Making my list and checking it 217 times

Gifts for parents and in-laws....check.

Gifts for teachers....check.

Gifts for immediate family....mostly check - two more small things to get for Kloe.

Gifts for friends....half check.

Gifts for our one niece, who lives far away....check.

Mail Christmas cards....check - all except one that I need to include a letter with.

Decorate....ahem.

Jesse Tree devotions every night....umm, not doing so good on this one. :(


Still on the list:

Buy gifts for kids' school parties.

Wrap teachers' gifts.

Oh yeah, wrap ALL the gifts.

Attend 2 school parties tomorrow.

Four more family/friend gifts to buy.

Make and package spiced tea for various friends and family members.

Mail gift to niece who lives far away.

Two other gifts to mail.

Make coaster set (gift for a friend - supplies are already purchased).

Write letter for the one Christmas card I still need to mail.

Write thank you notes for my birthday, which was two weeks ago.

Christmas party tonight.

Seminar tonight after the party.


And then there's the regular to-do list:

Drop off clothes at the cleaners.

Go to the bank.

Laundry.

Grocery store.

Housework.

Dinners to cook.

Help kids pack for trip to Grandma's next week.

Plan childcare for the 2 weeks they are out of school.

Balance the checkbook.

Pay bills....helpful!


It's hard for me to keep things in perspective at Christmas. I want so much for this season to be about JESUS and not about all these to-do's, but it's so hard when there just seems to be so much TO DO!

This post at Sincerely Anna really made me think today. How exactly do I do all the to-do's, and not end up looking back when Christmas is over and asking, "Where did Jesus go?"

I'm such a black-and-white person. All or nothing. One thing OR the other. This way OR that way. It is hard....HARD....for me personally, to buy gifts and go to parties and decorate and send cards and visit friends/family and run errands and do all the normal day-to-day stuff....and keep my focus and my family's focus on Jesus.

HARD.

In my tunnel vision approach to life, it almost seems like I either do all the to-do's or keep our focus on Jesus. I know that's not right....every moment of life is supposed to be about Jesus, whether I'm at church or doing Bible study or praying....or mopping the floor or picking up the dry cleaning or playing Monopoly. But it's really hard for me.

I guess my brain works more like a man's in that respect. More waffles than spaghetti in that department.

Hard.

I could really use your insight. How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus while doing the to-do's?