Christmas Jar

I found myself restless tonight and unable to sleep. I lay staring at the ceiling and reviewing the events of the last year. It seems like a lifetime has transpired over these last 12 months. I reflected on cherished and sweet memories of falling in love, dusting off hidden ambitions, saying goodbye to dear ones, facing challenges you felt were beyond yourself and embracing new kindred spirits soon to become lifelong friends. Finally, after accepting I was never going to fall asleep, I brushed off a dusty copy of Christmas Jars by Jason Wright and started reading. It is now the weary hours of the morning and I have finished the book. For the first time this Christmas Season I have felt the pangs of the true spirit of Christmas. The book reminded me of Christmas miracles. Not just Christmas miracles, but the miracles of everyday life. It was not like I forgot, but rather perhaps lost hope in miracles. Sad since I have witnessed so many this year. I was mostly disappointed in myself for losing hope in the greates of all miracles. The healing power of the atonement. I marvel at a Father's love for His children and the sacrifice of His Son. Christ was born, lived and died that others might live. Not just to bring to pass immortality or the resurrection, but that I might "live" now in this very moment.

In my scripture study tonight I noticed a passage that had never caught my eye before. It is in Jacob 2:8. Jacob is addressing the people for the first time since his brother Nephi's death. Really, what would you say? He admonishes that they, the people of Nephi, have come to hear, "... the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul." The word was given to heal the soul. He lived to heal us. Today. Now. This very minute. I have a merciful Father and through His sacrifice of love I am healed, can become clean and whole again. So, in the quiet of this morning, I rejoice. I rejoice in my King, the Prince of Peace and my heart is full. "Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel... Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought, Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls (Alma 26:16. 20)." It has brought to mind the words of a famous Christmas hymn that struck me in Sunday's meetings as never before. They were the words from O' Holy Night, "... long lay the world in sin and error pining, til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth. A thrill of hope. A weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees. Oh hear the angel voices. Oh, night, divine. O night divine." We are no longer a world that need lay in sin and error pining. He did appear and a soul felt it's worth. Mine. I have reason for rejoicing. I love Christmas and finally I have felt it. Perhaps now I can rest a bit. :)

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.

O' Christmas Tree! O' Christmas Tree!

Tonight I had the fantastic pleasure of participating or rather watching a small town Christmas tradition in Farmington, Utah. They have been sharing this tradition with the folks of Farmington, friends and family for 40 years. They perform a live Nativity the first Monday of December every year. They act out the King James version of the Christmas story intermitent with carols. The play takes place in a small barn off the beaten path on Main Street here in Farmington. It was a beautiful beginning to this years Holiday Season.

Decorating my tree is another treasured part of my Holiday. Cheers to my grandmother who helped me develop a love for Christmas and Christmas trees. My grandma has my favorite tree of all time. All of her children and grandchildren have given her a doll from wherever they served missions in all corners of the earth and she uses them to decorate her Christmas tree. You could spend hours talking with her about the dolls and where they are from. She passed away this year and I won't have the joy of seeing her tree this year, but I always have the memories.

So, now that I have my tree up..... Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Thanks grandma.

Ginger "Snap"

What happens when you pack a room full of kids with a pile of candy and gingerbread on the table?

FUN!!

Or you snap and go just plain crazy

As part of our Thanksgiving tradition we make gingerbread houses and although we were short a few grandkids this year, we had a great time. It always ends up being more work than we anticipate, but we still manage to have a good time. I actually had time to make a house this year. I opted to make a log cabin. It turned out kind of cute considering it was my first gingerbread house.

Camera one...... We're all finished...

Camera two.....

Did you see what's missing besides Nathan's mammoth bicep?

Maybe you should ask Kyle? What you got there Kyle?

You guessed it....... Kyle sneakily sneaked a marshmallow off Jennifer's gingerbread house.

Way to go Kyle! Those Bott jeans run deep. Real deep. He knows how to get the good stuff.