Tis the Season

Tis the season to be jolly… we all know the song. Tis the season for many things: carolling at nursing homes, restocking the soup kitchen, taking your turn as a Salvation Army ringer, directing the Christmas play, wrapping gift parties, decorating the sanctuary, visiting the homebound to decorate a simple tree, youth group shopping trips, baking cookies for Sunday school, packing missionary boxes, delivering food to needy church members, and planning the winter ski trip to name a few. Sound familiar?

Tis the season for youth ministers to be busy.

Now include the fact that most youth minstry professionals are involved in another part of their church ministry or another occupation, and that leaves little time for anything else.

These tips will help balance your time to give more to your family.

* Enlist adult volunteers. Your daughter’s school play is the day before you have to deliver food packages to twenty members of the congregation? Leave some instructions and get a parent to supervise the youth packing the boxes.

* Bring the family along. Seniors at the nursing home will love the sight of your rambunctious 2 year old in his bright red sweater dancing as the teens sing carols.

* Decide when your presence is most needed and when you can get away. Your church’s ladies ministry is having a bake sale at the mall the same day that your senior youth group is taking turns manning the Salvation Army kettle. The teens are old enough and responsible enough to do the job with little supervision, and the ladies ministry is just a hop away in an emergency. Take advantage of this type of situation to do your own Christmas shopping or be with your family.

* Know when to say no. I, personally, have a difficult time with this-- especially if the teens are fueling the ideas. I often get wrapped up in the excitement of all that can be done this time of year and overplan. Decide what can be done now and what can wait until next year.

By balancing the season with our priorities at home, it really will be a jolly season.

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