It’s that time of year again.

The mailbox is jammed with junk mail solicitations and supermarket fliers. “Make Thanksgiving meal prep easy this year!” The inbox is flooded with alluring emails selling holiday attire. “We picked these just for you!” The catalogue tease: “How Jenni does holiday décor.”

Do you feel the pressure? Intended or not, social media posts of that perfect tree—decorated and ready before Thanksgiving—are just annoying.

Here come the holidays people, ‘tis the season to be hurried! We feel it every year, the strain of doing more with less time and resources to do it. But this is no ordinary year. You know what I mean, or do we have to say it . . . that five letter word that stormed in uninvited, and changed life as we know it. Covid.

We’ve been navigating 2020 with the dashboard light incessantly warning us the tank is low—and now, many of us are running on fumes. The to-do list is piled high. For every item checked off, three more pop up. I don’t like to play whack-a-mole, do you? Especially when it crowds out what I treasure most. Family. Morning devotions. Sunday worship. Time with friends and small group gatherings.

So stop. Take a long deep breath. Relax your shoulders, take another deep breath. Close your eyes and say a five letter word…a name. His name.

Jesus.

Breathe it in and let Him show you what matters most. You can only stare at the calendar for so long. Take your eyes off of it. There is one thing that is needful in this moment. Look at the One who accomplished all the work that His Father gave Him to do in three short years.

Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry. He never missed the people who needed Him most. Remember that God supplies the strength we need for the things He wants us to do. Not necessarily the things we think are so important in that moment.

When I’m interrupted (especially on a crazy busy day) the temptation is to ignore the need and stay on task with whatever I’m doing. But oh, when I take time to look up from my work, I have seen the eyes of a grandchild, a daughter, a son, a husband, a friend who needs me to come alongside. To lend a hand, and quietly listen. The interruption becomes an invitation from the Lord Himself to “give and it shall be given” (Luke 6:38). You know what I’ve found? Being all there for someone else so often ends up refreshing me! 

Today, when you feel pressed between chasing “perfect” or choosing meaningful, I hope you pause.

Quiet the noise.

In that moment, choose the loved one. Choose the friend. Choose the gospel.  Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“And as your days, so shall your strength be.” Deuteronomy 33:25