12/24/2025
I have a confession to make.
A little secret that is always there, but that manages to stay mostly tucked away, until the holiday season rolls around.
A little secret I imagine I’m not the only one keeping. Safeguarding. Working overtime to quietly pursue.
A little secret that fell apart a few years ago, and I couldn’t have been happier.
A little secret that threatened to rob both the joy of celebrating, and the sanctity of the reason why, for far too long.
I used to be a Martha.
A total, 100% Martha.
A private, year-round Martha.
But even more-so, a drowning, seasonal Martha.
You see, I had this need for perfection.
Everything had to be just right.
Perfect decorations.
Perfect-looking home.
Perfect outfits.
No burnt food.
No sick little ones.
No blemishes.
Just right.
Perfect.
Except, it didn't take long at all to realize...
all that "perfect" came at a cost. A high one.
With more hustle.
Less simply being present.
With more stress.
Less enjoying.
And more and more irritation,
the farther and farther
"perfect" slipped from
my desperate grasp.
Truth be told, we've already lost three ornaments to the hands of a two-and-a-half-year-old...in the one day our tree has been up. The decorations have become toys...all day, every day. And chances are, someone will be overtired, not feeling well or just out-of-sorts during any given holiday activity.
It only took three houses and four little ones to bring me to the revelation that being a 100%-Martha just wasn't cutting it.
The anxiety.
The complaining.
The fretting.
So, a few years ago, I decided to
add a little bit of Mary into the mix.
A little bit of quiet.
A little bit of peace.
A whole lot of prayer.
And even more time at Jesus' feet.
In His graceful embrace.
It was throughout the transformation from pure Martha to a little more Mary, that I slowly learned more than ever before...that perfection is nothing more than a mirage. An illusion we can spend our entire lives chasing. Or a truth we can face head-on.
Those beautiful tree photos and stunning family Christmas pictures you see on social media? An illusion. Because, behind the majestically, decorated tree? Lies a living room full of cracked attic boxes and strewn ornaments. Behind the perfected family photos? Triple outfit changes, stains, tears, arguments and meltdowns. And backstage to the flawless cookie posts? A flour-filled countertop and stained fingertips that you weren't privy to see. Most likely wrapped in sibling disagreements, impatience, messes, grumpiness and burnt desserts.
This year, more than ever, I have realized...it is just time.
And while I fully admit, I am still most definitely a recovering Martha, I have gladly let go of that infamous holiday illusion.
Perfection = happiness.
Because, truthfully, I have learned just the opposite.
Broken, store-bought ornaments can always be replaced with handmade ones. "Perfect" decorations are meant to be played with. And tiny fingerprint marks? Only add to their beauty. A "perfectly"-imperfect home most certainly includes crumbs and dust-bunnies. There is a smile-worthy story behind every stained Christmas outfit. Burnt food is still edible, with a little bit of scraping and creativity. And Tylenol and cuddles can go a long way, to bring smiles to kiddos not feeling well through the holidays.
If ever a time has taught us about slowing down in His presence, these past few years have. This is the time.
Time to add a little bit of Mary to our Martha this holiday season.
Time to sit with Him.
Time to listen to His story.
And renew our weary hearts.
Time to place our wishes and worries at His feet. And absorb every miracle He has bestowed upon us. Big and small. Seen and unseen.
Time to offer gratitude in the everyday. And thank Him for the simplest, yet greatest, of blessings. Time to trust that He has everything under control.
During the holidays, and forevermore.
Chasing perfection is always an option; yet, one you'll never obtain. For, in this world, perfection will forever be a mirage.
Because, you see, the true beauty of embracing the imperfection in our lives emerges more and more, with each new moment we find ourselves falling into Him, to fully discover our peace and happiness.
And the more we fall? The more we quietly collect those scattered glimpses of the "perfect" we can hope to experience, an eternity from now. And the more we realize, just how beautifully fulfilling and sacred, those imperfectly perfect moments truly are.
♥️♥️
Gracefully Woven by Elizabeth Spenner
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