Rest, Not Stress

Shopping. Wrapping. Decorating. Cleaning. Preparing.

Extra church activities. Extra children’s programs. Extra social events.

All of these “extras” add up to less time. And more stress. The Christmas Season is one of the most hectic times of year. Add in a few snow storms and traffic jams, and the stress-o-meter climbs higher.

During time crunches and stressful situations, I tend to ditch food preparation tasks. This leads to grabbing a handful of something quick (read: chips) instead of a healthy snack. It sometimes involves “fend for yourself” suppers or running to County Market for a fried chicken meal.

However, these shortcuts only add insult to injury. We are lying to ourselves if we believe we can skirt through these activities unscathed. These low-in-nutrition alternatives put extra stress on the body (not to mention what eating quickly does to our digestive system). And the spiral continues.

Find a moment to take a deep breath, lean on God, and remember His truth. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

Seek God’s face. He will fill you with rest. He will prioritize your days and food choices will be easier. Meals will be pleasurable. Life will be enjoyable. Christ will be central.

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to reduce stress during this season?

Housekeeping:

The role of the harried, stressed-out teen is being played by my talented son, JT.

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