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I have been feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, frustrated, exhausted and just plain tired.  I am entering my busiest time at work, as well as the normal Christmas rush that happens when you have kids of all ages.  Every year, I tell myself (and all my children) that I am going to slow down.  I am going to spend less, and make Christmas smaller.  All good goals.  However, they are so very hard for me to accomplish.  So, this year, I have been praying about it.  I want my children to feel the sacredness of the holiday.  I want it to mean more that presents and wrapping and commercialism.  I have been praying for help in my own life that I would be able to slow it down and just enjoy my time with my family.
So today, I felt a little pressured with the need to write. I had my article in my mind.  I knew what I wanted to write about.  I have been thinking about what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it.  I went to get online and I could not get to my blog!
I got the infamous "Google Error" message that said my webpage was unavailable.  I tried again.  And again.  And again.  I got the same message.  After trying for the better part of an hour, I temporarily gave up and spent the evening with my girls.
They are so excited to do presents for each other.  They have been saving their money and making their own gifts.  I have a lot of craft supplies in my house.  They have discovered the beads, the card stock, the extra material and the buttons.  All of these are a virtual treasure trove for young, creative girls.  We spent the evening talking and laughing and helping each other.
We spent the evening slowing down and focusing on the things that matter most.  I am amazed.  I prayed for an answer and the Lord sent me a different answer than I wanted , but it turned out to be exactly the answer that I needed.  I needed peace.  I needed time with my family.  I needed to slow down.
I got everything that I needed tonight, just not quite in the way I planned.
In Time Out For Women, one of the speakers talked about how Satan would be very pleased if he could get the women of the church to be involved in too many good things.  That really made me think.  How many of us are involved in too many good things?  How many of us spend the majority of our days taking care of everyone but ourselves or our families?
So, I had a forced evening to regroup, rethink, and retake stock in what I really need.  I have rediscovered that my sweet young girls are totally amazing.  They know what is right.  They know what needs to be done.  And they know how to relax and have fun doing it.
Maybe, I just need a few more nights with them as my teachers.  A few more nights of crafting, cleaning, and laughing.  A few more nights of bedtime stories, wrapping and hugs and kisses.  A few more nights of family, laughter and love.  That just might be the best part about Christmastime after all.

"If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most".  President Deiter F. Uchtdorf