Christmas Craziness to Christmas Selah

Because I'm an AVON rep and also work part-time from home as a District Assistant for AVON, the Christmas craziness begins for me in August. It starts slowly with much anticipation of seeing the Christmas product line-up. But somewhere around Halloween, it picks up speed. Then Thanksgiving comes and the pace moves so quickly and the stress builds so steadily that it is almost unbearable.

This is my tenth Christmas as a rep and my sixth as an assistant. Every Christmas, I tell myself, this is it. This is my last Christmas. I'm going to quit before next Christmas. And inevitably next Christmas comes and I get on the roller coaster.

Sometimes, I let the stress of it all rob me of the anticipation of Advent and the joy of Christmas. That is why I set out to accomplish as much of my Christmas to-do list as early in the season as possible. My goal in shopping early, sending cards early and decorating early is to get to a point in December when there's nothing left to do but relax and enjoy the season. The challenge then becomes to say no to extra busy-ness in those last days of Advent and to not again load my plate with stress.

To me, Christmas is magical, but its magic is fragile. It can easily be lost, broken, or otherwise damaged if we are not careful. And like Matthew Broderick's character in "Deck the Halls," I have a tendency to schedule the magic right out of the holiday. Last night, as I was tidying up the kitchen for the umpteenth time, that was what God laid on my heart. I felt He was saying, "I know you're pouring yourself into this season, trying to make every memory magical, trying to create a Christmas the kids will never forget and working at building meaning into everything you do this Christmas. But what are you missing out on?" My heart responded, "the joy."

I can spend day and night decorating, baking, wrapping and caroling in a good-hearted attempt to make Christmas special for my kids but if I alienate them in the process, what good have I done?

That's why when I read "Selah in the Sky" in InTouch Magazine this morning, I felt like it was written just for me. The author wrote from my heart as she did from hers. So today I am going to selah the wonder of Christmas. Join me?

I Think I Can

I know this is an odd photo to post. But I took this picture this morning of my "command central" where all my tasks and to-dos await completion on a daily basis. When life gets really hectic, as it has been the last few weeks, this area ends up looking like a dumping ground. The piles of papers, books, bills, checks, Avon orders, church stuff, school stuff and other random things grow and grow until I'm literally stacking things on top of other things just to have room for more things that need to be done.

Scott hates my "command central" and I don't blame him. It eats up valuable counter space and it's not pretty to look at, but it's convenient. If I put something there I know it will be accomplished. If I put it on my desk in my office upstairs, I will forget about it. If I put it in the file trays in the pantry, I know it will get lost. If I pin it to the bulletin board, it will get holes in it. So I stack it in priority order on the counter.

But what makes this picture so great is that "command central" was virtually empty this morning. All that's left are my cookbooks and grocery list because all I have left to do this Christmas season is bake. And for me, that is hardly a chore.

Today is the last day at breakneck speed. Starting tomorrow, I can shift into a lower gear and coast into Christmas with a smile on my face.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

"The Little Engine that Could" is without question my most favorite childhood book. My aunts and grandmother read it to me tirelessly and I really believe it shaped my outlook on life. I don't give up easily. I push and push to get something done even when everyone says it can't be done. Uphill, downhill, it doesn't matter. Forward motion is all that counts.

Of course, even the Little Engine couldn't do it without help. He had the toys to cheer him on, the smiles of those waiting kids to encourage him. Me? I have my family. I know I could not have survived the past through weeks without the love and encouragement of my husband, parents and kids. Without their support, I couldn't have chugged along.

And more than that, I serve this awesome God. I'm certain He's given me extra minutes in long busy days so I could get everything done on my list. I know He's given me sound and peaceful sleep and restored my energy when I wake in the morning.

I can, I can, I can! I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could.