It’s exactly one week until Christmas. Whew, how are you doing? Give yourself a point for each one that describes you today:



* You still have to wrap gifts.* You still have to plan a big meal.* You still have to buy a crap-ton of groceries.* You still have to clean your messy house before company arrives.* You still have to buy a few last minutes gifts.* You still have to make Christmas cookies and treats.* You still have to take family photos.* You still have so many things on the Bucketlist you have to do: You have to drive around and look at Christmas lights, you have to take a photo with Santa, you have to drink hot chocolate, you have to sing Christmas carols, and oh crap you still have to do some sort of random act of kindness.



How many points did you rack up? How behind are you on all the things on all the lists?



I’m at a zero. None. And ya’ll it’s not because I’m super organized and ahead of schedule. It’s because I’ve screwed up enough Christmases with all the things, to now understand I actually don’t HAVE to do any of this, I GET TO.



Really, think about it ….



You still GET to go to a grocery store that has absolutely everything you need all at your fingertips without you having to kill it, pluck it, skin it, or harvest it? You just get to grab it off the shelves, buy it with money you’re walking around with, and take it home in your vehicle that runs?!! Oh my gosh, you’ve hit the jackpot sister!



You still GET to make cookies? You GET to prepare your home for company? You GET to wrap presents? You GET to go see Christmas lights and drink hot chocolate? Oh my gosh, best day ever!



Look at all the joy you have still ahead of you. Look at all you have been blessed to get to do.



Why do we make this a chore? Why do we commit ourselves to doing things, then show up with dread to do them?



Y’all it is 1 week until Christmas morning, and if you’re feeling stress and overwhelm over all you still have to do, you’re in desperate need of a perspective shift. I’m pretty dang sure Jesus doesn’t want you rushing around miserable and exhausted for the next week because of his birthday. That doesn’t honor him.



Girl, you may be getting all the things done, but are you nasty about it? You’re rushed, you’re uptight, you’re just pushing through. Pushing through what? The season of joy? The most wonderful time of the year? The gathering of precious souls you get to share life with? The celebration of the one who came to save you? You’re pushing through that?



How about we not?



How about we remember why we’re doing what we’re doing and the sheer blessing behind it all.



Let me tell you something, there’s not room for stress and overwhelm in a life of joy. Joy requires space. It expands and overflows the edges. It consumes hours and days. Joy takes over to-do lists and chores. Joy allows you to still get all the things done, but remain grounded in the blessing of why you do what you do.



It is time to evict stress and overwhelm from this celebration. Stress has no space in all this joy. Overwhelm is not welcome in these special moments we get to create.



We often trade what is so incredibly special for a sense of overwhelm. Why? Why would you allow that invasion of your most precious moments? Why would you let the enemy bring stress to your party? Why would you allow the sneaky exchange of all you are so ridiculously blessed to GET to do, for things you HAVE to do?