During this time of year in our household, mornings get a little bit more exciting! My six year old daughter has an Elf on the Shelf. This originates from a story written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell called The Elf on the Shelf:A Christmas Tradition. The story goes that each child has their own elf who comes from the North Pole at Christmas time to observe them and report back to Santa if they are being naughty or nice. Every night at bedtime the elf goes back to the North Pole while the child is asleep, and every morning when the child wakes up the elf has returned and is in a new location in the house. Elves can do LOTS of different creative things. Some are found in the sink with a tube of toothpaste. Some families find their elves sitting in a pile of flour or other food mess in the kitchen. Fortunately, our elf has not gotten that messy ;-).
My daughter has named her elf Snowflake. This year she wrote her a card, and even made her a paper headband to wear. I am truly thankful for this tradition in December, because it really makes waking my sleeping beauty much easier on early morning school days. (Getting dressed and fed in time for school is a bit of a different story ;-)). She jumps out of bed and begins her search for her elf, Snowflake all over the house. Sometimes we find her hanging from a ceiling fan, perched on top of the china cabinet, and a couple nights ago she ate a cupcake and was found next to the empty plate.
What if we woke up this excited each day to search for God? What if we eagerly searched for where God was in our lives and how we could join the Lord at work each day. I encourage you to remember the acronym E.L.F this holiday season.
Eagerly Look Fervently (E.L.F) for God!
When life is going great, and you seem to have a handle on things, don’t forget to thank God for the blessings. Don’t forget to look for God in the midst of all the good, and seek out what the Lord is calling you to do in the great. Eagerly Look Fervently (E.L.F) for God!
In the normal moments of everyday, through the work, the laundry, the meals, the conversations, the stepping on of toys, the stack of mail, the running of errands, and the cup of tea Eagerly Look Fervently (E.L.F) for God!
Then there are the times when the whole world just seems to have flipped upside down. These are the moments when God can be really hard to find. We may even think God is not around. However, God is always with us. These are the moments when we just need to look the hardest. God is there ready to sit with us in our grief, loss, or uncertainty. God is there working and moving in the chaos and in the challenges we unexpectedly find ourselves facing. Eagerly Look Fervently (E.L.F) for God!
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13.