6th Day of Christmas with Tracie Miles
Do you often have Norman Rockwell-like expectations about the holidays — the decorations, the food, the gifts, the activity — laden schedule, the family get-togethers?
There are many areas where women want to exert control ensuring the perfect yuletide season. What if we learned instead to let go of unrealistic expectations and embrace an “out-of-control” Christmas this year: relaxing and relating in a peaceful manner while letting others offer input and ultimately allowing God to call the shots?
Then join the 9000 women who have gotten my free 5-day resource From Chaos to Calm: The LET. IT. GO. Christmas Challenge?
This challenge will allow Christmas to go from chaos to calm as you learn to control what you should and trust God with what you can’t. The result? Less stressing and more blessing! Click here for the free sign up.
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Welcome to our 5th annual 12 Days of Christmas giveaways!.
Each day I’ll feature one of my Proverbs 31 sisters offering a recipe, idea or memory and giving away a prize for the day!
Up next?
The fabulous author and speaker:
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My maternal grandparents were pillars of faith. Despite the stress and frustration that surely came with raising 10 children on a very low salary, in addition to multiple foster children, they stood firm in their beliefs, and always made God a priority in their life.
As a result of their faith, their Christian legacy stretches for multiple generations, including all their children and their spouses, 20 grandchildren, and so many great grandchildren that I’ve lost count – with every single one being a believer in Jesus.
One of my fondest memories of my grandparents was their Moravian faith and the Moravian star that symbolized their beliefs. They spent the majority of their life in Charlotte, NC, and they and their children attended a small church for many years called Little Church on the Lane. My parents got married at that church; I spent a lifetime going to the Moravian Love Feasts on Christmas Eve; my mother hung a Moravian star on the front porch every Christmas and still does today; and my husband and I were married at Little Church on the Lane as well.
Although we don’t go back there very often, especially since my grandparents passed away a few years ago, their legacy carries on. Although I have never been a member of a Moravian church myself, the Moravian star will forever hold a special place in my heart.
The star is a popular Christmas decoration in cities and towns in America and Europe, mainly where Moravian congregations exist. It takes its English name from the Moravian church, but in Germany they are known as Herrnhut starts.
The first Moravian star is believed to have originated in the 1830’s at a Moravian Boy’s School in Niesky, Germany, probably as a geometry project, but was soon adopted throughout the Moravian church as a symbol of Advent and the Star of Bethlehem. Yet for me, it also serves as a reminder that we are to do everything we do to the glory of God just as we read in 1 Corinthians 10:31, which says “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
If you read up on the history of the Moravians, you will discover that they were devout Christians and it is believed that “there was no distinction between the secular and the sacred, even in their daily activities. Everything was considered worship.”
Lots of stores across the country sell Moravian stars today in all shapes, sizes and colors, even in areas that don’t have many Moravian churches. But each time I see one hanging in a store, I am reminded of so many wonderful childhood memories, but most importantly, of the birth of Jesus Christ, and that we are all called to live every day worshipping and glorifying Him in all that we do – not just at Christmas time, but all throughout the year.
Now for my giveaway:
One signed copy of Stressed-Less Living: Finding God’s Peace In Your Chaotic World, one Stressed-Less Living Spiral Bound Companion Journal, Cinnamon Spice Coffee, and a Christmas bell doorknob decoration.
**SPECIAL NOTE: Tracie is running a special Christmas promotion! If you order one or more copies of Stressed-Less Living by midnight on December 24th, you will receive 7 free gifts! The 7 gifts include 5 videos from her Stress-Less Video series, an MP3 of her speaking message called Staying Afloat In A Sea of Stress, and a 50 page Stressed-Less Living Companion Journal (download) which makes for a great free Christmas gift to accompany the book! Visit www.stressedlessliving.com and click on the 7 free gifts tab to find out how to claim your free gifts!
To be entered in today’s giveaway, leave a comment telling us what most stresses you out at Christmas.
Remember, you have until Sunday night December 16th to comment on all the posts. One grand prize winner will be chosen from among the gals who post on all 12 days!
What the grand prize is will be announced TOMORROW!!!
“Grace”
The to do list!! This year as of right now I have not put up the tree, baked, sent out cards or bought/wrapped any presents. I could choose to stress out, or I can focus on the “reason for the season”. I choose Jesus.
I stress about the gift giving. I want to give to everyone, so rather than focus on the MONEY to buy something, I’m working on taking the TIME to make something. God will give us creative ways to give when we ask.
The pressure to buy gifts. It should come from the heart!
The expectations of extended family is difficult. We want them to enjoy Christmas too, but we want a simplified Christmas that focuses on Jesus and that does not fit their expectations. It is a challenge, but I don’t let it steal my joy.
As a mom of four who is battling Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Hypothyroidism, chronic daily migraine among other medical complaints, the hardest part for me is getting out and doing all the fun and not so fun activities. Shopping for presents, groceries for cookies and Christmas treats, getting a tree, pictures with Santa, the kid’s Christmas programs, putting up lights outside, driving around looking at lights, the parades, the class parties, the church parties, and more mean I must pick and choose what is most important to my family and me or I will have such a horrible flare I can end up in the hospital.
What most stresses me out at Christmas is the expectations I place upon myself.
The thing that stresses me out the most is expectations — my own, others, and what I perceive others’ to be.
Finances!
All the commotion of what the world has made Christmas out to be. It’s not about getting its about giving and most importantly its about Jesus’ Birth.
Making sure to get everyone just the RIGHT gift!
I stress out over everything being perfect. It drives me crazy at times!
I get so stressed over the crazy calendar. My husband is worship leader so add that to all of the normal craziness and my daughter’s schedule and last minute changes and I find myself overwhelmed and pressured and then in a sea of guilt for falling apart. Trying so hard this year to stay focused on just be present and keeping myself in His presence.
Thanks for the opportunity to share.
I stress over perfection….which I never achieve. So, I start getting down about how everything isn’t “just right”. I was fiddling with the mantle decorations the other day and trying to get it “perfect” and finally my daughter says to me, “Mom, it’s beautiful. You can stop now!” Really? I can stop? I looked at it and noticed the garland was a little uneven but I chose not to keep on fiddling with it because my daughter thought it was beautiful just the way it was.
Trying to make Christmas wonderful for my grandchildren when there is a jealous grandparent on the other side.
Trying to please all sides of the family with sufficient time to celebrate Christmas at each house.
Wanting to buy more presents but not having the budget to do so.
Well, it used to be the long drive (in all kinds of weather) going to my parent’s house.
Also the gathering itself of many strong personalities. Since my father passed away, (it’s all step family left) I’ve removed that from my to do list and it has helped immensely.
December seems to be the busiest time of year with all of the get-togethers, concerts, and Christmas programs. It seems we don’t slow down until winter break. It is stressful but at the same time wonderful as we see the true meaning of Christmas through song.
I used to stress about family, and if I could buy gifts or not. But then decided one year, i would start making my own gifts, tins of cookies, a mug with candy or cocoa, or I would crochet a gift, or print out an old photo and put it in a frame. my home made gifts always went over well and everyone seems to like them better. I decided to do this, so I can take off stress from me, and enjoy Christmas with my family, and with my children while they are still young and still at home, life is too short to not enjoy every moment. i chose now to not let any stress of the holiday get to me, doesn’t mean at times things don’t come up, cause they do lol. I just do my best too cope, so I can live stress free, work in progress, but seems to be working for the most part :)
The rush—wanting to be involved with everything and to have everything perfect, but not having time to do this.
I was just thinking about that today. I often get stressed over the to-dos. There is always so much to do before Christmas. Everyone else in the family just needs to buy presents, I have to buy presents, plan dinner, send Christmas cards, clean the house, decorate the house, and of course keep up with my day-to-day responsibilities. Today I had the revelation that I was being a bit of a Martha and not a Martha Stewart. I was fussing and fretting, but not keeping focus on the important part of Christmas. I was worried about performing. No more. What I get done will be enough. The important thing is God sent his son Jesus here for me. He didn’t send him here so I would get overworked and overstressed. No more Martha time for me.
Finding a date that all family members can attend and then trying to decide do we do a gift exchange or not?
What stresses me out the most is being able to purchase gifts as well as cooking the perfect meal for my in laws. Our budget is so tight that every time we get ahead then we fall 2 steps (more like 5) backwards. I just want a Christmas where I can walk into a store and get what I want and not look to hard at the price tag or worry my wallet can’t handle it.
Oh so many things to stress about. choosing presents for everyone. want them to be special and meaningful but i am not so good at coming up with ideas and some ideas too late. also my mom is uncomfortable receiving gifts and my husband wants to give her a gift so it’s trying to satisfy each of them in that as well as in everything else.