From AARRRGGHHH to AAAAAAHHHHH

I love my simple life. This is the life I was made for. I am content with simplicity. I wish more people could find their way to this lifestyle.
With the holidays approaching there is an OVERWHELMING amount of advertising everywhere you look, including blogland. Whether it's stuff to buy or things to do, or places to go, ways to serve, there is a plethora of ideas. At first it's exciting to see all the different ways people celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. People are so creative and sometimes even frugal and I think "hey, we should do that!" It's not very long before I feel absolutely overwhelmed and inadequate. I end up confused, feeling like my children are getting the short end of the stick in numerous areas, like I'm not a good Christian or mom because I'm not doing all these neat crafts and projects. My head starts spinning because after a point there is so much information flying around that I have no idea why or how to do the holidays.
And that's when I step out of blogland, away from the homeschool devotionals and hear God speak to me. You see, satan is devious. Remember the prowling lion? He uses Christians to his advantage. He uses our desire to "do" for his glory. We think because there is a Christian title attached that satan couldn't possibly be around. What better time to catch us off guard? He loves for us to be confused and overwhelmed and to feel inadequate. He loves to see us so busy looking for ways to celebrate God, that we don't realize how he's attacking us.
God knows our hearts. We don't have to DO fantastic crafts or projects every day leading up to and during the holidays to please Him. He doesn't want us wrapped up in "doing holiday stuff." He wants us talking to Him and reading His Word and listening to Him. He wants us loving others and telling them about Him. The crafts and projects and other busy stuff may not be bad, but it sure might keep us too busy to concentrate on what really matters, not just at the holidays but every single day of the year--our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.
I am so thankful that I have time to listen for God to speak to me. I wish more people would step out of the world and into the lifestyle God meant for us. I am truly tired of hearing how busy people are. Don't get fooled into thinking that if it's "Christian" then it must be okay. Too much of anything is not a good thing.
Stop "doing" so much. Listen for God to guide you. Step away from the feeling of AARRRGGGGHHH and into the AAAAAHHHHH of Christ's arms.