Holiday Stress

This time of year can be stressful. Buying and wrapping gifts. Making appearances at a billion Christmas parties. Working on all those little extra things we do this time of year. Trying to balance all these things with the normal things of life that keep coming regardless of the season. It always seems like we put so much work into making this the best time of year that it’s not that peaceful at all.

I for one and feeling the pressures of the season compound with the pressures of the New Year. When it comes to Christmas presents it seems like Santa gets the credit, but it still all ends up on my card. I don’t think we’re going to get an evening with our entire family until Christmas.

I think in this hectic time, God is asking us to prioritize. He is asking us to take stock of what is really important. Is that “perfect gift” worth a second mortgage? Is this party worth the time it takes from my family? We overcommit ourselves at the holidays, and I think God is calling us back to the one thing He really wants us to be committed to, Himself. He wants us to remember that Christmas is about Christ, who He is and what He has done for us. All the other things are nice traditions, but they don’t compare to the baby in the manger.