The most important thing to remember as you stir up a joyful Christmas, is to keep Jesus in the middle of everything you do. He is after all, the leaven that makes everything rise perfectly.
Ingredients:
5 Parts Taking Care of Yourself. Plan time with God. Eat well (avoid some of those sugary treats). Rest (take a nap if you need to). Relax. A bit of time to step away from it all and breathe. Schedule it if needed. A well cared for soul makes for a more pleasant Christmas.
4 Parts Keeping it Simple. Stop trying to impress everyone. If you like the fancy, you enjoy the effort and it releases your creative juices – go for it. Otherwise, scale it down. It can still be beautiful while simple.
3 Parts Saying No. Don’t go at such a frantic pace making sure everyone else has a good time, that you don’t enjoy it yourself. Be choosy about what Christmas activity you say yes to. You don’t have to go to every party.
2 Parts Saying Yes Whatever you take off your calendar, leave in opportunity to serve and give to others.
1 Part Stocking Up. On a bit of extra non-perishable food items and a few inexpensive gifts. Unexpected guests or events can throw you for a loop if you’re not prepared. And nothing adds stress to your day like being caught unprepared.
Add Kindness liberally. Get Along with People. Even the difficult ones. Even if that hard to understand person doesn’t appreciate it, everyone else around will. And who knows, your kindness might just change a hardened heart. Remember, hurt people hurt others. The holidays may be difficult for them for reasons you don’t know.
Mix ingredients together while Making Memories. Use the 5 senses as your guide. Smells (candles, baking, bonfire). Touch (crafts, baking, serving others). Sounds (music, laughter, stories). Sights (light displays, movies, nativity displays). Tastes (Eggnog, peppermint, spiced cider).
Season to taste with Laughter. Find the humor in the everyday. Don’t get so busy trying to make the perfect Christmas you forget to enjoy family and friends around you. They are more important than any event you could make happen. Slow down, tell a good joke, watch a funny movie. Laugh every day.
Now THAT is a recipe worth following! Thanks for the reminder.