Wednesday, November 28, 2007

It's the Most Busy Time of the Year


I wish I could say this stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas was the most wonderful time of the year.

I love Christmas and started playing some of my Christmas CDs on November 1. I love buying gifts and presenting them to friends and family. I love my nativity collection. I love baking goodies. I love church services and gatherings that focus on the holy birth. I love finding a Christmas charity project. BUT. . .I hate the busy frenzy this time puts me into.

I'm the type of person who wants to put my whole heart and energy into a project, but the problem with this time of year is that there are too many projects happening all at once. Throw in a out-of-state trip and a pet emergency, and you have chaos.

Work seems extra busy this year, even though we always plan for a week off for holiday. We've been having some authors in to visit. It's the start of a new list when we prepare a blitz of marketing copy. We have a sales conference coming up next week. And I'm supposed to be concentrating on reading at least two manuscripts. My mind can't seem to squeeze in more.

My social calendar is full with parties I'm hosting as well as those I'm to attend.

My gift list has a couple things I want to make by hand, but I'm worried may not be realistic to think I can get them done. Still, who has time to shop???

No wonder so many people have a love/hate feeling toward December.

In many areas of my life I've wondered how I can cut out the things that don't matter and things that keep me from what is really important -- especially those things that get between me and my relationship with God.

It is a constant struggle. Can we ever win over the rat race? Any suggestions or successes to share?

4 comments:

The Imaginary Blog said...

No parties this year for me! I'm missing the work party ("work party"--now is that an oxymoron or what?) because I'll be out of town.

But I'm finding that I'm much happier if I carve out an hour each day--or half an hour, which can be more reasonable--for my own time. Time to read, to pray, to think.

The kids are okay with it, although the cat remains baffled. Well, a whole lot baffles my cat, but I love her just the same.

My son has insisted we go to a couple of Christmas concerts and that's always good to get me in the spirit! Bring on the carols!

JanetS

Pam Hillman said...

Becky, I feel for you since I'm in the same boat! We have a running joke at work that we have to "drag out the old Christmast tree". lol

We could pass a law to work 11 months out of the year and everyone take December off. However, there's the entire retail sector that blows that idea right out of the water. Sigh.

But wouldn't it be nice? If we worked 48 weeks instead of 52, we'd only add 3.33 hours to each week!

I can dream, can't I?

Becky said...

I sound like a whiner. At least today I got my bathroom plumbing fixed and won't have wet towels on the floor anymore. CHEERS!

Mary Connealy said...

It's a simple matter of counting our blessing and unfortunately or 'blessins' seem like burdens this time of year because they're so abundant.
Money to buy gifts.
Warm homes to fill with decorations and the smell of food.
Lots of family far and near to visit.
busy churches in a land that is free to worship.
All blessings and we end up chasing after them all until we're exhausted.
there, take that as a pep talk, I'm going to try and pep talk myself, too. :)