Christmas…Where’s my Focus?

It’s Sunday afternoon–and six days away from Christmas.  Can I be honest with you?? 

I’m exhausted.

I know I’m not taking care of myself.  I’m not getting enough sleep.  I’m not eating well.  I haven’t gotten on the treadmill for days…no, make that a few weeks.  I am saying “yes” to too many things. 

I have so much to do with it being the week of Christmas…last-minute shopping, grocery shopping, organizing and cleaning for company on Thursday and Friday, baking, preparing food, keeping up on laundry, work responsibilities, business responsibilities…I’m just a little overwhelmed.

Are you feeling at all like I’m feeling?  (I hope you’re not, but if you are, you are in good company.)

Are we supposed to feel this way, just a few days before our Savior’s birth?  Really?  I’m thinking my focus needs to be on something else.  Why do I do all the stuff I do at Christmastime?  Why do you do all the stuff you do?  What am I trying to accomplish with it all?  Is it all necessary?  Will Jesus’ birth be any more special if I bake dozens of cookies or make sure all the dust bunnies are absent in my home?  Really?  Come Christmas morning, will I even be able to enjoy our family time together, or will I be so exhausted that I’ll be grumpy, tired and emotional?  Who wants a wife/mom like that on Christmas morning?!

Sure, I want to have a nice atmosphere in our home when family and friends come over to celebrate.  And yes, I enjoy good food to share with them.  But I’m realizing as I write this, I need to let some stuff go this week, along with the guilt of releasing some of this stuff.  It’s going to be ok.

{{SIGH of RELIEF}}

Jesus needs to be my focus.  End of story.

Ok, so I’m walking this through with you as I write this.  Before I do anything this week, I will ask myself, “Do I really need to be doing this?”  “Is this really that important for Christmas…for celebrating Jesus’ birth?”  If not, I won’t do it.  And, I know I need at least seven hours of sleep a night.  I cannot compromise that this week. 

I have three days at Mission of Hope this week, and there will probably be some extra time put into our Christmas giveaway on Wednesday.  I need to remember, most of our Mission of Hope friends are struggling with something at Christmastime, and this time of year can be very difficult for them.  God has put me there to be a light that point towards Him and His Son.  I will be joyful in the Lord, and will walk in the way He is directing me.  And I will look for Him this week. 🙂

As I’m writing this, I am reminded Christmas is NOT about the things, the stuff, the presents, the food, the clean house, the frenzied schedule.  Christmas is about Jesus.  I am soaking in His presence in my life as I’m writing this, and I’m going to be doing that as I celebrate His birth this week.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:8-14