This week we did not have a specific topic we were supposed to write on, so I wanted to share what has happened and how I can apply the lessons from this week to it.
I feel like I have a ton of things on my plate and am feeling a little overwhelmed. This week in addition to school and work, I have been at the church for three days straight working on decorating for the church Christmas party (6pm-11:30pm), then having the actual Christmas party (6pm-9:30pm), and today to make the ornaments that we will be giving out at the Relief Society (women's organization for my church) Christmas party (10am-1pm). I still have Christmas decorations to be set up at home. Luckily most of my gifts are bought, but they still need to be wrapped. I try to get things done early because I get overwhelmed easily and then the holiday becomes one of stress instead of enjoyment. However, this week has been very overwhelming and frustrating to an extent. The hours spent at the church have been daunting and I come home exhausted and in pain. I know part of the pain is my own fault because of my weight and my other health issues. But some of it has to do with we always feel like things need to be grandiose and people always think they can do more things than they can in the time they have. Plus people don't always complete the things they should when they should (or show up on time). So for instance, the leaders decided they were going to do this decoration that required crepe paper to be taped to a hula hoop. The understanding was that it was going to be done prior to the night so we just had to hang the hula hoop and then tape the ends to the walls. Well, even though I told the person doing it, if they needed help to let me know, she told me she would have it done Wednesday night. I told her again if she didn't to let me know and I could do it during the day on Thursday so it would be ready for Thursday night. She didn't and it wasn't. So we spent at least 15+ minutes putting it together with three of us doing it. Not to mention the person bringing it was already 45 minutes late to set up. So now it was almost 7pm when we actually got started decorating. Not to mention the boxes that were put together the night of instead of having them done at home while people were sitting around watching TV. All things that would have shortened the duration of time spent the night of.
While the event turned out great and the decorations were beautiful, sometimes I think we try to do too much and then people get burned out. So when it is no longer their assignment they don't want to help because they have already put all the time in previously. And so then others get burned out.
When I returned home today I told my family we had to get our decorations done and they grumbled. So this year we decided to just put out the things we really like (our trees, our stockings, our hearth decorations, the nativity set, the dining table center piece and some Christmas books, oh and a the two strands of lights on the house, pretty much everything else stayed put away). The other things I love seeing, but it was too exhausting for me this year. Maybe I am getting tired out too easily in my older years, but the time was not worth the reward for me.
In all the hubbaballoo of the season and despite the complaining I am currently doing, I really am grateful for this time of year. I love the music, the decorations, the food and activities. I love finding the perfect gift for each person. But most of all I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth as a little babe so many years ago, in such humble circumstances. He gave his life for me and for all of us, that we may return to live with our Heavenly Father. I am grateful that we have this holiday season to remember Him and his love for each of us. Each year we try to do things to remind us of the reason for the season, going to the nativity display, going on a "Walk Through Bethlehem", attending church, spending time with family and friends. These things remind me that the craziness of the season is not what it is about, but the love we share with others and with our Savior. I am grateful to experience it all.
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