I had to laugh at my friend’s opening sentence for today’s guest blog post. I love her honesty! And I’ll be honest too, there was a part of me that wasn’t looking forward to Christmas this year either. I’ve taken on a huge responsibility at P31 (which I LOVE) and my husband has a lot of work (which I LOVE) but it’s meant a lot less free time.
That’s why my Sweet & Simple Christmas series was as much for me as it was for you. I need to remember that I can’t do it all. And that’s okay.
So long as my heart is set on Jesus, everything else can either fall in line or fall away. What matters is my heart is honoring Christmas even if my tree is still standing bare in front of the living room, and decorations are still in boxes.
Both happen to be true.
Christmas decorations patiently awaiting my attention.
My tree needs some dressing up.
I hope you enjoy today’s reminder of what’s important by my friend Lynn Cowell. Oh how I needed to read this today. Please keep reading till the end because Lynn has a recipe to share.
Here’s Lynn …
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Several years ago, it hit me.
I didn’t like Christmas.
I no longer enjoyed the decorations; too many.
The baking overwhelmed me; too sweet.
The presents felt more like expectations; too much.
I wanted to quit Christmas.
That was before I realized I don’t have to do it all! By asking my family which traditions were the most important, I could scale back and still have a memorable holiday season.
One change that has made a difference is combining; bringing together several activities at once.
During the Christmas season serving, spending special time together and baking are things I value. Why not do it all at the same time?
Last year, I gathered together the small group of high school girls I mentor. With some favorite Christmas recipes, I set up stations in my kitchen for making sugary treats. Each one had the utensils needed as well as the ingredients nearby. I paired the girls up and let them go!
Is it messy? Absolutely!
Noisy? For sure!
Most of all, we have fun! The goal is not candy that is pretty or made just right. Instead, it is memories of learning to bake, learning to laugh and learning to give.
By the end of our hour and a half together, we have treats that we can then share with the elderly represented in our group. Serving, time together and baking all rolled into one!
Is my Christmas the perfect “Southern Living” holiday? Not by any means, but it is peaceful and that is worth everything!
Can I tell you a little secret just between me and you? I still have an attic full of wreaths, one for each window that I never have put up. I used to feel guilty each December when I pulled out my decorations. Not anymore. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells me, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:” The “season” for those wreaths just hasn’t come yet!
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Lynn gave me a recipe to share with you all. Hopefully you’ll enjoy making these cookies along with Liz’s grandmother’s ginger cookies from yesterday! (NOTE from Glynnis: scroll down to read a typed version of the Peanut Butter Ball recipe for easier reading)
Lynn Cowell is an author and a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker. She has been married for over 25 years to her husband great, has a grown son and two daughters in high school. She has written two books “His Revolutionary Love” and “Devotions for a Revolutionary Year”. Her favorite things include the mountains, well-worn sweatshirts and anything that combines chocolate and peanut butter.
Peanut Butter Balls
1 lb. margarine
2 c. peanut butter
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. confectioners sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate pieces or semi-sweet chocolate sq.
¼ lb. paraffin
Cream margarine and peanut butter. Add sugar until the consistency to form into balls the size of large marbles. Add vanilla. Mix thoroughly, using hands. Melt chocolate and paraffin in small double boiler. Dip balls in chocolate, using a toothpick. Place on waxed paper to cool. NOTE: Candy freezes well. Yeild: 125 pieces.
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Congratulations to the following two women who won a copy of one of Liz Curtis Higgs’ newest books, The Girl’s Still Got it and A Wreath of Snow.
Cam who posted on 2012/12/13 at 9:51 am
Jamie who posted on 2012/12/13 at 4:33 am
“So long as my heart is set on Jesus, everything else can either fall in line or fall away.”
LOVE THIS! My new mantra starting today.and I don’t even have our tree out yet
I love that one too Suzi!
I too had the same realization this year about Christmas decorations! What a liberating feeling I had when I re-packed the remaining decorations and declared that what was already up was enough
. I’m the one who puts unrealistic expectations on myself. No one in my family has even noticed that there were things missing. Can’t wait to try out the recipe. Merry Christmas!
I agree with Suzi. “So long as my heart is set on Jesus, everything else can either fall in line or fall away,” jumped off the page at me!
The recipes showing on the photo are for different candies. I’m sure they are great but where is the ginger cookies recipe?
The ginger cookies recipe was in yesterday’s post -A Sweet Memory from Liz Curtis Higgs.
Such great reminders – again, ‘keeping the main thing the main thing’, as you wrote the other day.
Today’s recipe is so tiny it is unreadable, and blurry when I increase the size – could you write it out, please?
Many thanks!
Kathy – I’ll do that later today and put it at the bottom of my blog. Check back in a few hours.
I wish I could read those recipes to try but they are a blur when you blow them up.
Thanks Glynnis & Lynn. Can’t wait to try the Cowell Christmas Balls!
Thank you, Glynnis and Lynn, for being real. I have been trying to fix my heart on Jesus this Christmas season, but honestly, I’m teetering on the brink of a meltdown. I always think I’m the only one whose house still isn’t completely decorated and whose gifts aren’t wrapped yet. I almost cried at the photos of the boxes of decorations still in the floor. I’m not alone. My family is beginning to think one particular box of decorations is now part of the decor because it’s been in the family room floor for so long. And the admission that Lynn’s Christmas isn’t the perfect Southern Living holiday? Meant for me. Thanks so much for your transparency. It has encouraged this overwhelmed wife and mom.
I hope those were tear of relief that you aren’t alone in not having your house decorated. I’m trying to decorate my heart with love and kindness so it won’t matter so much about my house.
Mary Lou, I had a conversation yesterday with my out-of-town sister who is having my mom for Christmas. She said, “Do you think mom will be mad that I bought paper plates for Christmas dinner?” My reply, “I doubt it; she had Thanksgiving on paper plates at my house!” She was so relieved!
Let’s make a habit out of relieving stress for each other!
Ironic, as I look at your bare tree just standing there, that’s exactly what God requires of us! We have to stand bare and humble before Him. That’s when He adorns us with His ornaments (of love) and gifts (fruits of the spirit). Of course, it’s not all at once, and my tree is only have decorated as well, but maybe it was for me to see this first. Thanks for sharing your honesty…a new meaning of Christmas for me.
I love your take on that. Thank you!
I love seeing the actual recipes worn with much use. Thanks ladies.
Theresa, this page is out of a candy cookbook I got from our wedding 25 years ago
It’s all about priorities. Monday evening at a Christmas gathering decorating was discussed. I commented the tree was up, lights on and 5 decorations (new ones -gifts) a white sheet wrapped around the base. The rest of the decorations were in a box waiting. There were some looks -really! We have had family for 2 weeks and decorating the tree was not a priority. We celebrated Thanksgiving/Christmas and everyone went home. Now I will select a few ornaments and decorate the tree
Thanks for your blog. Now I do not feel as horrible about not being on “the mood” this year. There is a time for everything… I like that.
Ana, sometimes we can’t control when hard things happen. This year, my family has had one hard December. I am so glad that if Christmas doesn’t come off super jolly, since Jesus is mine, I can celebrate Him all year long!
for the last several years, i too have wanted to quit Christmas…not because I didn’t like the season, but mostly because of the taking down of decorations! this task is very emotional for me! this year, we put up a few things here and there, and i am trying just to focus on the reason for the season: Jesus! hoping my heart will be in the right place throughout this season, and then some! thank you for sharing <3 xoxoxo
I have not enjoyed Christmas for many years. My husband less content and more irritable. Then one year we lost two children in an automobile accident November 25 and I was still on life support at Christmas time. This year I thought we were going to have a better Christmas. I thought I was going to be more prepared. Then our daughterwas two Weeks overdue with her first child. Wonderful blessing but interrupted our schedule.:-) Then on December 11 my sister was in a catastrophic accident so we have been at her bedside day and night. My Christmas tree is still sitting in the back yard. It made it home but not into the house. Lol.my cards are incomplete. My decorations are still in the basement. I made one batch of cookies. Our other daughter (adopted and with fetal alcohol effects) lives with us along
Oops. Must have hit the send button mid sentence. Put dear adopted daughter with fetal alcohol effects lives with us along with her two children (toddler and infant). My house is a disaster. On top of that only our youngest daughter knows Christ as her Savior. No one else in my family is a believer. But…God is good and does good. I stand on that promise.
I have often been reminded that for everything there is a time and season. This year, due to circumstances beyond our control (which may cover almost all circumstances!) we will be moving less than 2 weeks into January. For our Christmas decorations, we did put up a tree and hang stockings. Everything else in terms of decorations got a pass this year. I want to celebrate Christmas with our young children, but refuse to ‘kill myself’ to make everything picture perfect. One more thing…this year, no Christmas picture. It will be enough just to get through the celebrations while packing to move. Blessings to all of you women who are creating special memories for your families.
This has been so comforting. I used to think I must be in the one percent who didn’t have time to have the “perfect” Christmas. I realized a number of years ago that the main focus should be on Jesus. Sometimes I make gift tags reminding my loved ones that “this gift is given in celebration of Jesus’ birth.” This has been one of my most stress-free seasons. One reason is that I started planning and preparing much earlier now that I have a bit more free time. And I’m letting go of a lot of “traditions” that are nice but not nearly as important as Jesus and feeling more relaxed.
Thanks for the encouragement that it’s ok NOT to do “everything”–there will be another season to perhaps do it.
And I LOVE the idea of combining things you love to do–my daughter and I are going to make chocolate truffles together and take them to some special elderly friends–the same principal.
Thanks for sharing!