I think I finished Christmas shopping yesterday, including an online order that hopefully will arrive in time. I hadn't been home an hour when Bill asked me at dinner if son #2 or I had bought him a certain tool for Christmas. Before I could protest his questioning, he said he was going to need it this Friday to help son #1 with a basement project.
One less package to wrap, right? I could be wrapping other gifts today, but Colton is here and where I normally wrap presents becomes his changing station when he is around. He is very interested in paper, especially trying to eat it, so this project is best left for another time. Same with cookie baking, not that I go all out anymore. Having dozens of each of several varieties is too much, especially when the baker is most likely to the number one consumer.
My loved ones aren't demanding or ungracious, and I am not offended if they use the gift receipt to exchange something that isn't their size, style or perhaps a duplicate. Nobody has created my stress but me. When something isn't working (and therefore stressful) we need to stop and evaluate what we truly need; what we'd like to do, buy, make, etc if time and money and allow; and what we've been doing because we've listened to too many commercials or allowed someone to dictate to us what we should do for a holiday or any other event.
Being with loved ones at the holidays should never be a contest about the biggest gifts or who bakes the most cookies, etc. And even if it were a contest, the prize wouldn't be ego gratifying recognition, the prize would simply be being together for one more holiday. We won't always be all together.
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future.
2 comments:
I totally understand where you are coming from....this year has been difficult to say the least. There is a trip I am supposed to take this weekend, but the trip has become more of a burden than a blessing. I told my husband I felt as though the stress of it was robbing me of my Christmas spirit....then I realized that only my attitude and my perspective can rob me of the Christmas spirit. And I am bound and determined to enjoy every second from here on out. It will be what it will be....
Also, I started baking cookies and sweets this year after Thanksgiving. I told my husband that I hate to throw out perfectly good cookies, so I will only make about one kind a week, unless there is a special request.
So sit back and enjoy....just the other night I laid beneath the Christmas tree with Molly and stared up to the twinkling lights. God's glory and love is all around us, throughout the entire year. Take a breath and know that being you is more than enough of a gift and a blessing. Merry Christmas...
Jaclyn
It has been a hard year I think - with all the economic issues and things. What would we do without Jesus - and funny thing is - it is his birthday and yet I get stressed out more for others then HIM!
sandie
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