I am known among my family and friends as the queen of lists. I have a list, a spreadsheet, and a chart for everything in my life, and I do my best to organize those around me too— unfortunately sometimes even when they don’t want me to. Now add all the Christmas chaos and all the possible lists involved there, and you potentially have sour grapes instead of sugarplums dancing in your head.

I know it’s been said many times and many ways, Christmas comes at the same time every year. So why does it catch us so off guard? Why does it put us all into what feels like one of those snow globes in the hands of a two-year-old that just keeps shaking?

In this case, the why is not as important as the remedy that will keep us sane and, more importantly, focused on the real why for the season: JESUS. Let me share with you three of my go-to remedies when life looks crazy.

• Controlled Mass Chaos: I love this term. It allows me the freedom to stand right in the middle of chaos and love it. It simply means there will be times—and you likely already know when those times will be—that it just will be chaotic. Plan ahead for what can and needs to be controlled, and let go of the rest. Enjoy the moments. Likely those crazy moments will be the fondest memories in years to come. 
• Planned Last Minutes: Everyone thinks we are crazy, but we haven’t done ANY Christmas shopping before December 22 in years. We know it needs to be done, but rather than taking time to get one or two gifts here and there, we set aside a full day and that’s all we do. We usually go on a weekday and also avoid the crowds as well as have some much-needed spouse time together. We have yet to not find what we are looking for, and we have seven grandkids, four kids, three kid-in-laws, two foster kids, and a partridge in a pear tree. The key here is we have planned for what we know is coming. 
• The Non-Negotiables: Our daily time with Jesus is non-negotiable! No matter how tempting it is, it’s just not worth the sacrifice. Our light can only shine bright in a dark and commercialized Christmas world if we have been close to THE LIGHT of the world.

The season can manage us, or we can manage the season. The celebration is much more rich and enjoyable if the latter is true. Our light shines brighter when we have had our sweet time with our Savior, planned for what’s coming, and allowed those things that are meant to steal our joy to fall to the side.

This is a season of peace on earth and good will to all men. But even more than those very good things, this is a season of celebrating a King who came to earth to save us from the chaos we tend to get caught up in. Let your light shine brightly, celebrate in the chaos, and most importantly, celebrate Christ!