the wise men

"As the Christmas season envelops us with all its glory, may we, as did the Wise Men, seek a bright, particular star to guide us to our Christmas opportunity in service to our fellowman.

"May we all make the journey to Bethlehem in spirit, taking with us a tender, caring heart as our gift to the Savior."

Thomas S. Monson


Merry Christmas, friends! We have gingerbread to bake and white elephant gifts to wrap and the nativity play to script and then we will be ready. I hope your home is filled with the peace that only He can bring this Christmas weekend.


More on the Wise Men here.

the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes

I shared some of this last year, but I love it so much, I think it needs to be shared again.

From Elder Christofferson:

"When we talk about the birth of Jesus Christ, we appropriately reflect on what was to follow. His birth was infinitely significant because of the things He would experience and suffer so that He might better succor us--all culminating in His Crucifixion and Resurrection. But His mission also included the beauty of His service, the miracles of His ministry, the relief He brought to the suffering, and the joy He offered--and still offers--to the mourning.

"With all of that to come, though, I think it's appropriate this time of year to just think about that baby in the manger. Don't be too overwhelmed or occupied with what is to come; just think about that little baby. Take a quiet, peaceful moment to ponder the beginning of His life--the culmination of heavenly prophecy but the earthly beginning for Him.

"Take time to relax, be at peace, and see this little child in your mind. Do not be too concerned or overwhelmed with what is coming in His life or in yours. Instead, take a peaceful moment to contemplate perhaps the most serene moment in the history of the world--when all of heaven rejoiced with the message 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"

I'm about to leave for a run, and while I am running, I am going to try hard to think about that little baby. There are a million things I can be doing today--cleaning my house, last minute errands, working on a sewing job, etc. But I am going to set those things aside, at least for a little while, and focus on that quiet and small moment in the history of the world, when a little babe was born in an insignificant town, long, long ago.

As Elder Christofferson recommends, I am going to "sit (or in my case, run) for a few quiet moments and let the Savior's Spirit warm you and reassure you of the worthiness of your service, of your offering, of your life. Sit quietly with that little baby and come away spiritually strengthened and better prepared for all that is going to come later. Let that moment be one of rest and refreshing and reassurance and renewal."

Happy Wednesday, friends.


My favorite painting, a gift, of course from the talented Beth Allen.

Mary

more from Elder Holland:

"Mary, this most favored mortal woman in the history of the world, who as a mere child received an angel who uttered to her those words that would change the course not only of her own life but also that of all human history: 'Hail, thou virgin, who art highly favoured of the Lord. The Lord is with thee; for thou art chosen and blessed among women.' The nature of her spirit and the depth of her preparation were revealed in a response that shows both innocence and maturity: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.'

"It is here I stumble, here that I grasp for the feelings a mother has when she knows she has conceived a living soul, feels life quicken and grow within her womb, and carries a child to delivery. At such times fathers stand aside and watch, but mothers feel and never forget. Again, I've though of Luke's careful phrasing about that holy night in Bethlehem:

'The days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

'And she brought forth her firstborn son, and [she] wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and [she] laid him in a manger.' Those brief pronouns trumpet in our ears that, second only to the child himself, Mary is the chiefest figure, the regal queen, mother of mothers--holding center stage in this grandest of all dramatic moments. And those same pronouns also trumpet that, save for her beloved husband, she was very much alone.

"I have wondered if this young woman, something of a child herself, here bearing her first baby, might have wished her mother, or an aunt, or her sister, or a friend, to be near her through the labor. Surely the birth of such a son as this should command the aid and attention of every midwife in Judea! We all might wish that someone could have held her hand, cooled her brow, and when the ordeal was over, given her rest in crisp, cool linen.

"But it was not to be so. With only Joseph's inexperienced assistance, she herself brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in the little clothes she had knowingly brought on her journey, and perhaps laid him on a pillow of hay.

"Then on both sides of the veil a heavenly host broke into song. 'Glory to God in the highest,' they sang, 'and on earth, peace among men of good will.' But except for heavenly witnesses, these three were alone: Joseph, Mary, and the baby to be named Jesus."

Mary's birth experience was far different than mine, but it is not so different from that of many, many women all over the world even today. Consider donating to Healing Hands of Joy, a charity that helps to make motherhood safer for women in Ethiopia. Let's calm the storm like Jesus did and continue to Light the World.


beautiful print of a painting by Beth Allen

happy weekend

Hooray for the weekend! No more packing lunches or waking up when it's still pitch black outside to get kids ready for school. . . at least for a couple of days. We are counting down until Christmas break at our house. After today, only 2.5 school days left. And then Christmas!

Our presents are mostly wrapped and under the tree. Our neighbor treat plates have been delivered. Our stockings are ready to be stuffed. And because we just barely got our tree, it is not even close to being dead yet. :) We are in a good spot and I am so glad. Instead of frantically finishing up last minute shopping, we can just enjoy the build-up to the big day. And probably eat too many cookies, too.

My three older kids had their piano recital last Sunday. Afterwards, Mike made them grab the kittens for the picture I was taking to commemorate the night. Those kittens! We all have ringworm and they have terrible gas, but my family loves them anyway. Our older cat, Inez, is finally coming around to them, I think. She looks at us like we're crazy, but she has a point and also, she's always done that.

This afternoon is the first grade Winter Musical, which I am sure will be a good time. With a trip to the temple and a viewing of the new Star Wars, our weekend is rounding out to be pretty great. I hope yours is, too.

Oh, and don't forget today's Light the World challenge! We can show compassion like Jesus did by leaving only kind messages on social media or babysitting for a single parent so they can finish their Christmas shopping or giving up our seat on the train. There are lots of small ways to show compassion, but my heart is breaking for Aleppo. If you are looking to do something a little more major, consider donating to the David Nott Foundation. They are a British charity that is doing good work there and wherever else there is conflict. Another good spot to donate would be the White Helmets.

the weary world rejoices

Have you been following along with the 25 ways in 25 days initiative? Last night, we rounded up some clothes to donate to help clothe the naked. Today, we are listening to Christmas hymns. These lines are some of my favorites and seem especially appropriate this year.

I've been listening to Christmas music for weeks now, but I think narrowing my listening to hymns today will help bring the spirit of Christmas into my home even more strongly.


Pretty, free downloadable pdf from Jeanne Oliver Designs here.

Joseph

I found these words from Elder Holland and loved them very much:

"As a father I have recently begun to think more often of Joseph, that strong, silent, almost unknown man who must have been more worthy than any other mortal man to be the guiding foster father of the living Son of God. It was Joseph selected from among all men who would teach Jesus to work. It was Joseph who taught him the books of the law. It was Joseph who, in the seclusion of the shop, helped him begin to understand who he was and ultimately what he was to become.

"I was a student at BYU just finishing my first year of graduate work when our first child, a son, was born. We were very poor, though not so poor as Joseph and Mary. My wife and I were both going to school, both holding jobs, and in addition worked as head residents in an off-campus apartment complex to help defray our rent. We drove a little Volkswagen which had a half-dead battery because we couldn't afford a new one (Volkswagen or battery).

"Nevertheless, when I realized that our own night of nights was coming, I believe I would have done any honorable thing in this world, and mortgaged any future I had, to make sure my wife had the clean sheets, the sterile utensils, the attentive nurses, and the skilled doctors who brought forth our firstborn son. If she or that child had needed special care at the Mayo Clinic, I believe I would have ransomed my very life to get it.

"I compare those feelings (which I have had with each succeeding child) with what Joseph must have felt as he moved through the streets of a city not his own, with not a friend or kinsman in sight, nor anyone willing to extend a helping hand. In these very last and most painful hours of her 'confinement,' Mary had ridden or walked approximately 100 miles from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Surely Joseph must have wept at her silent courage. Now, alone and unnoticed, they had to descend from human company to a stable, a grotto full of animals, there to bring forth the Son of God.

"I wonder what emotions Joseph might have had as he cleared away the dung and debris. I wonder if he felt the sting of tears as he hurriedly tried to find the cleanest straw and hold the animals back. I wonder if he wondered: 'Could there be a more unhealthy, a more disease-ridden, a more despicable circumstance in which a child could be born? Is this a place fit for a king? Should the mother of the Son of God be asked to enter the valley of the shadow of death in such a foul and unfamiliar place as this? It is wrong to wish her some comfort? Is it right He should be born here?'

"But I am certain Joseph did not mutter and Mary did not wail. They knew a great deal and did the best they could."

happy weekend

See that chair behind Stella? That's where our Christmas tree is supposed to be, but we haven't had time to pick one up yet! Crossing my fingers it happens tomorrow. I think this is the latest we've ever gotten a tree and I am totally missing it. The pine scent I have in my wax melter thingy just isn't cutting it.

For the first time in a long time I didn't worry about cleaning my house this week. I mean, I picked up and tidied and cleaned the kitchen every night, but I didn't dust or do the bathrooms and it was sort of liberating. I just had other stuff to do, you know? Things like hiking Camelback with a friend or going to the temple or watching the Great British Sewing Bee. Important stuff!

If you are in town, don't miss the Mesa Temple Lights. We're hoping to be there tonight with hot chocolate and doughnuts.

Today's Light the World is: Jesus Visited the Lonely and So Can You. My favorite, totally easy and do-able idea: Send a friendly text to someone who could use a boost. No one come to mind? Pray and ask God for someone that needs an uplifting text. Another idea is to write a letter to someone who is living away from home. My kids and I are going to write letters to the missionaries serving from our ward after school today. Have I mentioned how much I love this Christmas advent?! I love it.

Have a merry weekend!

the shepherds

From Come, Let Us Adore Him, by Elder Patrick Kearon:

"In the well-known verses from Luke 2, we learn significant facts about those first witnesses of Christ's birth, the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem. When 'the angel of the Lord came upon them, ... they were sore afraid' (verse 9). But they heard 'good tidings of great joy' that the long-foretold Savior, the Messiah, the Christ, had been born (verse 10). They listened to know the sign by which they could recognize the Savior, that He would be 'wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger' (verse 12). When the heavenly host had concluded their joyful proclamation, the shepherds responded immediately, saying, 'Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass' (verse 15). They came 'with haste' and found the Christ child just as the angel had said, and then they 'returned, glorifying and praising God' (verse 20). Wanting to share the glorious news of the Savior's birth, 'they made [it] known abroad' (verse 17).

"Like the shepherds, we must respond immediately, with haste, whenever the Spirit speaks to us. In the words of President Thomas S. Monson, we must 'never, never, never postpone following a prompting.' Sometimes after heeding a prompting, we cannot clearly see why we have been guided by the Spirit to act in a certain way. But often, like the shepherds, we see miracles occur, and our faithful response to a prompting is confirmed. We can then take opportunities to share our joy and our witness with others. Doing so can strengthen others' faith and hope, further confirming our own testimonies and bringing us closer to the Savior and His ways."

The shepherds at Jesus's birth hold a special place in my heart. They listened and obeyed. They were so full of faith, never doubting the things they had seen and heard. I love to think about these humble men, the first to bear witness of the birth of the Savior.

painting by Carl Heinrich Bloch.

happy weekend

Kittens, kittens everywhere! You can't sit down at our house without a kitten climbing onto our lap (or back). This is perhaps my favorite picture of Mike ever. You can't really tell, but he is totally in his element. Ha!

We have a happy day planned today. First, Elliot is getting his stitches out and will hopefully be out of his knee brace. Then we'll pick up my parents from the airport. And tonight we are attending Mabel's MCO concert, Good Will Toward Men. These concerts are always the highlight of the Christmas season for me. They are so powerful. I am really looking forward to it.

Have you put up your Christmas tree? We haven't gotten ours yet, but maybe we can swing by the tree lot (I mean Home Depot) tomorrow.

I love the ideas for today's 25 days of service. I think "Tell your parents they were right. Be specific!" is my favorite. Good thing my parents are coming into town today. It is a small but good way to #LIGHTtheWORLD.

Have a happy weekend!

the star

I love to think about the night Jesus was born. In the middle of Christmas season busy-ness, thinking about this quiet story brings me peace and gives me proper perspective. I'd like to share some of my favorite pieces of the story this month, as we get ready to celebrate this miraculous night.

My friend, Reachel, reminded me of this quote about the star from Neal A. Maxwell: "Recall the new star that announced the birth at Bethlehem? It was in its precise orbit long before it so shone. We are likewise placed in human orbits to illuminate. Divine correlation functions not only in the cosmos but on this planet, too."

What a wonderful idea! The star was placed in its proper position before it was ready to shine. Just as Heavenly Father was aware of where the star needed to be, He is aware of us, and has helped us find our own personal orbit. With the same care that He placed that star over the stable in Bethlehem, He has placed me here, and that thought fills me with purpose and gratitude.

the temple

I try to go to the temple once a week, but because of illness or Thanksgiving or other things, I haven't been able to go for the last few weeks and I've missed it. I am thankful that this morning, I made it happen. When I go to the temple, I feel peace and an overwhelming love from my Heavenly Father. I think going to the temple makes me a better mother and wife and friend. And I always, always leave feeling lighter and more optimistic. I am thankful to live so close to a temple, and I am thankful that my schedule allows me to visit often. The time I spend there is the best of my week.

To learn more about mormon temples, go here.


And this concludes another month of Thanksgiving. Thank you for following along! I really believe in the power of gratitude. Recognizing my blessings and expressing gratitude for them makes me a happier and more content and more generous person, I hope. I look forward to this month all year long and I am thankful to have been able to post here each day. And now, welcome December!

Don't forget the Worldwide Day of Service to kick off the 25 Days of Service tomorrow!

shopping days

Mike finished up our Christmas shopping late last night. Even with his busy school schedule, he wanted to do the shopping this year, and I am so grateful. He is much more thoughtful about it than I would be, and I know that because of his efforts, our kids are going to have a really wonderful Christmas. I am thankful that we are able to provide a happy Christmas for our children. I am thankful that Mike is smart with our money and creative with our gifts. And I am really thankful that we don't have to step foot inside another store until next year. That really is the greatest gift of all!

fhe

Tonight's Family Home Evening was sort of a bust. That happens sometimes. We went all over town looking for ornaments for our tree. Every year, the kids pick out a new ornament, and then when they are grown and have a tree of their own, they will have a box full of memories to add to their decorations. It's one of my favorite traditions. We'll have to try again this weekend. When we got home, we watched the video I posted yesterday for the #LighttheWorld campaign. I think the 25 days of service are just what our family needs this Christmas season. I bore my testimony to my children about the importance of serving like Jesus Christ did. And then we had family prayer and sent the little kids to bed.

I am thankful for Family Home Evening, even when it's not as successful as I would like it to be. I love that one night a week is specifically set aside for our family to be together. It is the best place to teach the gospel to my children, and a good time to have fun as a family. I love this family of mine and putting away housework and homework and everything else for a little while to be with them fills my heart with gratitude.

my faith

I never intended to talk about my faith so often on the internet, but here I am, doing it again. My membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has formed every bit of my life. I was raised by faithful parents who sought the truth on their own as teenagers. They found it in this church, which I believe most closely resembles the church Jesus Christ organized when He was on the earth, and I am forever grateful for their dedication to it.

This Christmas season, the church is spreading the message that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and through acts of service, big or small, we can help spread that light. I love this short video that shows people like me serving like Him:

Each day for the month of December, we are encouraged to get out and serve. There are even ideas for each day provided here. Things like writing letters to parents or donating blood or praying for a friend who is going through something challenging. These are simple, easy things that can help us come closer to Jesus Christ and spread His light. I can't think of a more wonderful way to celebrate the Christmas season. I know I'll be checking in each day at mormon.org to see what I can do. I hope you'll come along.

I am thankful for my membership in this church. I am thankful for the things it teaches, that it inspires me to be better, and for the way it makes me feel. I believe that it contains the truth, and through that truth, I can be with my family after this life is over and live with Heavenly Father again.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

I was going to put up our Christmas decorations today. But then I didn't feel like it. And then I decided to do it anyway, and I'm so glad I did. Stella and Elliot had the best time setting up all of the nativity sets on our bookcase while I arranged the little winter village houses in the kitchen. It seems like every year I put up fewer decorations, so I am just down to our absolute favorites. And because there aren't many things to arrange, it took almost no time at all. Even so, tonight the house feels sparkly and cozy and I am so thankful.