Gentle Reads on an Unhurried Life (at the Holidays)
For the woman feeling the tension of longing and reality—gentle reads for your heart.
I entertain lofty ideas about an unhurried life year-round. But for some illogical reason, especially at the holidays.
If you’ve ever found yourself caught in the tension between longing for a quiet life, & trying to survive the hustle of reality—this post is for you.
Thoughts on An Unhurried Life—at the Holidays
This post is actually a compilation of honest thoughts on an unhurried life, especially at the holidays… written by Yours Truly at various points along my journey as a wife and mom.
Some words were written as recently as last week.
Others, when all five of my children were still scrunched around my dining room, morning, noon, & night.
And after more than two decades of (rather noisy) life in motherhood and vocational ministry, I’ve discovered this one Truth:
The unhurried life is a mindset, not a result of a well-oiled method or carefully crafted schedule.
With that in mind, enjoy today’s gentle reading, Friend.
Veritas et gratia,
Kristy 💐
I quickly recognized that Advent, like every other good and beautiful thing, has the potential to morph into an altogether less than beautiful thing.
That is, a duty.
A “hurry-up-and-get-it-right” kind of duty. (The very worst kind.)
READ MORE: “How to Create Unhurried Moments at Advent,” guest post at Kindred Grace
Once upon a Christmas, I became a mother.
My baby girl wasn’t due to arrive until January, but she was in quite a hurry to get here. (Come to think of it, she’s still in a hurry.)
And I was in a hurry too.
READ MORE: “The Ugly Blue Ornament,” an Inspirational Christmas Short Story
“I get one day off, and that just makes the next day twice as busy,” she stated matter-of-factly. ‘December twenty-sixth, it’s right back to work-as-usual.”
She sighed.
“The older I get, the more I lose the Christmas spirit, you know?”
READ MORE: “From Overwhelm to Wonder,” Keeping Worship at the Heart of Christmas
We do have a lot more time to enjoy this season when we’re not so busy keeping up with our homeschool schedule, and in that sense, it is a leisurely break.
If we want to spend an afternoon baking cookies, we do.
If we need to spend a morning shopping for gifts or wrapping presents or simply decorating our house for Christmas, we do.
READ MORE: “Why We Don’t Homeschol Through the Holidays,” guest post at Hip Homeschool Moms
Nothing speaks comfort & peace to me like the beginning of Advent season.
Ideally, I can embrace just a bit of that peace as a busy wife & mom. But, somewhat ironically, this sacred, introspective season runs tandem with the merriest, messiest time of year.
Ah, the tension of ideals & reality.
READ MORE: “Glad & Golden Hours,” The Advent Devotional for Tradition-Loving Souls
She lights the first candle with a shaky breath.
Not because everything feels hopeful—but because hope is how she keeps showing up.
That’s the quiet truth of Advent:
Hope is not a feeling.
It’s a posture.
A sacred refusal to give up.
Advent reminds us that waiting is not wasted time.
READ MORE: “Advent Reading Week 1,” from This Is How We Wait
Advent peace isn’t about tranquility.
It’s about trust.
It’s about letting go of control—even when everything feels unfinished.
It’s worship, not perfection.
It’s breathing deep in the middle of the mess and whispering,
“I’m not in charge… and I’m safe anyway.”
READ MORE: “Advent Reading Week 2,” from This Is How We Wait
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