1.Poles (any will do) 2.goggles 3.gloves 4.Gold watch 5.Sweater 6.Polka dot tights 7.Black flats 8.100 sq ft of hex tile 9.Rug for my bedroom 10.OXO pop-top containers 11.Immersion blender 12.Square griddle 13.Sea salt 14.Pepper mill
“He whose birth the Christian world celebrates is indeed the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Promised Messiah. No message is more significant than the one He brought. No event is of greater importance than His atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. And no mortal tongue can express sufficient thanks for all that Jesus has done for us” --Ezra Taft Benson
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5).
“We need not wait for Christmas, we need not postpone till Thanksgiving Day our response to the Savior’s tender admonition: ‘Go, and do thou likewise’” --Thomas S. Monson
“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. … But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, … and took care of him. … Which now of these … was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?” Luke 10:30–31, 33–34, 36
It's no secret that I love Christmas music. In fact, the other day I was walking my dog at 6:30 in the morning belting out tunes for the world to hear. I just love the way they make me feel and especially what they make me think of.
“Thoughts of Jesus … [should] be far more frequent and much more constant in all times and seasons of our lives. How often do we think of the Savior? How deeply and how gratefully and how adoringly do we reflect on his life? How central to our lives do we know him to be?” --Howard W. Hunter
Here are a few of my favorite Christmas albums:
1.Christmas Divas $10 2.H is for holiday $10 3.Time-life music: Treasury of Christmas $15/double CD set 4.Diana Krall Christmas Songs $10 5.Alabama Christmas $7
I remember a time just before I met the ear doctor and I felt so alone. Sure, I had some friends, but for some reason this overpowering feeling of loneliness fell on me and I felt a bit hopeless. I think being lonesome is the worst feeling in the world. It's just horrible. Whenever someone tells me they feel lonely my heart just breaks...it's such a tough thing to go through...especially at Christmas.
The thing that helped me most was relying on my faith and religion. It's maybe a little cliche, but it's true.
“Despite all we can do, we cannot have a fullness of joy in this world or through our own efforts. Only in Christ can our joy be full. This is why the angel proclaimed: ‘I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day … a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:10–11). We are able to have a fullness of joy only when spirit and body are inseparably connected in the glorious resurrection to celestial glory. That joy, of course, comes only through the mercy of the Holy Messiah” --Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Nov.
1991, 74
Reminders to seek more Joy in my life:
And this?
Have I ever written about my next door neighbor? She's awesome. Her name is Eloise and she's a widow. She and her husband bought their house 45 years ago and she's been living there ever since. She is so active and healthy...just the kind of elderly lady I want to be.
The first night we spent in our new house we ordered take out. When the food arrived we realized they hadn't included any kind of silverware. We were both starving, so the ear doctor ran over to Eloise's house and borrowed 2 forks. Months later, after we'd finally moved in and had enough of our own I baked a loaf of banana bread and went over to return the forks. She was so warm and welcoming that I was overwhelmed with gratitude to have such a nice person for a neighbor.
All last winter Eloise always got out to shovel the snow off her driveway before anyone else on the block! One morning I beat her to it and decided that since I was at it I'd do her little strip of concrete as well as mine.
And all summer when our front lawn dried up and died she didn't complain at all, even though her grass was the thickest, bushiest and greenest on the block.
This year I'm going to make her some cookies and take them over to thank her for being such a great neighbor!
“Each of us has his own way of remembering. At Christmas time I take delight in visiting the widows and widowers from the ward where I served as bishop. There were 87 then—just nine today. On such visits, I never know what to expect; but this I do know: visits like these provide for me the Christmas spirit, which is, in reality, the Spirit of Christ” --Thomas S. Monson
Or I could always just buy some treats and put them on a paper plate like I made them myself...
With time I got much better and started doing fancy patterns like cablekit and adding flowers and stuff. I'm so grateful to my mom for teaching me how to do it because everytime I make something I think of her. It's pretty amazing to take a random ball of yarn and turn it into something you can actaully wear. How that single thread gets woven together and knotted up and eventually becomes a large piece of material that is so much stronger and more useful that what it used to be.
“To remain true and faithful through this mortal vale of tears, we must love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. … We must gather strength from each other. We must also ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees’” --James E. Faust
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” Matt. 25: 35–36, 40
To serve as a reminder of the power we have when each individual is cared for in a woven collective:
I once had a roommate who made a little note and taped it above her light switch. The note said the following:
"Expect less"
The first time I saw it I thought it was kind of funny. But the more I saw it the more it bothered me. I never told her to take it down or made any kind of comment to her about it, but I was very tempted to.
It just seemed like such a pessimistic way to live life. Like she was constantly lowering her hopes so that she wouldn't be disappointed and simultaneously began viewing everyone and everything around her in such a negative light. All I wanted to do was rip that little note down and replace it with something happy and positive.
...although, come to think of it when she had that note on her light switch I had "STOP SHOPPING" scrawled across my full length mirror in dry erase marker, so maybe I'm not one to talk?...
“Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings;having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other” --Marvin J. Ashton
Lovely reminders:
"And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish” (Mosiah 4:16).
1. Microloans to entrepreneurs in poor countries 2. Small business loans to entrepreneurs in your community 3.Organize charitable donations 4. Donate time to local charity 5.Pick up an extra toy at Target and drop it in the Toys for Tots bin
“I testify that Christ is the light to all mankind. He has pointed, marked out, and lighted the way. … But even to those who reject Him, He is ‘the light which shineth in the darkness’ (John 1:5)” --Ezra Taft Benson
1.Verdigris pendant $95 2.Yuletide Angel $17 3.Glow in the dark spray paint $50 4.Hoot hoot switchplate $18 5.Credit card light bulb $5
“Have a joyous time in celebrating Christmas—for despite discouragement and disheartening conditions throughout the world, it is the happiest season of the whole year. But let us ever keep in mind that people are blessed whose daily conduct most nearly comports with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, at whose birth was proclaimed: Peace on earth. Good will toward men” --David O. McKay
“Precious little is written concerning the childhood of Jesus. One might suppose that His birth was so revolutionary in its magnitude as to dominate accounts of His boyhood. We marvel at the mature wisdom of the boy who, leaving Joseph and Mary, was found in the temple, ‘sitting in the midst of the doctors,’ teaching them the gospel. When Mary and Joseph expressed their concern about His absence, He asked of them the penetrating question: ‘Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?’ “The sacred record declares of Him: ‘Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man’” --Thomas S. Monson
And not only because it's fun to see all the pretty sparkly things I could buy.
Mainly I like it because it reminds me that everyone out there is looking to make someone else feel special. To make someone else light up Christmas morning. To show someone else how much they are loved.
“Christmas means ‘giving,’ and the gift without the giver is bare. Give of yourselves; give of your substance; give of your heart and mind. … “Christmas means ‘compassion and love’ and, most of all ‘forgiveness’ … How poor indeed would be our lives without the influence of His teachings and His matchless example. --Gordon B. Hinckley
