The Real Gifts of Christmas

The droplets of water on this Poinsettia 
reminded me this morning that he will wash away all our tears.
They glistened like little diamonds when the sun came out.

Who is this Christ of whom they speak? Who is this child born in a lowly stable in the hills of Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago of whom the world celebrates each day, not just at Christmas?

He is the Son of the Living God, our Savior, our Friend, our Brother, our Exemplar, our Healer, our Hope, our Redeemer, the Great I AM, the Prince of Peace. Do we have any idea really of His Greatness and Magnificence, His Power or His Glory? I wonder, do we know?

Mary Did You Know?

I really don't think she did know. She learned line upon line, precept upon precept just as we all must do. Learning to know of Jesus Christ is a life long pursuit, but learning to know Christ is really who He proclaimed to be takes but a moment, when the Holy Ghost testifies of Him to our hearts. When our testimony of that is born our life is changed forever.

                                                 His Promises and His Peace

He promises us that we can live forever, which gives us undying hope that one day we will rest from all our labors and cares of this world and live with Him again. There will be a better tomorrow.

He has left us His promise that He has gone to prepare a mansion for us and that He will return again to rule and reign.

He has promised us that the home we long for, where things are perfect and just and good and right can be ours again. That longing that we experience here will be gone, we will be home and whole again. That emptiness we sometimes feel inside will be gone. Our rejoicing will be effortless, we will just BE joyful. The searching for it will be over.

He promises us we will be restored to our perfect frame, not a hair of our heads will be lost. We will be healed each and every one of us, and we will be perfect and our very best selves and we will be that way forever. We will never again be stricken with degeneration, illness or disease or infirmities or death. There will be no more sorrow, no more pain or loneliness. Can you even imagine such a thing?

He has promised us His Unconditional Love. We have it, it is ours now and will be forever. We should never feel unloved or unaccepted or isolated again. Why is this hard to remember and realize in our darkest hours?

He promises us, forgiveness if we repent, no matter how grave our transgressions. He promises us we can forgive also and he will heal our broken hearts through His atonement. He has promised us that we have the potential to change and grow and learn and become more like Him. He promises us that if we lay down our burdens, He will take them up for us.

He has promised us that He will never leave us alone or comfortless. He will help us with all we need. He will bless us through the countless kind acts of others, as well as, and through His Miracles.

He promises us that Satan can never win the war, that Heavenly Father's way will prevail and overcome all evil! We can find peace in knowing that although the battle rages, we can bet on the winning team and be a part of it.

We are promised that one day every knee will bend and confess that Jesus is the Christ. We are promised that wickedness never was happiness and that righteousness is God's plan for our happiness and joy. We are blessed to know that plan, the choices are ours through His gift of agency.

We have been promised that through prayer we can call upon God the Father at any time of the day or night, in any circumstance and He will intercede for us because He not only loves us but understands us perfectly.

We have been promised eternal life with all our family sealed together forever in His Love. There are no words to describe the joy of that.

We have been promised that our trials and tribulations are but for a moment and if we endure it well we shall be lifted up unto Him forever.

We have been promised that if we follow His plan of happiness and joy we will inherit all that He has.

And if all of that could be summed up in a phrase...He has given us His Peace for Christmas, which passeth all understanding.

And I think that is exactly what everyone really wants for Christmas. These are the things that the people (that were telling us what they wanted for Christmas on that street corner) were really seeking. Promises, Peace, and Joy like we have known and loved before ~ in our first perfect home.

As we long to experience that again both in this life and the next, may we be an instrument in His hands by remembering Him and bringing thoughts of His gifts to others, in our very human way,with our love and acts of service and with our traditions and symbols that serve to remind us of all these beautiful and eternal gifts of the Savior. In that way it truly can be a very Merry Christmas for us all.

The Real Gifts We Celebrate! 3 Of 3

Scenes from our front porch this morning~
It made me think about the beauty of no more weeping!
The raindrops were glistening like diamonds.

Who is this Christ of whom they speak? Who is this child born in a lowly stable in the hills of Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago of whom the world celebrates each day, not just at Christmas?

He is the Son of the Living God, our Savior, our Friend, our Brother, our Exemplar, our Healer, our Hope, our Redeemer, the Great I AM, the Prince of Peace. Do we have any idea really of His Greatness and Magnificence, His Power or His Glory? I wonder, do we know?

Mary, Did You Know?

I really don't think she did know. She learned line upon line, precept upon precept just as we all must do. Learning to know of Jesus Christ is a life long pursuit, but learning to know Christ is really who He proclaimed to be takes but a moment, when the Holy Ghost testifies of Him to our hearts. When our testimony of that is born our life is changed forever.

To me the Greatest Christmas Gifts of Christ

to us are

His Promises and His Peace.

He promises us that we can live forever, which gives us undying hope that one day we will rest from all our labors and cares of this world and live with Him again. There will be a better tomorrow.

He has left us His promise that He has gone to prepare a mansion for us and that He will return again to rule and reign.

He has promised us that the home we long for, where things are perfect and just and good and right can be ours again. That longing that we experience here will be gone, we will be home and whole again. That emptiness we sometimes feel inside will be gone. Our rejoicing will be effortless, we will just BE joyful. The searching for it will be over.

He promises us we will be restored to our perfect frame, not a hair of our heads will be lost. We will be healed each and every one of us, and we will be perfect and our very best selves and we will be that way forever. We will never again be stricken with degeneration, illness or disease or infirmities or death. There will be no more sorrow, no more pain or loneliness. Can you even imagine such a thing?

He has promised us His Unconditional Love. We have it, it is ours now and will be forever. We should never feel unloved or unaccepted or isolated again. Why is this hard to remember and realize in our darkest hours?

He promises us, forgiveness if we repent, no matter how grave our transgressions. He promises us we can forgive also and he will heal our broken hearts through His atonement. He has promised us that we have the potential to change and grow and learn and become more like Him. He promises us that if we lay down our burdens, He will take them up for us.

He has promised us that He will never leave us alone or comfortless. He will help us with all we need. He will bless us through the countless kind acts of others, as well as, and through His Miracles.

He promises us that Satan can never win the war, that Heavenly Father's way will prevail and overcome all evil! We can find peace in knowing that although the battle rages, we can bet on the winning team and be a part of it.

We are promised that one day every knee will bend and confess that Jesus is the Christ. We are promised that wickedness never was happiness and that righteousness is God's plan for our happiness and joy. We are blessed to know that plan, the choices are ours through His gift of agency.

We have been promised that through prayer we can call upon God the Father at any time of the day or night, in any circumstance and He will intercede for us because He not only loves us but understands us perfectly.

We have been promised eternal life with all our family sealed together forever in His Love. There are no words to describe the joy of that.

We have been promised that our trials and tribulations are but for a moment and if we endure it well we shall be lifted up unto Him forever.

We have been promised that if we follow His plan of happiness and joy we will inherit all that He has.

And if all of that could be summed up in a phrase...He has given us His Peace for Christmas, which passeth all understanding.

And I think that is exactly what everyone really wants for Christmas. These are the things that the people (that were telling us what they wanted for Christmas on that street corner) were really seeking. Promises, Peace, and Joy like we have known and loved before ~ in our first perfect home.

As we long to experience that again both in this life and the next, may we be an instrument in His hands by remembering Him and bringing thoughts of His gifts to others, in our very human way,with our love and acts of service and with our traditions and symbols that serve to remind us of all these beautiful and eternal gifts of the Savior. In that way it truly can be a very Merry Christmas for us all.

An Abundant Mentality @ Christmas 2 Of 3

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One thing that is bothersome to me is when people say they do not like Christmas because it is so commercialized, it is just a money exchange, the real meaning is missed, etc, etc. Some of those things they complain about do miss the mark, but in reality I think they began with good intentions and an attempt to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. These folks seem to throw the baby out with the bath water and keep a 'bah humbug' attitude in their hearts. What is to be gained in that? I think a person can both enjoy the traditions of Christmas and also feel deeply of the significance of what the traditions symbolize. There is always something to complain about but we have to find the good in this life.

One thing I have been noticing more and more is the disunity of our country, the lack of things that unite us. These traditions have united us in the past. Why are people and groups trying their best to divide us? The thought that a house divided against itself cannot stand comes to mind. The polarizing and the political correctness of every issue is destroying the very thing that once made this country so great. Maybe we need to remember what this symbol represents more than ever before.

I believe in religious freedom of expression but I do not believe is suppressing the right of Americans to celebrate Christmas as it has always been celebrated in this country since the day it was founded on Christian principles. Whatever your faith, have your celebrations but do not impinge on our rights to do so as well. So I am tired of people and groups that are trying their darnest to disrupt and divide us on any level. These are the United States after all.

Christianity is a religion of symbols. Sometimes I think we as Christians are a little too uptight about the cultural things about Christmas. We just need to allow ourselves to see the intended meaning behind some of the traditions of Christmas in ways that allow us to remember what is true. The symbols can testify of all of Christ's gifts in our lives. As the scriptures say, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." There does not need to be a struggle between our traditions and customs and the truth. It is not a one or the other type of thing. We can celebrate the fun of Christmas, as well as the JOY of it. The fun of it creates wonderful memories and lasting family traditions, the JOY of it gives us ALL we will ever need in this life and the next. All good things, right? What more could we possibly want or need? What is not to love about this beautiful season? For the people that get all caught up in "lying to their kids about Santa"...these kids are smart. Teach them what 'represents' means. Teach them what symbols are and then let them be a kid and enjoy what Santa represents and symbolizes. They can run a computer at 18 months, they'll get it.

Let's Consider some of the Symbols

The Evergreen Tree~God's Never Changing Love For Us, while other things come and go. He remains Constant and Unchanging.

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The Candy Cane~The Shepherd's Staff~Jesus Leading and Guiding us on our Way.

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The Wreath~A Sign of Eternity with no beginning or end.

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The Presents~Remembering the Love that God had for us in giving his Only Begotten Son and also the Gifts brought to the Jesus by the Wise Men. The Atoning Sacrifice of our Lord and Savior for us.

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The Star~The Night of Christ's Birth. The Brightness of His Hope.

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The Lights on Our Christmas Tree~ The light of Christ Shining Brightly Everywhere, even in darkness.

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The Carols~ The Heavenly Host of Angels Singing on that First Christmas Eve. Sharing the Good News with those around us. In the Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 we read " For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

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Family Gatherings~ Can remind us of the blessing Eternal Families

Sharing a holiday meal with loved ones~
Feasting on the things in life that are good!

The Important Thing to Remember is:
Seeing is Believing and Believing is Seeing.

All Good Things Testify of the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

The Hem of His Garment

This is one of my most prized possessions. I did a post about it once before which said that if our house was on fire, this would be one of the first things I would want to rescue and run out the door with it in my arms.

My parents were married in St. Paul, Minnesota, seventy years ago today. They had a tiny wedding at a Lutheran church, at 8:30 am on a Sunday morning, before the regular church service and Sunday school took place. My grandmother and a couple they were friends with were their only guests. This was the only wedding present they received. It has been a part of my life, all of my life and I love it.

We have it in our bedroom and this picture is the reason we have a yellow bedroom. I wanted it to sit on a wall that complemented the artist portrayal of the Savior. Heinrich Hoffmann painted this picture and it has inspired me many, many times when I needed extra faith or reassuring hope. I did a little research on this painting done in 1890 and the original along with three others of his most famous paintings are permanently housed in Riverside Church in New York City. I definitely will make an effort to see it if we ever find ourselves in The Big Apple again.

I absolutely love the story of the woman in the scriptures with an issue of blood, that had brought her suffering for many years. You can read the story in the New Testament. There are two accounts of it, one by Mark, the other by Luke. (Mark 5: beginning in verse 23 and Luke 8: 40-49.)

This woman suffered for 12 years with hemorrhaging. Any woman who has undergone something like this knows that this is very bothersome and sometimes the only answer is surgery. I imagine that on top of the hassle, the anemia, exhaustion and the worry, what she experienced emotionally was much worse.

I often think about her and wonder what it must have been like to have been shunned by others as being unclean. That brought her such huge rejection according to the customs, superstitions and dictates of her day. She was literally an outcast. This probably brought as much, if not more pain to her then the medical condition itself.

Jesus had caused quite a stir in the land with His miraculous healings and she was well aware of Him and she believed. She was a woman of faith and knew that all she had to do was touch the hem of the Savior's garment to be healed. She didn't want to bother him, and was probably embarrassed to share her problem, but she went anyway in her desperation. She had spent all she had on doctors that could not help her. So she pressed forward into the throng of others seeking His special powers to heal. Quietly, she merely touched His garment and knew she was immediately healed.

At that moment the Savior felt His healing power escape His body, in spite of the crush of people all around Him. His disciples found it almost funny that He would ask who touched him as they were being pressed by the crowd from every side. But He knew exactly what had happened and had a lesson to teach. He asked about it, she confessed what she had done and why, and He said, "Woman they faith hath healed thee, go in peace."

I love and admire that kind of faith; I believe in it. I think one of the reasons I love this picture so much is it very clearly shows that hem of His garment. The painter has skillfully created the folds and texture of that garment and made it look real, soft and delicate to the touch. What she did took a tremendous amount of courage, she made the effort, she went to Him, in spite of her reservations and fears, and she reached out. Is that not a perfect lesson of how faith works?

Faith requires us to act. She did that and it wasn't easy. She was blessed for her faith and courage with exactly what she wanted and needed. The Lord in His perfect love for all of us desires to heal us in the same way if we will but ask, and demonstrate our faith in His promises. Sometimes the way He heals us is different than what we pray for because we do not know the end from the beginning as He does. One thing I know most assuredly, He always sends comfort and love and help in coping with things that are not to be changed from His will to ours.

Hazie

When we first heard about Hazel's spina bifada, a lot of prayers were offered up that somehow that outcome would be changed and she would be born healed. But that was not to be. Could He have done it? Of course. With God nothing is impossible. But He knew she would be fine. He knew her far better than we did. He knew she was willing and able to fulfill His plan for her. He knew that her physical health would be fragile but her spirit was gigantic.
We have learned volumes from her. He knew that all those around her would be healed of their fears and learn to see tremendous blessings in their place. We are learning to put our trust in Him and be comforted. We have learned to feel His love in a very personal way. Not only for us, but especially for her and others who suffer what seem to be be very unfair things. When things look most bleak for Hazel, He reaches down and enfolds her in His loving arms and lifts her up again. I have seen it with my own eyes and heart. When it happens we are all lifted up too and our faith is reassured and refreshed.

There are many days when I seek that kind of healing the Lord gives for my own shortcomings, weaknesses and infirmities of body and spirit. When I am making the bed each morning I look at this picture. There are days when I study it and remember that woman, my sister, with an issue of blood for 12 years and her sacred story of healing. And everyday I remember Hazie and realize that the Lord's healing does not always mean a perfect body in this life, but it always means a perfectly healed spirit.

And I must confess there are many days when I find myself tracing the hem of that garment with my fingers on this beloved picture. It sounds kind of silly I guess, but for some reason it helps me know He is there and all I have to do is reach out for the things I need or that my family needs.
I appreciate that woman's willingness to take the risk and share what she knew about faith way back then, when Jesus walked the dusty trails in the place where she lived. As we all touched the hem of His garment in prayer for my brother, Steve, these past months, he was miraculously healed just as she was. Miracles are a part of everyday life. We get them, we recognize them and we should thank God for them. And we testify of them so that all may know Him.

The most beautiful part is that even though He is no longer physically upon the earth with us, we can all receive the exact same healing by spiritually and emotionally and mentally touching the hem of His garment. Talk about a miracle, that gift belongs to all of us. Reaching out in faith, we can do it. We must do it, there is too much to lose if we don't; too many blessing lying in wait for us to receive. And may we be filled with total gratitude when they come and be willing show our love for Him by the way we live, is my prayer today, tomorrow and always.

The Real Gifts of Christmas (#3 of 3)

Scenes from our front porch this morning~
It made me think about the beauty of no more weeping!
The raindrops were glistening like diamonds.

Who is this Christ of whom they speak? Who is this child born in a lowly stable in the hills of Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago of whom the world celebrates each day, not just at Christmas?

He is the Son of the Living God, our Savior, our Friend, our Brother, our Exemplar, our Healer, our Hope, our Redeemer, the Great I AM, the Prince of Peace. Do we have any idea really of His Greatness and Magnificence, His Power or His Glory? I wonder, do we know?


I really don't think she did know. She learned line upon line, precept upon precept just as we all must do. Learning to know of Jesus Christ is a life long pursuit, but learning to know Christ is really who He proclaimed to be takes but a moment, when the Holy Ghost testifies of Him to our hearts. When our testimony of that is born our life is changed forever.

To me the Greatest Christmas Gifts of Christ

to us are

His Promises and His Peace.

He promises us that we can live forever, which gives us undying hope that one day we will rest from all our labors and cares of this world and live with Him again. There will be a better tomorrow.

He has left us His promise that He has gone to prepare a mansion for us and that He will return again to rule and reign.

He has promised us that the home we long for, where things are perfect and just and good and right can be ours again. That longing that we experience here will be gone, we will be home and whole again. That emptiness we sometimes feel inside will be gone. Our rejoicing will be effortless, we will just BE joyful. The searching for it will be over.

He promises us we will be restored to our perfect frame, not a hair of our heads will be lost. We will be healed each and every one of us, and we will be perfect and our very best selves and we will be that way forever. We will never again be stricken with degeneration, illness or disease or infirmities or death. There will be no more sorrow, no more pain or loneliness. Can you even imagine such a thing?

He has promised us His Unconditional Love. We have it, it is ours now and will be forever. We should never feel unloved or unaccepted or isolated again. Why is this hard to remember and realize in our darkest hours?

He promises us, forgiveness if we repent, no matter how grave our transgressions. He promises us we can forgive also and he will heal our broken hearts through His atonement. He has promised us that we have the potential to change and grow and learn and become more like Him. He promises us that if we lay down our burdens, He will take them up for us.

He has promised us that He will never leave us alone or comfortless. He will help us with all we need. He will bless us through the countless kind acts of others, as well as, and through His Miracles.

He promises us that Satan can never win the war, that Heavenly Father's way will prevail and overcome all evil! We can find peace in knowing that although the battle rages, we can bet on the winning team and be a part of it.

We are promised that one day every knee will bend and confess that Jesus is the Christ. We are promised that wickedness never was happiness and that righteousness is God's plan for our happiness and joy. We are blessed to know that plan, the choices are ours through His gift of agency.

We have been promised that through prayer we can call upon God the Father at any time of the day or night, in any circumstance and He will intercede for us because He not only loves us but understands us perfectly.

We have been promised eternal life with all our family sealed together forever in His Love. There are no words to describe the joy of that.

We have been promised that our trials and tribulations are but for a moment and if we endure it well we shall be lifted up unto Him forever.

We have been promised that if we follow His plan of happiness and joy we will inherit all that He has.

And if all of that could be summed up in a phrase...He has given us His Peace for Christmas, which passeth all understanding.

And I think that is exactly what everyone really wants for Christmas. These are the things that the people (that were telling us what they wanted for Christmas on that street corner) were really seeking. Promises, Peace, and Joy like we have known and loved before ~ in our first perfect home.

As we long to experience that again both in this life and the next, may we be an instrument in His hands by remembering Him and bringing thoughts of His gifts to others, in our very human way, with our love and acts of service and with our traditions and symbols that serve to remind us of all these beautiful and eternal gifts of the Savior. In that way it truly can be a very Merry Christmas for us all.

Symbols (2 of 3)

flickr

One thing that is bothersome to me is when people say they do not like Christmas because it is so commercialized, it is just a money exchange, the real meaning is missed, etc, etc. Some of those things they complain about do miss the mark, but in reality I think they began with good intentions and an attempt to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. These folks seem to throw the baby out with the bath water and keep a 'bah humbug' attitude in their hearts. What is to be gained in that? I think a person can both enjoy the traditions of Christmas and also feel deeply of the significance of what the traditions symbolize. There is always something to complain about but we have to find the good in this life.

One thing I have been noticing more and more is the disunity of our country, the lack of things that unite us. These traditions have united us in the past. Why are people and groups trying their best to divide us? The thought that a house divided against itself cannot stand comes to mind. The polarizing and the political correctness of every issue is destroying the very thing that once made this country so great. Maybe we need to remember what this symbol represents more than ever before.

I believe in religious freedom of expression but I do not believe is suppressing the right of Americans to celebrate Christmas as it has always been celebrated in this country since the day it was founded on Christian principles. Whatever your faith, have your celebrations but do not impinge on our rights to do so as well. So I am tired of people and groups that are trying their darnest to disrupt and divide us on any level. These are the United States after all.

Christianity is a religion of symbols. Sometimes I think we as Christians are a little too uptight about the cultural things about Christmas. We just need to allow ourselves to see the intended meaning behind some of the traditions of Christmas in ways that allow us to remember what is true. The symbols can testify of all of Christ's gifts in our lives. As the scriptures say, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." There does not need to be a struggle between our traditions and customs and the truth. It is not a one or the other type of thing. We can celebrate the fun of Christmas, as well as the JOY of it. The fun of it creates wonderful memories and lasting family traditions, the JOY of it gives us ALL we will ever need in this life and the next. All good things, right? What more could we possibly want or need? What is not to love about this beautiful season? For the people that get all caught up in "lying to their kids about Santa"...these kids are smart. Teach them what 'represents' means. Teach them what symbols are and then let them be a kid and enjoy what Santa represents and symbolizes. They can run a computer at 18 months, they'll get it.

Let's Consider some of the Symbols

The Evergreen Tree~God's Never Changing Love For Us, while other things come and go. He remains Constant and Unchanging.

flickr

The Candy Cane~The Shepherd's Staff~Jesus Leading and Guiding us on our Way.

flickr

The Wreath~A Sign of Eternity with no beginning or end.

flickr

The Presents~Remembering the Love that God had for us in giving his Only Begotten Son and also the Gifts brought to the Jesus by the Wise Men. The Atoning Sacrifice of our Lord and Savior for us.

flickr

The Star~The Night of Christ's Birth. The Brightness of His Hope.

flickr

The Lights on Our Christmas Tree~ The light of Christ Shining Brightly Everywhere, even in darkness.

flickr

The Carols~ The Heavenly Host of Angels Singing on that First Christmas Eve. Sharing the Good News with those around us. In the Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 we read " For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

flickr

Family Gatherings~ Can remind us of the blessing Eternal Families

Sharing a holiday meal with loved ones~
Feasting on the things in life that are good!

The Important Thing to Remember is:
Seeing is Believing and Believing is Seeing.

All Good Things Testify of the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

What do YOU Want For Christmas? (1 of 3)

Here we are knee deep into "The Season" and hoping, that as Christians, we can keep the balance we need to enjoy the customs and traditions of Christmas while keeping a constant remembrance of what it is all about. Some years this seems to work better for me than others.

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As I have thought about Christmas, I have learned some things about it I had never realized so deeply before. I love that when we actually set aside time to allow the spirit to teach us, exciting things happen. Some new things have actually come that I had never even considered before. It has been an exciting time.

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While thinking about Christmas it has occurred to me that the one question we hear around us the most is, "What Do You Want for Christmas?" I imagined that I was a news person and was standing on the street corner in Any Town, USA with my mic and cameraman and could interview the passers by. I would ask them this same question..."What do you want for Christmas?"

The children would say things like:

"I want a bright, shiny, new, red bike!"
"Santa is bringing me a pretty doll with all the things to go with her."
"I want a Wii and some games for it"
"I am asking Santa for a Webkins and the Video Toy Story 3 for Christmas."

The teens might ask for new clothes, an MP3 player, a cell phone or a TV in their room, or a laptop.

Adults passing by might ask for the outlandish~ like a million bucks, a mansion to replace their tract house, or a fancy new car. Others would wish for presents for their kids, a big trip to Paris, or new tools or jewels, or whatever strikes their fancy.

Some would be even more sophisticated in their wishes and desire world peace, or a second chance at a relationship that meant a lot to them, a great husband or a baby they have been longing for, or that a family member or friend would be cancer free. Some would wish for the opportunity to be with all of their family in one place...this would make the perfect Christmas. Others would view a Christmas away from the family as the perfect gift! Some would wish for a job...just anything to support their family, as others longed for retirement and the time when they can finally do as they wish.

One thing would be clear from the interview on that street corner...everybody wants something. Everyone thinks that a certain something they don't already have will make them a little happier, a little more satisfied, a little more content and comfortable. We may reason that there is something out there that will fill that dark, empty hole within us and make us feel whole and satisfied again; wanting and needing nothing more at all.

Our church publishes a wonderful magazine each month called the Ensign. In it we have access to wonderful articles about Christ and His Gospel. Last year there was an article by Henry B. Eyring entitled Home for Christmas. You can Google it for the full text.

In the article he tells of revisiting his childhood home as an adult. When strangers opened the door and invited him in, he was able to walk through his old home that he so dearly loved. He immediately realized that is wasn't the house he loved so dearly, but the lives that were lived in it. In recalling his memories of Christmas in that home, it was not the place, but the family and his desire to be with them again, enveloped in the love and light of Christ that meant so much. Those were the gifts that made him truly happy, not the earthly things. Those were the spiritual gifts they shared in that little house, they were what he longed for the most of all.

That story is what started me thinking about what we all want most for Christmas. We believe that our spirits are eternal. We lived with our Heavenly Father before we came here. Since our Heavenly Father is perfect, I am pretty sure we all came from a perfect place where we felt love, acceptance, comfort, peace, and the enjoyment of all good things. We had all the things that made us feel whole and complete there.

Now that we live on earth, we are unable to remember the particulars of that pre-moral life, but perhaps we do remember on some level, the feelings of the peace and comfort of it. Just maybe the things we want and long for here on earth are, in a way, a longing for the return of that wonderful feeling of joy that we experienced there.

When we have that feeling that something is missing in our lives, maybe we are just missing our real home. And maybe the things the passerby were asking for for Christmas in the interview on that street corner, where simply earthly things they hoped would return that same feeling of our real home to their hearts. Once they have what they want, they feel they can know joy and peace in this life again.

Our Heavenly Home

We all know that the Savior gives a different kind of peace than the world gives. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27.

But we are mortals and it is natural for us to think as mortals. We know that the things of the world do not last, but they bring that momentary feeling of peace, comfort and enjoyment to us. They, in a very small way, may replicate that feeling of our real home where things were perfect and we didn't need anything more to make us feel better.

Think about what people want for Christmas. Do they not all fall into the categories of love, comfort, and the enjoyment of good things? Maybe the one word that could encompass all these things is ~ Peace?

When we give and receive gifts for Christmas, are we not just trying to make a person's sojourn on earth better, a little more joyful, a little more fun? No wonder we all like to give and receive gifts.

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We are spiritual beings having an earthly experience and that experience is not always pleasant or easy. Giving of our gifts is one way we can help our fellow beings to be lifted and cheered. It is a good thing to give and to receive and both make us happy. The happiness of material things is fleeting and maybe what we are really searching for is the joy that only Christ and His Gospel can bring.

We are trying to celebrate Christmas through our traditions and customs and sometimes it is hard to see the spiritual connection. We can tend to spin out of control and lose the balance in our trying to do too much. We are then focusing more on the "doing of Christmas" rather then on pondering the promise and peace of it. It is easy to do unless we take time to remember.

Giving from the heart, beautiful music, study and prayer, and pondering the gifts of Jesus Christ during quiet moments each day really help. By putting Christ first in our lives everything else will fall into place as we plan and prepare for a blessed Christmas.

What Do You Want For Christmas? Part 1

Here we are all heading into "The Season" and hoping, as Christians, we can keep the balance we need to enjoy the customs and traditions of Christmas while keeping a constant remembrance of what it is all about. Some years this seems to work better for me than others.

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Since we are leaving next week for Italy I have done a lot less this year. I am doing less of everything that normally takes my time because I LOVE doing it. I am not decorating or baking or sending Christmas cards, or doing a lot of shopping. What I have been doing is preparing a lesson for Church about Christmas.

As I have thought about Christmas, with real intent, I have learned some things about it I had never realized so deeply before. I love that when we actually set aside time to allow the spirit to teach us, exciting things happen. Some new things have actually come, by way of personal revelation, that I had never even considered before. It has been an exciting time. I love that when we are asked to build the kingdom of God through service we receive back so much more than we give... in personal knowledge and learning.

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While thinking about Christmas it has occurred to me that the one question we hear around us the most is, "What Do You Want for Christmas?" I imagined that I was a news person and was standing on the street corner in Any Town, USA with my mic and cameraman and could interview the passers by. I would ask them this same question..."What do you want for Christmas?"

The children would say things like:

"I want a bright, shiny, new, red bike!"
"Santa is bringing me a pretty doll with all the things to go with her."
"I want some Tranformers and some action figures."
"I am asking Santa for a Webkins and the Video "Up" for Christmas."

The teens might ask for new clothes, an MP3 player, a cell phone or a TV in their room, a laptop or the new Harry Potter movie being released this week.

Adults passing by might ask for the outlandish~ like a million bucks, a mansion to replace their tract house, or a fancy new car. Others would wish for presents for their kids, a big trip to Paris , or new tools or jewels, or whatever strikes their fancy.

Some would be even more sophisticated in their wishes and desire world peace, or a second chance at a relationship that meant a lot to them, a great husband or a baby they have been longing for, or that their mother would be cancer free. Some would wish for the opportunity to be with all of their family in one place...this would make the perfect Christmas. Others would view a Christmas away from the family as the perfect gift! Some would wish for a job...just anything to support their family, as others longed for retirement and the time when they can finally do as they wish.

One thing would be clear from the interview on that street corner...everybody wants something. Everyone thinks that a certain something they don't already have will make them a little happier, a little more satisfied, a little more content and comfortable. We may reason that there is something out there that will fill that dark, empty hole within us and make us feel whole and satisfied again; wanting and needing nothing more at all.

Our church publishes a wonderful magazine each month called the Ensign. In it we have access to wonderful articles about Christ and His Gospel. In it this month is an article by Henry B. Eyring entitled Home for Christmas. You can Google it for the full text.

In the article he tells of revisiting his childhood home as an adult. When strangers opened the door and invited him in, he was able to walk through his old home that he so dearly loved. He immediately realized that is wasn't the house he loved so dearly, but the lives that were lived in it. In recalling his memories of Christmas in that home, it was not the place, but the family and his desire to be with them again, enveloped in the love and light of Christ that meant so much. Those were the gifts that made him truly happy, not the earthly things. Those were the spiritual gifts they shared in that little house, they were what he longed for the most of all.

That story is what started me thinking about what we all want most for Christmas. We believe that our spirits are eternal. We lived with our Heavenly Father before we came here. Since our Heavenly Father is perfect, I am pretty sure we all came from a perfect place where we felt love, acceptance, comfort, peace, and the enjoyment of all good things. We had all the things that made us feel whole and complete there.

Now that we live on earth, we are unable to remember the particulars of that pre-moral life, but perhaps we do remember on some level, the feelings of the peace and comfort of it. Just maybe the things we want and long for here on earth are, in a way, a longing for the return of that wonderful feeling of joy that we experienced there.

When we have that feeling that something is missing in our lives, maybe we are just missing our real home. And maybe the things the passerby were asking for for Christmas in the interview on that street corner, where simply earthly things they hoped would return that same feeling of our real home to their hearts. Once they have what they want, they feel they can know joy and peace in this life again.

Our Heavenly Home

We all know that the Savior gives a different kind of peace than the world gives. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27.

But we are mortals and it is natural for us to think as mortals. We know that the things of the world do not last, but they bring that momentary feeling of peace, comfort and enjoyment to us. They, in a very small way, may replicate that feeling of our real home where things were perfect and we didn't need anything more to make us feel better.

Think about what people want for Christmas. Do they not all fall into the categories of love, comfort, and the enjoyment of good things? Maybe the one word that could encompass all these things is ~ Peace?

When we give and receive gifts for Christmas, are we not just trying to make a person's sojourn on earth better, a little more joyful, a little more fun? No wonder we all like to give and receive gifts.

flickr

We are spiritual beings having an earthly experience and that experience is not always pleasant or easy. Giving of our gifts is one way we can help our fellow beings to be lifted and cheered. It is a good thing to give and to receive and both make us happy. The happiness of material things is fleeting and maybe what we are really searching for is the joy that only Christ and His Gospel can bring.

We are trying to celebrate Christmas through our traditions and customs and sometimes it is hard to see the spiritual connection. We can tend to spin out of control and lose the balance in our trying to do too much. We are then focusing more on the "doing of Christmas" rather then on pondering the promise and peace of it. It is easy to do unless we take time to remember.

Giving from the heart, beautiful music, study and prayer, and pondering the gifts of Jesus Christ during quiet moments each day really help. By putting Christ first in our lives everything else will fall into place as we plan and prepare for a blessed Christmas.

Click Older Post below to go to Part 2