Christmas Shopping

Ahh, the joys of Christmas shopping! I haven't really gotten a great start yet this year but I am working on it. I have had times where I've gotten it all done by the end of September and then times when it was days before Christmas before I was done. I came up with a great solution the other day that I think I'll do one year and that's simply get gift cards to all my kid's favorite stores and take them out the day after Christmas and let them get whatever they want. Time wise, I don't know if that would be good since the stores are busting after Christmas but then I could be onto something here. I can see myself now, sitting at a coffee shop in the mall, reading a book, enjoying myself while my kid's are stressing out about which toy, clothing item, earrings, or video game they want. Sounds like the perfect solution!!

I have to admit, though. I really do enjoy Christmas shopping. I love shopping period. It's fun – well, it's fun when there's money involved. When there's not it's quite a challenge. Haha! But, I do have some great advice…when you don't have money but you 'feel' like shopping…head over to Target, grab a cart and shop. Go through every aisle and enjoy yourself – put all those things you want in the basket, oh – don't forget to get the $1.50 soda and popcorn at the concession area to help make your shopping trip more enjoyable, or if you have $3/$4 to spare you can get a nice Starbucks coffee. So, you might be asking, "What do I do with the cart that's full when I'm done." You simply leave it in the last aisle of the store and walk away. You'll feel refreshed and had an enjoyable shopping experience and you'll walk away feeling good that you didn't spend all that money!! Haha! I confess, I did do that once or twice. Store camera's love me!! I was at the store and I had it loaded with stuff – all kinds of stuff…I ended up walking away from it all because I felt I went a little overboard so I just grabbed another cart and started all over and left saving myself a bundle and feeling quite happy.

When it comes down to it, it's the simple things in life that will bring you greater treasure than thinking you 'need' all the bigger things in life. Stuff is stuff!! It comes and goes with the times, but having those enjoyable times in life when you might only have $5.00 in your wallet…that's okay. Enjoy what you have and get what you need..but overall – enjoy those precious 'small' moments – whether you have loads to spend or nothing. Don't forget – when Jesus comes, you can't say, "Oh, just a minute, let me pack up my suitcase of all the 'stuff' I've collected through the years!" lol! But what matters most is what you've treasured up in heaven. Matthew 6:21 puts it beautifully: "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

Life is what you make of it – if you choose stress, you'll get stress. If you choose to be miserable, you'll be miserable. If you choose love, you'll get love. If you choose fun, you'll have fun. If you seek treausures, you'll find treasures! Life is like Christmas shopping – you get what you shop for. Choose the enjoy the small moments that life gives you…and when in doubt…just walk away from you cart and start all over!!

Tracee….gotta get out of here and start shopping for treasures while convincing my kid's they don't need all this 'stuff!' lol!!!!