Less Is More!

“You will keep in perfect peace

him whose mind is steadfast,

because he trusts in you.”

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

 Thanksgiving is over and the last of the leftovers have been enjoyed. My mind now starts racing to all that is to be accomplished in the next thirty-two days. I have begun this day by putting on my armor which consists of my warm bathrobe and fluffy slippers! In addition I have also armed myself for battle with hot coffee, calendar, my Bible, cook books, note book, pen and markers, and now I will begin the task of making lists. I make lists for cleaning, decorating, menus, baking, shopping for gifts, shopping for miscellaneous holiday items, grocery lists, parties, concerts, and activities to attend, and entertaining others. There is also the Christmas card list, and last but not least, a list of things I would like to do for others. Now comes the huge task of scheduling days to shop, decorate, grocery shop, bake, write cards, wrap gifts, attend and host functions, holiday hair cut, housekeeping, and my writing schedule, plus reserving some time to serve others.

 

I don’t mind telling you that the day after Thanksgiving I am a woman on a mission! High gear would be an understatement! Now it begins. The lists are piling up one on top of the other. The very last list on the top of the pile of many lists is “the complete list of all of my other lists”! I know this process is insanity! Truth be told…I just can’t help myself.

 

Oddly enough, the multiple lists have piled up and have completely covered my Bible. I now frantically search for my Bible as I multi task by shooting up a quick prayer to God asking for his help to get through the next thirty-two days. I flip open my Bible hoping that I will quickly land upon some “magical” verse that will put the wind in my sails that will be needed to push me to the front of this holiday marathon! Why wouldn’t God give me a verse above all verses to make it all happen?

 

Glancing down at my Bible I begin to read from Isaiah, “You (God) will keep in perfect peace him (me) whose mind is steadfast, because he (I) trusts in you (God).”  At that point I am stunned by the timeliness of this scripture. It doesn’t take me but a moment to realize that I am being influenced by obligations, traditions, and pressures that will soon send me flying down the dreadful path of stress and insanity. Yes God, that is exactly what I need. Peace! Zap it to me! At that moment, it was as if the Holy Spirit whispered, “Not so fast Paula, this is a two part promise. God will give you peace but you must first keep your mind and heart on him!” Great! One more thing to do!  How can I spend time with God when there is no time? I am now feeling even more stressed as I get up for another cup of hot, flavored, caffeine. Standing in the middle of my kitchen, it was as if a light came on in the very dark tunnel of my brain! Peace is the absence of stress. Huh! Imagine that. This calls for re-evaluation of all that I have put on my many lists. Let the writing of "God’s Priority List" begin. Prayerfully, I bow my head and pray before I attempt to separate the good from the best. My good - God's best. 

 

Questions:

 

Do you relate to over extending yourself as you prepare for the Christmas holiday?

 

Are you longing for peaceful preparations to replace the stress that you are beginning to feel even before you begin your Christmas preparations?

 

What can you eliminate to make “less” Christmas preparations allow for a “more” meaningful time for you and your family?

 

Do you understand that to keep stress under control during this time of preparation it will require you to make time daily for God to refresh you with his peace?

 

Will you pray for God’s guidance and direction as you write out God’s “To Do” list for this Christmas season?

 

As you attempt to simplify your Christmas preparations, are you willing to eliminate things of less importance so that you can pursue the tasks that God considers to be of value?

Returning to God’s Word I turn to Isaiah 9.“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” Isaiah 9:7a NIV I again bow my head and begin to pray to the Prince of Peace, asking him for the gift of his inner peace in my life during this time of holiday preparation.

 

Prayer:

 

Dear Jesus,

 

I pray that you will help me to make your work my work. Help me to weed through and re-evaluate all that I have considered doing for this Christmas holiday. Show me what I should cross off my list and what should remain. Help me to see that less is more and that little is much when you are in the plans. Father, give me one list, your list. Jesus, guide me as I rewrite my “To Do” list so that my holiday preparations will be manageable, meaningful and enjoyable. Jesus, as we celebrate your birth I want to plan to do things that will glorify you and bring joy to my family.  I want this list not to be my list but rather Your “To Do” list. Today I ask for your peace. Peace that passes all understanding. Peace from you Lord, the Prince of Peace.

 

It is in your name I pray. Amen.

Spinning Plates

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.”

Matthew 1:23 NIV

December is a month that takes our multi-tasking skills to a new level. The closer it gets to Christmas the more I feel like a circus performer spinning plates. Even though other family members sometimes pitch in and help with the holiday planning, I still tend to be the circus performer that takes to the center ring.

I own some beautiful holly Christmas dishes that I treasure. I pull these dishes out of storage right after Thanksgiving so that I can enjoy using them the entire month of December. As I begin to prepare for Christmas I visualize myself spinning plates. In my mind each one of my “holly” plates has a holiday task written on it that must be completed before the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve.

I see myself spinning these plates on long poles so that my feet can move quickly from chore to chore. The first plate that I begin to spin has the word “decorate” written on it and then I start a second plate spinning and that plate is labeled “shopping.” I now I start the plate that is marked “baking” whirling around and just as I am about to add the “Christmas cards” plate, my first plate labeled “decorate” begins to slow down. I quickly give it another spin as I run out to Target for wrapping paper and ribbon, so that I can start the “wrapping gifts” plate spinning! The next thing I know, the “Christmas cards” plate falls to the ground and breaks, because I was shopping a little too long! I know that I will have to start that plate spinning again in a day or two. Meanwhile, the “decorate the pre-lit tree” plate begins to spin. It is rotating at high speed when I realize that the middle strand of lights on this pre-wired tree, is completely burnt out! Needless to say, that as that plate slows down and I manage to give it a quick spin so I can try to determine what to do about this catastrophe! I am now so exasperated, that I decide to give my “baking” plate another spin as I rush into the kitchen. I pop a pan of cookies into the oven and in exactly twenty-seven minutes the “baking” plate crashes to the ground in a burnt blaze of glory, because I failed to set the kitchen timer for ten minutes. At this point, I collapse into heap on the kitchen floor and wonder who ever thought up Christmas in the first place! One by one, the remainder of my beautiful Christmas “holly” plates crash to the floor breaking into a hundred pieces.

Through my tears I remember who it was that "thought up" Christmas! Yes indeed, it was God! How could I forget that? Today I am remembering how very simple God kept Christmas. God’s first Christmas consisted of two obedient parents, one precious Christ Child, a donkey, a stable, a manger, some cattle, a star, and a handful of lowly shepherds with their sheep. Although, I do have to admit that the heavenly hosts were a bit of a magnificent spectacular touch! I guess God just couldn’t help himself. After all, it was a grand heavenly celebration!

My prayer today is that during this month of Christmas preparation I will not forget the simplicity of that first Christmas. I want to do the things that will bring joy to my family and others and yet manage my time wisely and evaluate my activities as I prepare. Less can be more when we include time with Immanuel. On Christmas day I want to set my table with my beautiful “holly” Christmas plates and as I bow my head in prayer I will thank God for his gift to humanity. Immanuel, God with us.

Questions:

Do you relate to how hectic Christmas preparation can become?

Do you long to prepare for the holiday with purpose and meaning?

What can you do this year to simplify Christmas?

Prayer:

Dear God,

Please help me to set aside a time of reflection and prayer each day of December, so that I may focus on your son, Jesus Christ, who is the reason we celebrate Christmas. Show me a couple of things that I might change so that I can make my holiday preparations less hectic and more meaningful. I pray that you will remind me to guard my time and simplify my activities

In Your Son’s Name I pray. Amen.