I’m a little behind. Four words that perfectly describe my life right now.

As I write, it’s just past Thanksgiving, and I’m already behind on my Advent devotional. The calendar says November 27th but my daily Bible says November 12th.

My goal of exercising four times last week turned out to be zero times. Sigh. How will I ever lose this weight?

My house is a mess. My laundry pile is akin to Mt. Kilimanjaro. I’m pretty sure you could start calling me Old Mother Hubbard since my cupboards are so bare from the lack of a visit to the grocery store.

Christmas cards? Yep. Nope….haven’t done those in years.

There are no Christmas cookies in my freezer yet, and I’ve only bought three presents so far. Three. I’m usually done by now but this year I haven’t even scratched the surface yet. And then I have to wrap them. Oy vey.

I’m a little behind turns into I need to catch up. And with it comes more thoughts.

Run. Hurry. There’s no time. Pressure. Stress.

And then…

Grumpy. Edgy. Where did my love go? Isn’t this supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year?

STOP!!!!!

So teach us to number (prepare, set) our days that we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

Instead, You direct me on the path that leads to a beautiful life.
As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending,
and I know true joy and contentment. (Psalm 16:11)

There’s no pressure or stress in these psalms – just a beautiful life.

No edgy or grumpy there – just pleasures and joy and contentment.

Isn’t that lovely?

But it should be more than a just-out-of-reach picture of our lives. We can live this life today. Even in the midst of all of the stress and chaos of reality.

How?

By staying plugged in to the source of love and joy and grace. By staying connected to His presence.

By letting go of the unrealistic expectations we set for ourselves of what HAS to get done and how perfect everything has to be.

I may be a little behind, but at least I started. I may not have exercised but I refuse to give up. This is a new week.

Maybe I just won’t bake as many cookies this year, which may be a blessing in disguise! (Fewer cookies = less exercise 🙂 )

I’ve yet to get up on Christmas morning to no presents under the tree.

It’ll get done. It always does. But how it gets done is up to me. It’ll can be with pressure and stress and the grumpys or it can be with grace and joy and love.

I choose. You choose.

Reality is I need to catch up. I’m still a little behind. But I choose strength and grace and joy while I’m doing it. How about you?

Lord, help us set our days to include joy instead of pressure. To choose grace instead of stress. Help us stay on the path to a beautiful life. Make us more aware of your constant and abiding presence within and the grace and strength it brings. And help us let go of unrealistic expectations of what it should be and embrace this sweet, chaotic, lovely, messy, busy, wonderful life You’ve given us.

Let everything we do and think and say be influenced by and saturated with Your love, and help us give You away to everyone we meet.

Amen…