I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions as let’s face it, the success rate of such pledge isn’t promising. I think for me, just by calling a goal a New Year’s Resolution, it loses its probability of success. It gives me the idea that I’m doing it because a date rolled around on a calendar, not because the goal is what’s best for me.

Perhaps that’s my own mental gymnastics, but I think it’s important to assess the reason for doing something. Doing so helps us achieve long term success.

I read in the newspaper recently that Scientists say habits get wired into our brains. It went into a lot of scientific gobbledygook, but it’s true. I have a late evening snack most every night. It usually is light-butter popcorn or a few slices of goat cheese. Since reading the article I’ve  looked at whether I’m even hungry when I have my late evening snack. Most of the time … I’m not. It’s just what I do. I grab my token snack. When my large 24-pack box of popcorn gets low, I buy more. It’s my late evening snack.

So when it comes to parenting, how do we best set a goal?

1. Stop and think about what we do and our responses to situations with our children. Is it what we want to do and say?
2. Realize our autopilot will not bring successful change.
3. Look for situations to practice the new response or action.

By changing things up our brains will probably be discombobulated. That’s okay. It’s just the start of a new hard-wired habit.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.  ~Henry Ford

As the holidays approach, stress usually brews. The endless parties to attend, the school programs and concerts, presents to buy and wrap, dwindling checkbook register figures, traffic, baking, and figuring out family plans. The missing ingredient is often the joy of Christmas.

What comes to mind is the drama I wrote a few years back about the dysfunctional Funk family trying to get through the holidays. The eldest daughter named Joy, was anything but joyful yet she tried to make everything perfect to ensure there would be joy … but everything fell apart. Isn’t that how we operate sometimes? We strive to have things in order or find a resolution to a problem to ensure we will have peace, joy, and happiness. Yet we’re losing the battle. If only life was so cut, dry, and simple.

I find that this journey in life isn’t about resolutions to problems, but in finding the joy, peace, and happiness in our lives that God offers regardless of our situation. That is far easier said than done, because life gets messy sometimes.

So how do we find the joy this holiday season regardless of our circumstances?

1. Keep Perspective: Pick up God’s point of view rather than our own. That requires we first step back from the emotions of a situation and allow ourselves to view it from a wider angle. Then we can look to see what God wants us to learn.
2. Keep Breathing: We may have overscheduled ourselves and it can’t be changed now, but we can make a conscious choice to take a few minutes out for ourselves to breathe and relax. It helps us to do #1 above. Take a longer shower in the morning and just relax in those extra minutes or unwind from your day by reading before you go to bed. Understand we need to chill out each day before we can tackle the next day with calm and perspective.
3. Remember the Reason: Remember what Christmas is about. It’s not about presents, parties, programs, full schedules, finances, or even family gatherings. Christmas is about remembering the greatest gift of all – Jesus Christ! It’s the time we celebrate His birth knowing He came to earth to live and die just so we could have life everlasting with Him. What a gift!

So go ahead and receive the joy, peace, and happiness that comes from this greatest gift of Jesus Christ. It’s not dependent on your circumstances and isn’t something you have to add to your bursting schedule. Celebrate the JOY this Christmas.

One of my favorite things to do with my daughter each Christmas is to make our annual Christmas ornaments. We give the extras away as gifts and keep a few for ourselves. It’s a great inexpensive memory maker and gift idea!

I started this tradition when she was 21 months old and I love putting the ornaments on the tree that we made each year. They vary in difficulty depending on her age, of course, but each is labeled with the year it was made. Some are holding up good and others need a few touch up repairs before they are put on the tree, but all have great memories imprinted with them.

Now that she’s a teen, it’s much easier to decide what ornament we’ll make. I select a few of my favorite options, show them to her, and she quickly vetoes all but one. Decision made!

Even though this time of year lends itself to full schedules and bursting to do lists, take time to make a few memories with your children. Click here for a few homemade ornaments ideas.

Have fun and let me know what you make!