I love making Christmas cards.
There’s something special about designing, preparing, and assembling a handmade Christmas card for family and friends. It’s so relaxing.
Except when you start making them on December 19.
If you begin on that date, with the intention of getting them in church mailboxes by Sunday, December 22, then it’s not very relaxing at all. It’s rushed and tension builds up in your shoulders and neck. Your shoulder burns a bit as you stamp another image and you wonder if you’ll have to visit the chiropractor or physical therapist next week.
There goes anything you might have saved by making cards instead of buying them.
I haven’t made cards every year, but when I have, I’ve made some beauties.
This year’s card will be plain and simple. A nativity silhouette with a star above it and the caption: Silent Night, Holy Night. I think there’s a chance I’ll get them done and in the church mailboxes by Sunday morning, but I’ll have to work steadily the rest of today and much of tomorrow to get it done.
As usual, I’m wondering why I didn’t start earlier. I mean, really, I know Christmas is coming every year. There’s no reason I can’t start a few months early and make these at a more leisurely pace.
I got cards done for church last year, but I didn’t send any to family and friends. I made some cute cards during the spring and summer, but I didn’t get them sent out, and here we are back to Christmas again! (Am I a hopeless cause or what?)
Maybe you struggle with doing things on time, too. If so, it might be good for all of us to spend some time planning for the new year that will begin soon. We can look at what we want to accomplish, break our goals into smaller pieces, and schedule time into each week to work on those things.
Then maybe we won’t find ourselves:
*making cards on December 20
*figuring out our finances on April 14
*cramming for a test the morning we take it
*trying to lose ten pounds the week before our class reunion
*writing something right up until the midnight deadline
*cleaning madly right before company is scheduled to arrive
The key is doing the work instead of putting it off and doing things that don’t matter as much.
I realize that all of this is subjective. For some people, Christmas cards are far down on their list of priorities. Something else probably rises to the top of their list.
Whatever it is, we need to work hard at it, remembering that God is with us and he’ll help us.
I love making Christmas cards. Next year I’m going to start making them in July.
“‘Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:4b NIV)
Are there things you feel are important, but you put them off til the last minute? How can focusing on God help you to work hard and get things done on time?