5 Days?!

Where has this month gone? I was checking our blog and realized it has been almost a month since I have posted anything. What have I been doing? This season is always so busy for us. Halloween to New Years means running around like crazy people. Not only do we have the 4 holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) to celebrate, but also two birthdays to fit in. It makes for a very busy time. Anyway, moving on.

A couple of weeks ago Emma was helping me set up Christmas decorations. I gave her the job of taking out one of the nativities to put on the fireplace. When she finished, instead of having all the people nicely spread out like normal, she had everyone in a tight circle all facing the Christ child. I remembered that Mike and I heard a talk once that told about how their child had done that too. The speaker related it to how we should be that focused on Christ and have that desire to be close to Him. If we were there that Christmas night, I would like to think that we would also be crowding in to try to be as close to Christ as possible, to see His beautiful face and feel His magnificent spirit. Although we weren't there, I hope that we can continue to try to get closer to Him this Christmas season and throughout this next year.

Here is a quote that one of my visiting teachers gave me a couple of years ago. I still put it on my fridge each Christmas to help me remember the focus of the season.

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again."

- Howard W. Hunter

I hope you all have a great Christmas!