Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Christmas

As you no doubt have noticed, the rush of Christmas is here.

For me, this time of year brings about a dozen special concerts, performances, and worship services, which means additional planning meetings, late-night rehearsals, extra e-mails and phone calls coordinating musicians and their holiday traveling schedules, special music to learn, charts to prepare, and creative components to implement and execute. For most of us there are end-of-the-year meetings and Christmas parties happening almost every night. Some stack on top of that final exams, final papers, and final decisions about next year: classes to register for, budgets to turn in, and resolutions to be made about spending more time with family. We all go Christmas shopping for other people's Christmas lists and still manage to pick up what's needed for our own Christmas decorating for hosting our Christmas meals, all of which is fueled by our favorite Christmas coffee- coffee that requires a deeper (Christmas) mug with each door opened on the Advent calendar- the calendar that reminds us that although Christmas is "only" 7 days away, those 7 days will actually feel like one really long day when it's all said and done, just like October and November did.

But I'll stop there before this makes us even more weary. Here's the advice I'm giving myself, maybe you'll find it helpful too:

It's going to be a crazy week- it will help a lot if you can just accept that now.

These will be loooong days with little sleep. Pour another cup of Santa's White Christmas and smile because pretty soon you'll be on vacation at the beach with a book you've always wanted to read but couldn't because of all the books you had to read. And don't turn your cell phone on silent, that's not even close to good enough. Drop that stupid thing in the junk drawer at home and leave it a million miles behind- along with the notion that you might be "needed" while you're away. No one needs you. Go on vacation and be on vacation.

Finally, although it can't be said without stepping into a cliche, don't forget that super-human productivity is not what you were created for. No matter how many flocks of sheep you're tending right now, so to speak, or how many miles away you may feel, remember that the Light of the World is there in the dark, noisy, and far-too-overcrowded manger of your heart and He wants your worship more than your work.

God, give us grace to put no confidence in the flesh and to be satisfied in your spiritual rest.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's amazing to pay a visit this website and reading the views of all friends about this article, while I am also zealous of getting experience.

Also visit my page liste private krankenversicherungen

Anonymous said...

What's up, its pleasant piece of writing regarding media print, we all understand media is a wonderful source of information.

Feel free to surf to my web page :: top hosting sites

Anonymous said...

Hello! I'm at work browsing your blog from my new iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the great work!

My website ... krankenversicherung für studenten vergleich

Anonymous said...

Hi there to every , for the reason that I am genuinely eager
of reading this webpage's post to be updated daily. It consists of fastidious stuff.

Feel free to surf to my webpage; private krankenversicherung selbstbeteiligung
My site - pkv online rechner

Anonymous said...

Heya! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers?

My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing months of hard work
due to no data backup. Do you have any solutions to protect against hackers?


My webpage kredite ohne schufa erfahrungen

Anonymous said...

Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up and also the rest of the website is really good.



my page - vergleichsrechner private krankenversicherung
my webpage: private krankenversicherung rückkehr

Anonymous said...

I really like what you guys are usually up too. This type of clever work and coverage!
Keep up the superb works guys I've included you guys to my personal blogroll.

Also visit my homepage - bad credit mortgages

Anonymous said...

This is my first time visit at here and i am really happy to
read all at single place.

Also visit my web-site; online business idea

Anonymous said...

This article will help the internet people for
setting up new weblog or even a weblog from start to end.


Also visit my weblog ... at home business opportunities

Anonymous said...

Hi there I am so thrilled I found your blog, I really found you by accident, while I was looking on Bing for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just
like to say thank you for a remarkable post and
a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don't have time to look over it all at the minute but I have book-marked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up the excellent work.

Feel free to surf to my homepage ... mortgage with bad credit
my page: Bad Credit Credit cards

Anonymous said...

I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought
this post was great. I do not know who you are but certainly you're going to a famous blogger if you aren't already ;) Cheers!


Feel free to visit my homepage :: entrepreneurship

Anonymous said...

This site was... how do I say it? Relevant!
! Finally I have found something that helped me. Thanks a
lot!

Also visit my web-site outlets online Shops

Anonymous said...

Hello, I do think your website could be having internet browser compatibility issues.
Whenever I look at your website in Safari, it looks
fine but when opening in I.E., it has some overlapping issues.
I simply wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Aside from that, fantastic website!

Also visit my webpage: credit union private student loan consolidation

Anonymous said...

I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This article posted at this website is genuinely pleasant.


my blog dauphin island vacation rentals

Anonymous said...

Hey there! I know this is kind of off-topic but I needed to
ask. Does building a well-established blog such as yours require a lot
of work? I'm completely new to operating a blog but I do write in my journal every day. I'd like to start
a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and thoughts online.
Please let me know if you have any kind of recommendations
or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers. Thankyou!


my blog post; work at home positions

Anonymous said...

A person essentially help to make severely posts I would state.
That is the first time I frequented your web page and to this point?
I surprised with the analysis you made to make this particular post extraordinary.
Magnificent process!

my web site clickbank code

Anonymous said...

Hi my friend! I want to say that this post is awesome,
nice written and come with approximately all significant infos.
I'd like to look more posts like this .

My blog - krankenversicherung gesetzliche vergleich

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure why but this blog is loading very slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I'll check back
later and see if the problem still exists.

Look into my web page gibt es kredite ohne schufa

Anonymous said...

If you wish for to improve your knowledge only keep visiting this website and be updated with the hottest news update posted here.


Feel free to visit my blog ... kleidung günstig online

Anonymous said...

whoah this weblog is excellent i love reading your posts.
Stay up the great work! You recognize, lots of individuals are looking around for this
information, you could aid them greatly.

My web page get a loan

Anonymous said...

Hi there, always i used to check webpage posts here early in the
daylight, because i enjoy to find out more and more.


Feel free to surf to my weblog: how to make money from clickbank

Anonymous said...

Excellent article. Keep writing such kind of information on your blog.
Im really impressed by your blog.
Hey there, You've performed a great job. I'll certainly digg it and
individually suggest to my friends. I'm confident they will be benefited from this web site.

My blog ... work from home free

Anonymous said...

Howdy! I just want to offer you a huge thumbs up for your excellent information you
have right here on this post. I'll be coming back to your website for more soon.

Here is my web blog; low overhead business ideas

Anonymous said...

I do not even know how I stopped up here, however I assumed this submit was once
good. I don't recognise who you might be however definitely you are going to a well-known blogger in case you aren't already.
Cheers!

Feel free to surf to my blog; all inclusive resorts in caribbean

Anonymous said...

No matter if some one searches for his vital thing,
therefore he/she desires to be available that in
detail, thus that thing is maintained over here.


Here is my web blog krankenversicherung freiberufler