{"id":2146,"date":"2012-12-05T21:48:39","date_gmt":"2012-12-05T21:48:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irreverin.com\/?p=1830"},"modified":"2013-02-12T08:12:36","modified_gmt":"2013-02-12T15:12:36","slug":"a-measure-of-elf-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/irreverin\/2012\/12\/a-measure-of-elf-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"A Measure of Elf Awareness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I\u2019ll just admit it. The Elf on the Shelf<\/em> <\/a> creeps me out. I mean, something that watches every move I make, reports back to Santa, and can run around my house at night? <\/em> No, thank you.<\/p>\n

Jenny, the fabulous Bloggess<\/a>, expressed distaste for said elf more aptly and colorfully than i ever could. But don\u2019t go see her if you find my language to be occasionally borderline or offensive. Let\u2019s just say, she does not use %*$&#@ symbols. She\u2019s not a preacher. She can say what she means. But language aside, she and I share reservations about the elf and its ick-factors.<\/p>\n

Thing is, my kids love it. So, like many of you, I take the little bugger down from one clever locale each night, and go about finding yet another creative and whimsical place for our elf to hide out for the next morning. Last night, as a matter of fact, I dropped a cast-iron wall sconce on my toe, trying to get the #*^& elf into a creative and whimsical position. It hurt like you-know-what, and woke up one of the kids to boot.<\/p>\n

And yet\u2013when the kids wake up (in the morning, that is\u2013not in the middle of the night while that %^*@ elf is banging around the house) the joy of watching them search for \u201cRachel\u201d almost makes up for the shivers that I get every time I see those big, plastic eyes staring at me. Their excitement upon finding her each\u00a0 morning\u00a0even makes up for my banged-up toe and my slightly warped wall sconce.<\/p>\n

Part of being a parent is doing stuff that we don\u2019t want to do, don\u2019t enjoy, and don\u2019t see the point of, right?\u00a0 And often we find that, when we are doing it for our kids, something that usually seems like a chore (or just flat-out strange) turns out to be more of a blessing than we\u2019d imagine.<\/p>\n

So it is with many things during this season of Advent. While I usually hate shopping, it takes on an element of meaning when we are buying gifts for our loved ones, or for a family in need. Getting through the dreadful traffic is not such a hassle when we are headed to see friends, or to enjoy a special holiday show, or maybe even to visit Santa!<\/em> (Dear Santa\u2014pay no attention to the elf if she tells you what words i\u00a0used when i\u00a0dropped that thing on my foot.\u00a0She\u2019s making it up, I swear.).<\/p>\n

In this season of preparation and much doing, <\/em>let\u2019s pause and remember that 1) what <\/em>we do is not nearly as important as for whom <\/em>we do it. And 2)<\/strong> we don\u2019t have to do so much! We can all find things to eliminate from the calendar and the shopping list, so that we can move through the season with a slow joy and a sense of meaning.<\/p>\n

That said, I suppose the accursed elf is teaching my children about expectation, mindfulness, and the joy of\u00a0surprise. And i suppose it is teaching me to enjoy that which brings pleasure to others, even if it\u2019s not my thing. In other words\u2013it is preparing a place in our midst for the one who is coming; the one who will surpass all of our expectations, and ask us to put ourselves aside and follow.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ll just admit it. The Elf on the Shelf creeps me out. I mean, something that watches every move I make, reports back to Santa, and can run around my house at night? No, thank you. Jenny, the fabulous Bloggess, expressed distaste for said elf more aptly and colorfully than i ever could. But don\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1154,"featured_media":2465,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6],"tags":[57,58,794,140,795,796,797],"class_list":["post-2146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advent-and-christmas","category-marriage-and-family","tag-advent","tag-christmas","tag-elf-on-a-shelf","tag-family","tag-holiday-traditions","tag-sacrifice","tag-sprituality"],"yoast_head":"\nA Measure of Elf Awareness<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I\u2019ll just admit it. The Elf on the Shelf creeps me out. 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