My Tinsel Is In A Tangle...

There is a sign in my office that reads "Don't Get Your Tinsel in A Tangle".  We all laugh about it and say it a few times a day when we see a colleague beginning to get stressed.  However, I have read that small sign at least 5,000 times this week and I have thought to myself, that sign is talking about me....my tinsel is in a tangle.

A little more than a week ago I received a text message from a friend.  It said "Girl, I got your Christmas card today and it is awesome!"  Followed by "You must be superwoman!" She was referring to the fact that I actually had family photos made, sent out Christmas cards while working 40 hours a week, being the wife of a Children's minister and raising my little people.  I had to laugh out loud when she said that I was super woman!  I replied with, I'm not super woman....just sleep deprived!

This Christmas season has been busy.  I have expected too much of myself.  I have said yes to every invitation to each and every Christmas party.  I have wanted to spread Christmas cheer to all who are near.  I have wanted to help each person who has come my way.  I have wanted my children to have another "perfect Christmas".  I have wanted to bake the perfect Christmas cookies, have each gift wrapped perfectly and go above and beyond with each Christmas tradition.  However, I am broken and ragged and I am sick of trying to be perfect, and seeing the perfect postings on social media isn't helping.  I'm tired of comparing my attempts of being perfect to everyone else.

I have suffered.  My quiet time has suffered.  My family has suffered.  If you have been around me you have suffered.  And I am sorry.  I have done a crummy job of pointing you to Jesus during this Christmas season.  And that is what Christmas is all about.

I want to show my children that Christmas is about Jesus.  Christmas is about our savior who came to Earth to save us.  Christmas is about giving our gifts, our hearts and our time to those who need it. We can not help every charity.  We can not help every person who is cold or who is hurting, but we can try. If we can not physically meet their need we can pray to God, our creator to help them or to prick the heart of someone who can help them.

I am going to enjoy the next 8 days of this Christmas season.  I will enjoy the people that surround me and throw out the expectations that I have in my head of what Christmas is supposed to look like. I will help those that I can and I will pray for those who I cannot help.  And I will try and look like Jesus a little more each day.

Photo courtesy of alyssajhoward.com