(This post originally appeared on Gateway People and has been reposted with permission)
With the holidays fast approaching, my “TO DO” list keeps getting longer and longer. First, we have all the school festivals that will require Pinterest-approved snacks. Then I need to try and see if I can split my husband and me into three pieces so we can be in three different locations and spend the holidays with all of our families.
And don’t get me started on Christmas. It’s already November, and I haven’t purchased our Christmas cards?! Oh, my, this isn’t good. And what about gifts for everyone I’ve ever met in my entire life—how will I have time and/or money to buy them all something in a few short weeks (because heaven forbid I plan and starting shopping in July like some people I know)? And to top it all off, I need to keep exercising and trying with all my might to not eat every holiday cookie known to mankind so I don’t balloon out like a Goodyear Blimp!
If you are like me, just reading that list might make your heart speed up a few beats per minute. As I thought about all these “TO DO” items, I felt God ask me to stop and take a deep breath and see things from His perspective. From His perspective all of these things I just mentioned are gifts, but somewhere along the way I put pressure and expectations on myself to sustain those gifts. A gift is something that comes with no strings attached. We don’t have to work to maintain or keep it. So this holiday season I am re-shifting my “TO DO” list to my “GET TO” list. Here are a few of my GET TOs:
- I GET TO bring snacks to my kids’ school because I have been blessed with the gift of kids. No, they will not be Pinterest-approved, but they will be made (or bought) with love.
- I GET TO visit family for the holidays. No, I will not be able to be in three places at one time, but thank God we have family to visit who understands we can’t be everywhere at once. The gift of family, no matter how many times we see them a year, is priceless.
- I GET TO send Christmas cards. No, this is not a holiday must, but it’s something I enjoy doing because there was a time in our life when our family could not afford to purchase Christmas cards. I love capturing our family’s moments from the year, purchasing them, and mailing them with love. If you don’t love doing Christmas cards, let yourself off the hook and do what brings joy and captures your family’s heart.
- I GET TO buy gifts for some people in my life. This one is a struggle for me because my love language is gifts, so if I had unlimited resources, everyone I have ever said hello to would get a gift. While I may not be able to do that, I can prayerfully use the resources we do have to buy gifts for those God puts on my heart.
- I GET TO exercise and move my body because I have breath in my body. I don’t have to take care of it—I GET TO. It is a sign that I am still here on this earth and my mission is not yet complete. And yes, I will probably sample way too many holiday cookies, but I still GET TO drink my green breakfast smoothie too.
- I GET TO celebrate these holidays because of God sending His only Son to give His life as a ransom for many. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving and Christmas is all about? Being thankful for our Savior and King and worshipping Him through our acts of love and service.
I challenge you this holiday season to make a list of GET TOs rather than HAVE TOs. We will all enjoy this season in the way God intended for us to in His original design.
I am SO excited to team up with several other bloggers to bless someone this Christmas! Would you like to WIN $200 Paypal Cash to use towards your “GET TO” list? (Or whatever else you feel lead to use it on). Enter the rafflecopter below!
Giveaway Rules:
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