I’m not nearly as stressed out as I should be.

I haven’t baked a single Christmas cookie yet. I haven’t made C’s teachers their gifts yet. I haven’t visited the grocery store to pick up ingredients for the Christmas Eve hosting we’ll be doing. No Christmas cards went out this year. The Nativity set has not even been removed from the storage room. And it looks like at least one Christmas gift (ordered weeks ago, by the way) will not make it here in time.

And, oh yeah, Christmas is in three days.

Normally, I’d be a mess at this point. The perfectionist in me would have taken over. I’d be feeling guilty over all the things that are simply not going to get done, and my stomach would be knotted over all the things that I’m going to really, really, really try to get done in the next couple days.

But for some reason, I’m resigned. At peace, even.

Yes, I’m going to try to get a lot done. I have plans to bake, and a grocery store visit lined up for tonight. This afternoon has “Make Teacher Stuff” written across it in my planner.

But the things that don’t get done? They’re just not going to get done. And I’m okay with that.

I’ve been taking care of a sick preschooler this week, nursing my own illness, and trying to focus on the things that really matter.

Jesus’ Birth.

Love.

Family.

The cookies, the dusting, the cards, even the gifts…they’re nice things, but just not critical.

I don’t know exactly why I’m so okay with the state of things, when normally I would be “not so okay.” Even Chad knows what my typical reaction would be. He started to tell me the other day how I should not get stressed out and worried and uptight about all the things that “should” get done…and I told him that I really wasn’t stressed out — and I meant it.

Whatever the reason, I’m thankful to be feeling this sense of peace in the middle of a crazy season. And I hope you are feeling some of it too.