professionally dressed to the tee and timeliness was a must.

Of course, her nemesis is the unorganized, eat-cold-pizza-for-breakfast kinda guy who is running out the door last minute, one shoe on and one shoe in hand, clothes strewn all over the house and a relaxed smile on his face as he slithers into the staff meeting a few minutes past starting time.

I, myself, would like to be somewhere in between.

As all Hallmark-like Christmas movies go, they fight, then realize their opposite qualities help each other and as my husband would say, “we know how this will end.”  Yes, they find some of the other’s qualities appealing and rubbing off on themselves; they fall in love and live happily ever after.

I realized I am more like the organized, control gal who sometimes lets the routine and need for control steal my joy.

As the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons approach, I want more spontaneity and joy in my daily life.   I want more thankfulness and anticipation of Jesus.  I want to stop controlling and start looking to see what God will do.  I want freedom from fear and the joy of dancing in the rain with polka dot boots and playing in the snow with a big red sled!

The first of any month is always a good day to start a new venture or dispose of an old habit.  So today, on the first day of November, I am electing to start a new habit of freedom.  Freedom to let Jesus take over this burden of control.  Freedom to look around and see God in the little things.  Freedom of anticipating excitement to see what Jesus will do next in my life.

I’m taking in a deep breath and ready to start my holiday season of peace and joy right now.  As a matter of fact, I’m going to get my nails done in a pretty fall color and stop at a Christmas open house at the local floral shop.  I can already feel a little skip in my step.

What are you going to do today to bring back a little skip in your step and a little dash of joy in your day?