At this hurried time of year we rush here and there with our shopping lists, food preparations, and Christmas pageants or concerts. When I had children at home, I set aside their school time for my hunting trips to the mall. When they were home, I had food to prepare for neighbors and friends, gifts to wrap, and places to be. As I look back, those days felt frantic and stressful rather than filled with the peace of Christ. I missed the present of the presence of God, and I failed to give the gift of my presence to those around me. Can you relate?  How do we overcome the busyness…