What I Learned From A Really Busy Day About the True Meaning Of Christmas – #ShareTheGift

Yesterday was a crazy day.  Seriously crazy!  It started out with doing 2 1/2 hour of straight school, no breaks!  It was fine, but exhausting. Then we headed off to the dentist with all 5 kids, who by the way, didn’t have any cavities, but it took over two hours.  Way too long to spend that much time at the dentist with 5 kids. After that we came home, ate lunch, cleaned up the house and headed out to dance and karate. I then went and helped my husband put up lights at a new job for a little bit. I picked up my daughter from dance, ran to buy her jazz shoes and then went and finished the light job.  Next I ran 3 quick errands to different peoples houses.  We live so far out of town I had to get all this stuff done…so I thought.

By this time it was 7:45 and we hadn’t eaten dinner. Both babies had been in their car seats WAY too long and were pretty whiny.  Thank goodness for the Magic School Bus DVD.  The kids had earned pizza for not having cavities, which I told them they could have for dinner.  So I drove to the pizza place.  Now it was 8:15. I needed to get to the craft store to get some craft stuff to make ornaments for a Homemade Ornament Exchange party I am going to Thursday.  My husband met me at the pizza place and waited there till it was done while I went to the craft store alone, because who in their right mind wants to take 5 kids into a craft store? Not me!  I called to remind him to meet me at the tree lot because we also told the kids we would go to the tree lot to pick out a little tree they want to buy with their own money.  I got to the craft store and they were closing and I couldn’t find anything I needed. I left.

I hurried to the tree lot and they brought out an awful looking tree that was way overpriced.  I told them we could find better later and we got in the car.  I took two kids with me and my husband took the younger three to run some lights to his employees.  I know, this whole night is just sounding crazy…It gets worse. By this time it was 9 and I needed to find these craft items and get milk and wet wipes.  I headed to Walmart….and found NOTHING!  I was so tired when my husband called me to tell me our baby had peed out of his diaper…I lost it. I told him I should have changed the babies diaper a while ago, but totally spaced it. and started getting all teary in the store.  I felt overwhelmed, I wanted the night to go smoothly, but everything was taking too long, and nothing was working out as planned.  I got to the register to check out and guess what?  It gets even worse….I had my purse, but my husband had my wallet in my van.  So I left the store with nothing, and drove home crying.  We ate dinner at 10:00 at night.  I knew we needed to end the day on a better note, and that we needed to start our 25 Day Scriptures, Story and Ornament tradition, but I didn’t really want to because it was 2 hours past bedtime, but I did it anyway. I hid their chocolates, we read our Advent Scripture, I read a story and we gathered around the couch and had a small devotional.  There was a very peaceful feeling that came into the room. I thought about the day we just had and realized I didn’t have to get all that done in one day Most of the stuff didn’t matter.  What matters most was that I took care of my kids, fed them, and at the end of the day had a peaceful time together where we talked to them about service and the true meaning of Christmas.

I have never felt so much hustle and bustle in my life than today. Tonight I committed I am not going to let that happen again.  I was not Christlike today, in-fact, I was far from it.  I was grumpy, tired and irritated.   I don’t ever want that to happen again. For the next 24 days leading up to Christmas I am not going to over plan outings or over schedule our family so that we can get stuff done.  I am going to enjoy the peace that the Spirit of Christmas brings into our lives and into our homes and not stress myself out.  I am going to simplify, and not stress. We are going to spend this month focusing on the real meaning of Christmas!

You may have noticed a beautiful ad on my sidebar that says He Is The Gift.  Click on it!  Share it with your friends and family and remember the most important gift we ever received for Christmas was Jesus Christ.  We don’t’ have to have a crazy December rushing all over town trying to do everything perfect for Christmas.  Sure, we need to get stuff done, but not all in one day and not when your family need you most!

Enjoy this video put out by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is a sweet message to remind us to #ShareTheGift through Christ-like actions or service.  That is what I really want my kids to learn this Christmas season. I don’t want them to see a crazed mom that is super busy trying to get everything done, I want them to see a mom that is happy serving them and others. I want to teach them To serve others and to show Christ-like love, especially to each other, and to discover the Gift of Jesus Christ, who is THE Gift of Christmas!

Let’s all slow down this holiday season and enjoy our families and loved ones and focus on the real meaning of Christmas!

How are you going to #ShareTheGift this year?