7th Day of Christmas with Glynnis Whitwer

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!

Today’s guest?

The organization/time management chick and writing whiz:

Glynnis Whitwer

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Am I a Christmas Failure?

A few years ago, December found me feeling rather un-Christmasy.  It had been a very hard year, filled with one challenge after another.  And when it came time to start the Christmas season, my reaction was anything but merry.

My emotional and physical tanks were completely drained, and creativity seemed a distant dream.

Boxes of Christmas decorations sat in a closet. Christmas cards (bought on sale the prior year) waited on the counter.  There were unmade cookies, unplanned parties, and unseen neighborhood light displays.

As I looked at my calendar and house, all I saw were things I hadn’t done.  I felt like a Christmas failure. After all, some women manage to get everything done, and look good doing it. Why couldn’t I?

The discouragement of my “failures” stole the joy of the Christmas season.

But then God reminded me of what I had done:

  • I had loved Jesus with all my heart.
  • I had served God faithfully in a ministry (Proverbs 31) that impacted millions of women for Christ.
  • I had cared for the needs of five children (two of whom needed hours of work each day in academics).
  • I had run a home-based business that cared for the needs of my family.
  • I had supported my husband so he could run his business.
  • I had attended every holiday concert and sports event that month that my kids were in (and wrestling meets last for hours).

No magazine took pictures of my house that year. Martha Stewart didn’t want to know my secret for amazing home-made gifts.

And my friends and family forgave me for not sending out Christmas cards for the second year in a row.

That Christmas God showed me all the exterior stuff is nice, but it doesn’t matter that much to Him.  What really matters is if my heart is fully submitted to His calling on my life.

His calling for me is to serve with a joyful heart.  And apparently it’s not to decorate or craft.

So, if your house is still decorated for Thanksgiving, and if your presents will be wrapped in Target bags, and if your neighbors get a warm greeting rather than an assortment of homemade cookies and candy, it’s ok.

You aren’t a Christmas failure.

Just keep focused on what’s really important – and that’s Jesus.  In a world filled with discouragement, He’s our only hope for peace and joy.  And as much as I like homemade cookies and presents wrapped in satin bows, those don’t satisfy like my Savior.

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Glynnis Whitwer is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries and is one of the writers of Encouragement for Today. Her newest book, I Used to be So Organized, was released last fall.  Glynnis, her husband Tod, and their five children live in Glendale, Arizona.  Glynnis would love to invite you to visit her at  www.GlynnisWhitwer.com  where she blogs weekly and is in the midst of a series called “Sweet & Simple Christmas.”

Glynnis would love to give away two books.  The first is her book “I Used to Be So Organized” and the second is “Seek” by Donna Jones.

To be entered in Glynnis’ giveaway, tell us one area in which you have ever felt like a CHristmas failure. I’ll go first: wrapping! My sister-in-law’s packages are gorgeous and creative. Mine are more like “brown paper packages tied up with strings”

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!

(Gonna wait til tomorrow when there is more traffic to announce the grand prize)

325 Comments

  1. I always focus so much on what we have going on in our own house, that I always feel like a failure in the socializing department. I’m always “too busy” it seems and then I miss out on so much fun.

  2. This year is the outdoor decorations. My husband always used to handle that but this year he said he did not want too anymore and that it is up to me. I have done nothing!

  3. not sure if I answered this one but I would have to say decorating outside the house. I don’t want to be national lampoons vacation but classic would be nice.

  4. Definitely decorating and baking. I always want to get Christmas pictures done for cards but never happens.

  5. Decorating inside AND out! I am happy if my tree gets up & decorated! Rarely do I get the inside decorated and except for my wreath on my door, ZERO outside decorations!

  6. I’d have to say decorating! All of my friends seem to decorate their house so beautiful at Christmas time and I feel like mine is just plain Jane!

  7. I cannot make fancy packages, and I have several in my family that do. SO I just buy big fancy bows to make them all fancy. PTL!

  8. cute packages are just not happening! This year–gifts may be limited too! But there will be music and laughter and we may do “all 25 days of Advent” on Christmas!

  9. This entire Christmas I felt like a failure, I haven’t gotten all my decorations up, still have to finish shopping, haven’t done any baking………etc.

    I so needed to read Glynnis words, the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus, i keep reminding everyone of this but I needed the reminder my self.

  10. Keeping the house clean during the Christmas season.
    I have great intentions, but the memory making takes over and the house work has to wait.

  11. Last year I didn’t get a tree, but instead hung a couple plastic balls on a fake decorative tree in the livingroom. It just didn’t quite capture that Christmas feel. So this year I set up a small tree in the study just for the glow of the lights and tomorrow we are getting our 8′ tree for the livingroom, a real one too! :)

  12. It seems the past few years I have a harder time getting into getting the Christmas cards out. Also, the decorating. My children are out of the area now and it simply does not seem as important.

  13. Like you my packages are a failure. Mostly they are sacks now. My best friend when I worked had the most beautiful packages and now my daughter-in-law brings such neat ones over. I just don’t have the creativity, but thank God He put me with a DIL that does.

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