Are you finished with your Christmas shopping yet? I'm not. That is incredibly unlike me. In most years past, I've been finished for a couple of weeks now, and I can be found in the kitchen making goodies and being (for the most part) stress free.
I'm the lady who sends her Christmas cards out the day after Thanksgiving. (I'm still in the process of sending some even now!)
I did do very well, as I've previously posted, getting my extended family taken care of early on. The people I'm scrambling around for live with me!!
I've found myself wondering just what happened this year, and how can I prevent this from happening again.
I think the problem is..
1) I've neglected things. A stroll through my house will let you know that somehow things have gotten away from me...okay..they're out of control. Right now in the kitchen there are dishes in the sink, wrapping paper on the island, cookie crumbs in the floor. Come on into the dining room where you'll find empty pop cans on the table, a baby doll (Baby Jesus, actually, from last night's Nativity at church), a blanket (?!), a bag of corn chips and a roll of tape. On to the living room..which now that I'm looking at it, actually isn't too bad. Anyway, the ball's been dropped. No one has picked up after themselves and it shows.
2) I've been unorganized. I'm a huge list maker and it just hasn't happened lately. It seems as if too many spur of the moment things have kept creeping up and what I planned to do just kept getting pushed back until I had to do it and by then I was so stressed out that I rushed in, did what I had to (and it shows), rushed out and on to the next item to check off my list. I can be a bit of a perfectionist--which I've been working on--but it seems as if instead of trying to reach a happy medium, I've run off in the other direction!
3) Maybe, just maybe, I've been a little hard on myself....
Let's see, in the last 2 weeks I've been wrapping up some homeschooling projects with the kids, gotten sick, celebrated my 25th anniversary in the mountains with DH, celebrated my youngest's 16th birthday, helped the drama team get a performance ready on short notice...very short notice. These are things in addition to the "normal" everyday things...cooking, laundry, errands, cleaning...and including the extra baking that comes with the Christmas season! Maybe that's why I'm feeling like things are a bit out of control...
How about you?? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Does it seem as if everything is piling up on you and as if you're never going to dig your way out?? Do you feel that if one more person asks one more thing of you, you'll fall out in the floor in the fetal position, thumb in mouth, tears streaming down? Let me encourage you..
It really doesn't matter to your kids if there are cookie crumbs in the floor and a blanket (?!) on the table. It does matter that you bake more cookies with them and relax and enjoy the time with them. It does matter that you talk and laugh with them and make memories that will give them "warm fuzzies" when they are adults.
Maybe your hubby likes his house clean and organized, mine does, but I'm sure that if you'll just keep it manageable through the Christmas season and take the time to curl up beside him with a cup of hot cocoa and watch the lights on the tree and talk and enjoy his company, he won't mind the cookie crumbs or the blanket (?!) on the table.
What I'm trying to share with you--and myself--is that too often we as women think we have to have it all together all the time. In the process of trying to accomplish that, we often miss out on the things that matter most.
And I've saved the best for last--in the midst of all the frustration and chaos, when you feel overwhelmed and over scheduled, when you feel like no one cares how burdened you are....stop!! There is One Who is waiting with open arms to comfort you. He can take away your stress and give you peace. He can lift your burdens and bring the smile back to your weary face. His name is Jesus and He can slow you down, bring you peace and comfort and remind you that what really matters to Him is..... you.
"So I pray that God, Who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 NLT
3 comments:
Beautiful post! It is so hard for me to slow down sometimes. And when my house gets messy I am unhappy. I like to keep it clean and organized. But I always have to remind myself that it's more important to put my family first, not my housecleaning.
Great post, as usual! My house is a little out of control at the moment too. No one sems to care though, just me, and I've been telling myself to just try to keep it picked up and not stress over all the other things for the moment. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
I'm feeling your pain Sister! I've tried to keep my head above water. And for some reason, people "pop in" at our house every day. Nobody calls either, they just show up! lol So -- I've attempted to keep our back porch, kitchen, dining room, and den straight. It has been an uphill climb. After I get all of the food cooked for Christmas day, I can relax (I think). God help us.
Why can't Christmas just be about Jesus? Sigh.
Love & blessings to you!
Beth
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