Ready. Set. Go. The gun is about to sound for the race though the holiday season. Ready or not, it’s coming.

It’s better to be ready.

So how do you do that?

One word: budget.

Budget your time. Budget your money. Have a plan. Don’t just let the holidays hit you. If you don’t manage them, they will control you.

So take a hard look at your finances and decide what you can afford, what you should and shouldn’t spend. I hope you already have a family budget. We do. All year long—a little bit each month—we set aside money in savings for end of the year spending.

Never, never, ever do holidays on borrowed money. It’s fine to use a credit card for the points or the cash back IF AND ONLY IF you pay it off every month.

Don’t do your holidays on what you should be giving to the Lord.

Decide what you can spend on entertainment. Decide what you can spend on gifts. Stick with those decisions.

Maybe you build in a fudge factor. But if you don’t have a plan and stick with it, the thrill of holiday celebrations will lead to the depression of debt.

The same goes for your time. Plan it. Budget it. Control it. Master it. Don’t be its slave.

Get out your calendar and write down your family ‘must do’ dates. Don’t let anything get in their way.

Plan time with your un-churched friends and neighbors. When will you have them over? Will you have them over for a meal? Or Coffee and dessert? Decide it. Do it. This time of year, be strategic in using your time for the Kingdom. People love parties. So did Jesus. Parties are a great way to help people get to know him.

Budgeted holidays are survivable holidays—happy holidays, even.

For the Reason for the season,

Pastor Jack