Taking the Stress out of Christmas?!!

Hey Mom,

Stressed about Christmas? You should be!!! It’s right around the corner….and it’s going to be over before you know it. If it will make you feel better, scream right now. Feel better?!

Here’s the deal: there are Martha’s and there are Mary’s. Some get stressed and some don’t. My wife and I are one of each, and let me just say that we, Mary’s cause MORE stress for the Martha’s. Mary’s see all the fun and Martha’s see all the things to be done. I’m not sure how you can change who you are…but maybe there are things you can do to be less stressed out.

That’s why I’m asking my stressed out wife to give her thoughts (secretly I’m thinking it might help her as well). Here’s my lovely, stressed-out wife’s loud suggestion… “Marry someone who’s understanding and loving!”

Isn’t she adorable…hmm…well, anyway I guess this turned out to be for those who DON’T get stressed out. We need to be understanding of our stressed-out spouses, AND we need to avoid adding to the stress by having such high expectations of fun and by being bothered when they are stressed out. That’s just the way they were created. In fact, it’s almost absurd to think that I, a non-stressed person, can instruct a completely, differently-wired, stressed out person to avoid the stress. Even Jesus, when he told Martha that she was missing out on the best, didn’t offer any instructions…He just stated the fact.

So if you’re stressed out, print this off and give it to your spouse, and if you’re not stressed out, try to be understanding, let the comments roll off your back (easier to write than do), and ask your spouse how you might help lessen the stress.

Isn’t marriage at Christmas fun?

If you have to, make yourself smile!