The gift of Christmas-a video

This is such a great reminder of what Christmas should be all about.  The reason we give gifts and especially the best gift we have ever received, which was the first gift of Christmas, the Father of us all giving His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might have life.  I am so grateful for this very personal gift that gives me hope of a resurrection but also provides the way every day for my sins to be forgiven, my heart to be healed, and for the spirit to give me strength when I need help.
The challenge I was given, that I pass on to anyone reading this is to share this video with someone this Christmas-or many, whomever you are inspired to uplift.  It will help them remember what we are supposed to remember this holiday season.

Saturday Quotes-it's not how much we give

Friday favorites-games with friends and family

We love playing games together.  See this older post for our favorites:

favorite group games

Thanksgiving

Today, as I ponder all the many things I am grateful for, I think having my children and grandchild with me this year is bringing me great joy.  The older my children get, I know that having them all together will be more of a rare occurrence.  So today, I will treasure this time with them.  One reason I love Thanksgiving is that I love good food and the focus on something other than material possessions.  I love that Thanksgiving comes right before Christmas to remind us that things like family, our freedom, friends, health, love, knowledge and our testimonies of Jesus Christ are what bring us the most happiness.  

Wacky Wednesday-turkey cartoon

Tuesday miTunes-How Great Thou Art

We sang this song last week in church and I recalled then that this was I think the first song I remember brining me to tears.  When I was a teenager-probably 16 or so, a man sang it in Sacrament meeting with such feeling, like from the very depths of his soul.  He was a good singer, but not a professional or anything.  Not many years after, he passed away.  His name was Frank Browning.  I'll remember him singing it with such passion whenever I hear it.  I don't always think of this as a Thanksgiving song, but the lyrics are very appropriate actually.

Monday Messages-The Coat

I love this little video with no words.  It is profound.  Even as we contemplate our blessings and are grateful for what we have, it is more wonderful to give to others.  There is greater joy to be had by giving something to someone who is in greater need than we are.

Saturday Quotes-Give Thanks to the Lord

Friday Favorites-Thanksgiving food

I'm not sure why Thanksgiving has the best holiday food ever.  I love a July 4th picnic, a New Year's Party and Christmas is all around just wonderful.  But just talking now about the food at Thanksgiving is making my mouth water.  Homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, hot rolls, juicy turkey, and tasty stuffing.  YUMMY!

Thursday Tips & Tricks-How serious is my sore throat?

I like to see a visual.  It helps me remember better.

Wacky Wednesday-Never Argue With Children (Jonah)

Tuesday miTunes-Once in Royal David's City by Amy Gileadi

This is a Christmas song not as common, but I really like it.  And this rendition is beautiful.

Monday Messages-baby bird hatching

If you help the baby bird hatch from the egg, it will not have the strength to survive.  Even though you really feel like a little help wouldn't harm it, you must refrain from taking away it's trial in order to help it reach it's full potential.  Can you imagine how much restraint it must take our Heavenly Father when we cry out in agony for Him to remove our trials.  But He is so wise and can see the bigger picture and knows we will be stronger for having endured them.  He must be so pleased when we go a step further and overcome them.
Here's a poem about hatching that I really like:

Coming Out

Some hatchings hurt…

And the new learning

softness

is so very tender.

It’s frightening to be

nothing more

than palest puff

that peeps.

And so remember

and remember

clarion call

to shelter:

“I will gather…

as a hen

gathereth

her chickens

 under her wings…”

 A place to grow

in strength.

(Dianne Dibb Forbis, New Era, Dec. 1977, p.7.)

SEE D&C 29:1-2

Sunday Blessings-Job

In studying about Job this week, I realize that sometimes bad things happen to those who are righteous.  It may be a natural consequence of living in an imperfect world, it may be from someone else's choices or it might just be a trial designed to help us grow in faith and be able to be a strength to others as they see us stay faithful and cheerful through them.
I liked that one of the quotes was from President Kimball who was asked why those who build the kingdom of God the least seem to prosper the most?  He answered, "...the books are not balanced daily, but at harvest time."  All will come out fair and just in the end.
Plus, there is a line in "How Firm a Foundation" that says "...and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress."  To me, this means that in the end we will realize that our trials made us stronger spiritually, brought us closer to the Savior because we relied on the atonement, and are part of who we have become.  Almost like battle scars that the warrior proudly bears.
Anyway, I appreciate Job because of his great patience and how he never seemed to lose faith in God, but held out faithful until the end.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-treating grease stains

I use the stain stick first then spray any stain remover.  Sometimes letting it sit for a day or more helps.  I've even done it after washing and drying a shirt I didn't know had a grease stain.

Wacky Wednesday-Thanksgiving Jokes

Tuesday miTunes-A Little Bit of Love

I like the lyrics of this song and it's catchy.  Even though it's a Christmas song, I could listen to it on my regular playlist. Part of the lyrics say 'a little bit of love goes a long, long way'  and it also says, 'a little bit of love changes everything.'  So true.

Monday Messages-Anchored in Jesus Christ

I have felt my anchors being tested.  I agree that if we are anchored sufficiently in the Savior, we will not drift and no matter what the storms of life threaten, we will hold steady.  I am grateful for this knowledge and can testify that being anchored in the gospel of Jesus Christ makes life so much easier.

Sunday Blessings-Story of Esther

Today my lesson is on Esther.  It's like a fairytale.  She was an orphan raised by her uncle and when the king needed a new queen, all the maidens were gathered and prepared to be presented to the king and she was chosen above all others to be the queen.  Then she exposed the wicked advisor named Haman and saved her people by approaching the king without being summoned at the risk of her own life.  Like many heroines, she had great courage and put others first.  She also held strong to her beliefs and loved her family.  I know my little 9 year old class will love this story.

Saturday Quotes-Gratitude is a catalyst

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Use Rustoleum and a template for rainy day message

Wacky Wednesday-funny Bob Ross reference

Tuesday miTunes-Ordinary Human by One Republic

This is a song from the movie "The Giver," which is one of my favorite books of all time.  I think I like the book so much because it is all about the power for good of one person.  My favorite part of the lyrics says, "I'm just an ordinary human, but I don't feel so typical today."

Monday Messages-How being a Christian is like being a pumpkin

Sunday Blessings-Ahhh...November

November is such a happy month.  Perhaps the focus on being grateful helps us enjoy the days of November.  Perhaps it is the cooler weather perfect for sweaters and scarves but not yet the frigid chill of winter.  Perhaps it is the joy of anticipating Thanksgiving, a time for family and food but without the stress or distraction of gifts.  I love that November reminds me to live more simply and find joy in the things I already have (especially the blessings that aren't "things.")  I am grateful for November.

Saturday Quotes-November Poem

Happy Halloween-favorite Halloweenish movie

Well, I don't know if it counts as a Halloween movie, but it has a witch in it and it's definitely a favorite movie of mine.  Like some other special movies when I was a kid, we'd wait for it to show on television once a year.  In some ways, that made movies more anticipated and loved.  I marvel that this one actually still shows on television sometimes.  

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Jello Worms

Wacky Wednesday-funny tombstone

Tuesday miTunes-Bring Him Home by the Piano Guys

This is a great song from Les Miserables.  The song reminds me of the prayer of missionary parents.  And since I will be saying goodbye to my son in 64 days, I already have started saying prayers for him to come home safely.  I am excited for him and I am so happy he wants to serve.  The people of Atlanta will love him because he loves all people and is humble and patient and gets along with everyone.  And he loves good food and will appreciate that wonderful southern cooking.
Aside from being kind of a sad song, the piano and cello are so soothing and it is beautiful.

Monday Messages-Christlike Attributes video

These are the things that will not only make us more like the Savior, but will bring us happiness and peace in this life.  I know that the more we develop them now, the smoother life will be and we will be ready to embrace Him when we meet Him.

Sunday Blessings-serving in the church

I am so grateful to be able to serve others at church.  Today I officially start a new assignment where I am teaching more instead of leading.  I will teach a class of 9 year olds and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to help these kids love the scriptures, love coming to church and most of all love our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ more.  I have had the chance to work in almost every capacity I can in the church and try to do each calling the best I can.  I know that no matter what we do, it is an important part of the whole.  Each person is important and precious.  I hope to help my new kids feel that.  Plus, I love a change.  After 3 and half years, I know this change will be good for me.

Saturday Quotes-We Won't be like Jesus if...

Friday Favorites-Pumpkin dessert

found on kitchme.com

Pumpkin Butter Cake 

Ingredients 

1 package (18 1/4-ounce) yellow cake mix

1 egg

8 tbsp butter, melted

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin

3 egg

1 tsp vanilla

8 tbsp butter, melted

1 box (16 ounce) powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch baking pan.
3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
4. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-keep pumpkins from molding

Put some of the silica gel (from your old shoe boxes) in your pumpkin to keep it from molding.

Wacky Wednesday-Dear Great Pumpkin...

Tuesday miTunes-"Glorious" by David Archuleta

This great song is from the movie "Meet the Mormons" in theaters.  I loved the movie and the stories shared by people all over the world.  I already like his music and I love the lyrics of this song.  It reminds me that we are all playing a piece in the symphony and each part is important and each one of us is Glorious.

Monday Messages-You Never Know

My daughter showed me this video and I cried.  She cried too and she had already watched it.  It makes me feel better that we can only do what we can do and if we do what the spirit leads us to do, we can feel good about what we did get done and not beat ourselves up for what we didn't get done.

Sunday Blessings-words of a prophet

I am grateful for the words of our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson.

So when we had General Conference, I always wonder if the prophet will have some grand revelation or some specific thing we should all do.  And on Sunday morning before the prophet's time to speak, there were several who spoke on the importance of having a prophet and listening to him and following his counsel.  Also, my parents live in St. George and say people are buzzing there about food storage.  So that Sunday morning I thought 'ok, here it comes.  They're all building up to what the prophet is about to tell the whole church.  I think it's something big or important or specific.'

So I was surprised that President Monson spoke about becoming more like the Savior and walking in his paths.  At first, I thought it strange that it was something so simple and general and really nothing new.  As I pondered further, I thought of Naaman in the Old Testament who had leprosy and went to be cured of Elijah.   When he was told to wash 7 times in the Jordan, Naaman doubted.  Luckily, a servant told him that if the prophet had told him to do some great thing, he surely would have done it, instead of questioning.

So I thought that there is a reason the prophet told us to follow the paths of the Savior and strive to become more like him.  If he had told me to get my 3 months of Food Storage in order (specific) or write my Congressman (over some important issue) or pack up our homes and move to Jackson, Missouri (this was the biggest thing we thought might happen when I was a kid); I would have done any of those things without question.  So when the prophet tells me to follow Jesus Christ more fervently, I should really work on that.

I am grateful that I was taught this lesson and I will follow the prophet in this thing.

Saturday Quotes-Walking as Jesus walked

Friday Favorites-ice cream

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is my favorite flavor and Mint Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen are my new favorite flavor of Dilly Bar.  I was feeling nostalgic and when I went to buy a Dilly Bar, I couldn't resist trying the mint.  it was so good.

Answer to Brain Teaser

The answers are always obvious once you hear the answer...

The 3rd room of lions.  What condition would they be in after not eating for 3 years?  They'd be DEAD.

Wacky Wednesday-Brain Teaser choosing between 3 rooms

The Best of Three Evils

A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven’t eaten in 3 months.

Which room should he choose to have the best chance of staying alive?

The third room, since the lions would have died from starvation.

Tuesday miTunes- Autumn Leaves

This song is by Nat King Cole.  The video has some beautiful autumn scenes.

Monday Messages-flashes of revelation

As I heard this idea from President Eyring, I immediately realized that I need to seek more continuous revelation than just when I need a specific answer.  I have had those flashes of light and in some ways I do have a continuous light, but I want it brighter.  I know that in order to do this, I need to draw closer to God and Jesus Christ by increasing my scripture study, my temple attendance and my pondering.  Then my prayers will have more substance and my communication will be more attuned.