“Baby Steps” - Crushing Your 2020 Goals...One Step at A Time

If I’m honest, I’m not really in the Christmas spirit this year. Maybe it’s because it’s been a stressful year. It might be because grief comes in many shapes and forms and doesn’t announce itself. Or maybe life looks different with my children getting older and traditions morphing and changing.

I’ve given myself permission to do less, to do things differently, and to be a little quieter so that I can be good in my own skin. However, there is one thing I’m determined to make room for.

Joy.

Let me tell you why.

Pausing to say this post is a little 🙂 While I do think you will enjoy reading the words and viewing the photos, I know that sometimes we are short on time. I recorded this audio for those who get the secret message that this post exists 🙂

You can listen by clicking on the link below.

SECRET PODCAST – LESSON #1

Still reading? Okay good… let’s get back to it.

Meet Aunt Louise. At 90 years of age, she decided to move to Texas with one of her daughters. She had spent her whole life in Baltimore and at NINETY years of age decided to move.

Her presence in Dallas was a gift to her whole family because we got to see her and spend time with her upon her arrival – much more than we would have had she continued to live in Maryland.

Our kids met her and loved her. We heard the same stories but with more detail. We received her encouragement and applause for how we are living our lives and were told how proud she was of us.

In 90 years, Aunt Louise had never been to my father’s church. When she came for the first time to Sunday morning worship, she sat – eyes wide open – taking in the music, the energy, and the Word. As she watched my father preach the sermon, we could hear her behind us saying, “Oh my goodness. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Preach Tony!” Aunt Louise was my grandmother’s sister but she had never seen her nephew preach on a Sunday morning in the church that he founded and pastored.

At 90 years old, Aunt Louise decided to try something new. Some things in life you do because you have to, but there are many more things in life to do that we should do because we simply want to.

But there is something else Aunt Louise wanted to do that she actually didn’t do.

On one of my visits, we talked about the baby grand piano that she moved to Texas. I remember seeing the piano in her Maryland home, and I remember my grandfather playing it, but I had no memory of her sitting at the keys. So I asked her why she had a piano she didn’t play.

Aunt Louise told me that she did play but she had stopped taking lessons as a teenager. She had bought the piano because she had the intention to play again as an adult. The problem was, she never seemed to have the time.

She lived a very full life! Aunt Louise believed in excellence in all things. She was an educator. A principal for many years with a Ph.D. in education, Louise was a very well-educated woman who loved God, loved her family, and loved her work. She was very involved with her community and her church too. Aunt Louise was always considered “the smart one” in her family and believe me, she was one sharp lady with a sharp mind even when she moved to Texas in 2021.

But Aunt Louise owned a piano she didn’t really play the way she wanted. She had never made time to learn to play. She said, “I wish my parents had never made let me stop taking lessons. Later in life, I really wanted to play but it hard to make room for it. That’s one of the regrets of my life”.

When I asked her why she had wanted to play the piano again her response was simple.

“Playing the piano brought me joy”.

Out of the many things I’ve learned by watching Aunt Louise and talking to her throughout the years, I think there is one lesson that stands out the most.

Make room for joy.

If there is one thing I know for sure, I know that even in the middle of the most wonderful of lives, we won’t be able to do it all. There is too much we have to do and there is even more we want to do.

This means we’re gonna have to decide what we are going to leave on the table. We are going to decide what we will make room for because time is finite and we are limited.

In order to live lives we love, we will have to make room for what we have to do and need to do. But we also get to make room for what we want to do – even if that means we make room for what we want to simply try.

So this Christmas, I’ve making room for joy. I’ve made room to sit at my piano and play it. I played Christmas carols just because. I sang along as I played here and there too. The beautiful thing is that joy met me there and compounded.

Not only did I get joy from playing, I also felt joy as the memories of my childhood came rushing back. My mother played the piano. Often, during the holidays and especially when we were younger, we would gather around the piano and sing along with her as she played. My grandfather played the piano and when we visited Baltimore, we would do the same.

My decision to honor a little joy resulted in a bigger joy.

I realize that many people, women especially, struggle to make room in life in general and truly struggle during the holidays and honestly throughout the year. This is why it’s so important for me to help you remember the girl in you and make room for her to live well.

So I wanted to tell you about Aunt Louise, her wonderful life, and the wonderful lesson she taught me.

There are a few more lessons I plan to share from women in my life in the coming days.

But today…

I wanted to remind you to make room for joy – whatever makes you laugh, smile, or feel joy rising in your heart.

I also wanted to tell you that another family member left us this year.

Aunt Louise was the last living relative of her generation on my dad’s side of the family. She passed away a little over a week ago, but not before she gifted her baby grand piano to my oldest daughter. My granddaughter is taking piano lessons now. That beautiful baby grand will continue to make music because Aunt Louise passed along the gift of joy to her great great great niece.

The joy we have can be shared with others.

We are knocking on the door of Christmas Day 2022 but it’s not too late for you to celebrate your life just because you can. Jesus came and brought joy to the world. So why shouldn’t you make sure you are intentional about making joy a part of your world as often as you can?

And I’m sending a little joy your way and reminding you to make room for joy too.

Merry Christmas my friend.

Make room for merry. Make room for joy.

Other Stuff to Check Out…

JOIN ME IN PERSON! – Every year for the last five years, I’ve made room to end the year well and start the next on purpose through an event called Coffee with Chrystal. It started as an in-person event and then, because of the pandemic, we took it online.

This year, I’m going to be hosting this event in-person and online and I’d love for you to for The Sister Circle Live! I’ll be there with coffee (or tea), and I’ll also bringing friends!

On January 6th and 7th, I’ll be sharing more about how to Make Room in your life for what matters. I’m so excited about The Sister Circle Live Event and would love to invite you to come in-person or attend virtually. Space is limited so whether you will be joining me in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, or joining me via livestream, don’t delay! Grab your seat today! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!

JOIN ME IN THE INNER CIRCLE – If you aren’t yet a part of my Inner Circle, now is a great time! We are gearing up for 2023 and would love to have you join us! Ready to be an active participant in building the life you love while making room for joy? I’d love to help. CLICK HERE for more info!

LAUGH A LITTLE – Need a little more joy in your life today. Watch this year’s Christmas Collection on YouTube! Me and my oldest girl had a great time getting ready for Christmas.