Oh what a lovely night...I just got both kids down (in their own beds...miracle) and I'm sitting here in the silence (except for the t.v., the drier, and the dishwasher) just me (and the dog, and the husband) typing.   O.K. so it's only a little glamorous.  The beautiful part is the shimmery Christmas tree beside me, not to mention the chuga chuga choo choo train (named by my 2 year old) lying in pieces underneath the for-mentioned shimmery Christmas tree.   None the less, it's pretty.  What makes it even better is that I can gaze at it through my peripheral vision (fancy word), (O.K. I'll stop using parenthesis now, I know its annoying!!!) and completely ignore the massive pile of boxes, stockings, wreathes, lights, snowmen, and other decor behind me...you get the picture right?  You see, my decorating has just begun...2 days ago!  I have had time to accomplish nothing other than the tree and the mess!  I am not complaining.  I love Christmas and all most of what it brings, but sometimes, it's all just a bit too much.  Here are just a few things I am trying to accomplish (along with my normal job, kids, house, company, volunteer work, nose and butt wiping, driving, etc, etc, etc...)

I did not wrap this!

Christmas cards

Decorating

Baking

Christmas parties

This is NOT my house!

Shopping (No I was NOT out there with you crazies on black friday, or I guess it's thursday now!)

Wrapping presents like Martha

Making the perfect Christmas CD

Lights outside that could rival Clark Griswold!

Lights inside

  putting out Christmas dishes...and on, and on...

I know that a lot of you could fill in about a dozen more things you are wanting to do in the next month, but here is my thought for all of us.  First of all if you love the chaos, you go girl, but if you are like me and you don't, I think you will appreciate the words that our pastor gave us today.

He said (I may not be getting this exactly right but here goes)



"I want to make MORE of Christmas, by making LESS of Christmas".



Read that again...

"I want to make MORE of Christmas, by making LESS of Christmas".



I LOVE THIS!!!!  Because I love Christmas, I am going to make LESS of it this year.  What I love, is that for every one of us that chooses to do this, it will mean something different.  For me, here is what it means.



I will not buy every toy that my kids say they need.

I will not make my own bows for each package.

I will not bake.  Nope not even once!  I hate baking people, and I'm the only one that will eat it any way!

I will not host a party, or shop for a new outfit for any that I go to.

I will not care if I don't get wreaths put up just so, or if the stupid train spends more time on the floor than it does on the track.









And I will go back to what Christmas means to me and my family.  We will celebrate Jesus birthday.  We will remember why celebrate, and focus on the magnitude of what He did for us.







So thats it.  Simple.  I am making more of Christmas this year by making less of Christmas this year!





MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!