Putting Out Fires

Last night I lit a fire.

I've had a pile of boxes that had to go. They were taking up too much garage space, then I moved them outside, and they were going to get wet or blow away in our coming weather. So I had to burn them.

I only have a small fire ring near my garage and sheltered from the wind, so I started the fire there. But most of the boxes were bigger than the ring. So I got the bright idea to start another fire in the middle of my graveled driveway for the huge boxes. Soon I was running between two large and hot fires with a rake, trying to corral the flames and flying ash.

As I looked at my editor's to-do list just a few minutes ago, I was easily reminded of my juggling efforts last night between those two fires. Except that on my desk I seem to have more than just two fires, and I can't decide which is in most need of tending first.

Of course, in the back of my mind are always other things from home and now holiday related that send up sparks and seek to take my attention too. It puts me in the mood to rant and complain and pout and even procrastinate when I should be seeking things to offload and solutions to organizing the rest of the chaos.

All I really long for this Christmas season is internal peace. I wish for a time when I can feel like most of my jobs are done with relative success and the slate is clean at the end of the day.

How is your December going? Have you been able to corral the chaos and put out the fires so that you have a peaceful heart to usher in the birthday of our Christ? Tell me that this stress is not a pandemic.