Oh Christmas Tree

Faithfully trimming the tree the day after Thanksgiving:

Now enjoying it's magic:

If only I could be like this tree.

I want to boldly emanate light and peace.  I want to bring joy to the season.  I want to quietly send out a message of goodness and love...the message of the Savior of the world.  I want my children to gather around me, like they gather around this magical tree, to find love and comfort.

But...

I also want to sew eight sets of Christmas pajamas with slippers, three Christmas dresses (plus matching doll dresses, of course), a few plush toys and dolls, some boy gifts, and more.

I want to finish knitting the eight woolen hats I've begun.

I want to whip up some holiday garland and other handmade decorations for the house.

I want to do lots of December service projects and festive sight-seeing,

and I want to take time at home to read classic Christmas books by the fire and study the scriptural accounts of the birth of the Savior with the children.

Oh, and I want a clean kitchen and floors, empty laundry baskets, delicious meals, and self-taught-and-entertained children.

Add in basketball season's start, dance classes, homeschool co-op classes and clubs, holiday parties, choir concerts, play performances by the kids,.........

and suddenly the idea of spreading holiday cheer becomes more like a feat the caliber of climbing Mount Everest.  And it doesn't feel festive or cheerful at our house at all when Santa's go-to elf Mom is completely overwhelmed and acts more like the Grinch, stealing the goodness right out of our holiday (which has been the general feeling at times already this month).

So, for me, this year...

the tree that stands so still and wonderful

will be my reminder and inspiration.

I will take time when I walk past it, to reflect and ponder, even for a moment, the real meaning of Christmas.  I will picture in my mind's eye (even while my body is running from one end of the house to another for kidly emergencies, which rarely wane) that blissful first Christmas.  I will feel the sweet peace which filled that meager stable, as wise men and shepherds gathered 'round in humble adoration.

I will breathe in the tenderness of these moments with our blessed tree, and then move through the day, using my time wisely and spending my energy on that which matters most.  And what matters most to me is that my family feels that same peace I have described, every day of the season, in our home.  That they may know with a surety as they grow, that a Savior was born in Bethlehem.  That he lives today and loves them.  That with him, nothing is impossible.

I guess this means that I must chisel down my wish(-to-get-done-)list a bit...

**Pardon me, as I go now to take a glance at the tree and a big deep breath, and then run upstairs to clean up the "gift" Sarah just left me, sans diaper, on her bedroom floor...wish me luck...

How do you balance the craziness with the cheer during the holidays?  Do tell.