Because I Have Been Given Much

I didn't have to make dinner tonight.  I was going to do hot dogs for the kids before our Relief Society Christmas dinner and program but when we went early to practice we ended up staying there the whole time, helping set up.  All of our children helped.  Then they helped in the little program.  It was based on a little story, "Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect," about a little pine who opens up its branches to help animals in need and therefore isn't as "perfect" as the other trees in the forest.  The queen realizes its compassion and chooses it to be the Christmas tree.  Jeremy got to be the woodcutter and I got to be the queen and our kids my family who decorates the tree.
My family did get to eat food at the activity since they didn't get hot dogs beforehand.

Speaking of food, "Jesus fed the hungry and so can you."  What a blessing that we do have food.  What a blessing that sometimes I can't figure out where to put groceries because there is so much food in our pantry and freezer.  What a blessing that I have six people in my family to feed, with a loving husband and wonderful children.  I am so blessed.  "Because I have been given much I too must give."  To LIGHTtheWORLD today, I went to the grocery store and donated money to the local food bank/food pantry.  I wanted to do it earlier in the day but so much was going on, I wasn't able to make it until after the Relief Society dinner.  Then I had to decide if I was really going to go out again tonight or just wait until tomorrow, but then would I have gone out tomorrow since there's so much going on that day?  No.  I really wanted to donate today and not put it off, so I did.  As Jeremy and I like to say, "The best way to get something done is to do it."
I'm grateful that so many grocery stores in our area participate in helping people donate to the food bank.  That is also a blessing.

Scriptures and Pie

LIGHTtheWORLD today.  "Jesus read the scriptures and so can you."
A couple scriptures that came to mind (because I couldn't just pick one) when some sweet people from our ward brought over a pie and a Christmas card for us were:
Matthew 25:40  "...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Mosiah 2:17  "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
Our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, have given us so much that a great way to show our gratitude is by serving others in the way Christ would.

These ward members are such good examples of Christlike service.  I'm grateful for their examples in so many ways from cards and pie to helping out at church to coming to choir.  They really do LIGHTtheWORLD and I feel so blessed to know them.

Another person who lights the world through scripture is my niece.  She is currently in the MTC, so while Jeremy, Lucky, and I were in Provo this afternoon, we drove home by way of the MTC (and Provo Temple) so I could show Lucky where his cousin is right now.

We've been getting emails from this niece and in her emails she shares scriptures that have made a difference to her.  They have been wonderful to read and have been such good reminders to me.  We really can learn so much from the scriptures.  In 1 Nephi 19:23 it says, "And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning."  I love this reminder that the things we learn in the scriptures can apply to our lives now.
I sent an email to my niece today thanking her for the scriptures she shares that have been good reminders for me.  I'm glad she's making such good choices and for the example she is being to our family.

On a related but funny note, every morning for our Countdown to Christmas scripture study, Jeremy asks us questions based on what we read.  If we answer correctly we get an M&M from the vase.

This morning after asking the kids questions and while trying to decide what to ask me, the kids started chanting, "Ask Mommy.  Ask Mommy.  Ask Mommy."  After a while one of the kids changed it to, "Ask Mommy out," and all the kids joined in.  "Ask Mommy out.  Ask Mommy out."
Well, we do get to go see the new Star Wars movie in a couple weeks.

Feed the Friends, Tuppence a... wait

December 5 is Walt Disney's birthday.  Yesterday as bags of birdseed were being filled, some of it spilled out.  As I cleaned it up today I sang, "Feed the birds.  Tuppence a bag."

This evening for LIGHTtheWORLD, Lucky and I took dinner over to some friends who were feeling under the weather.  "Jesus healed the sick and so can you."

Lucky insisted that he come with me to deliver the food.  He was such a good helper.  Thanks for your service, Lucky.

Handling It

At church today I mentioned that LIGHTtheWORLD was making a difference to me.  I still have stresses but I feel I've been handling them better lately.
Of course that means that this evening there was extra stress.  One of our children decided to be difficult.  He's been acting pretty well lately but we all have those not so good times, don't we?  It was a long rough evening but I was determined to act more like Jesus, to not give in to the natural man and lose my temper.  There still had to be consequences but there was also love shown.
December 4- "Jesus worshipped His Father and so can you."
Church was wonderful.  We taught our Primary class about being kind to animals then gave them birdseed they could spread around with their parents' permission.  We told them that service doesn't always mean for people, it can also mean for animals.  Heavenly Father and Jesus love animals, too.

December 4 is National Cookie Day so I made snickerdoodles for our ward choir.  Our home teachers came and also brought us cookies.

This evening we watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional as a family (with no one missing church again today).  It was a good reminder that Jesus came to Earth as part of Heavenly Father's plan.  He did what He did because of His love for us and because of His love for His Father.  We can do that, too- not exactly what He did obviously, but we can choose to do things because of our love for our Heavenly Father.  Those are just some thoughts I had and wanted to share.  Thanks.

Making the World a Beautiful Place

This is Amy.  We've known her for years.  She is one of our favorite librarians at the Orem Library.  She is friendly and helpful, she definitely knows her children's books, she is very creative, and she's a puppeteer.  Every Summer for the Summer Reading Program kickoff, she and another librarian, Mark, put on a puppet show for the kids.  When Lucky was little, it was the only thing that would keep his attention during the event.  Our kids love puppet shows.  Amy and Mark even wrote a book about puppets called Dressing the Naked Hand.  We, of course, own that book.
Today Amy helped us to LIGHTtheWORLD.  December 3- "Jesus helped others to see and so can you."
Years ago, Amy asked Nichole what she was interested in.  Nichole told her ballerinas.  That was the first we had heard of it.  Without hesitating, Amy led Nichole right over to the Angelina Ballerina books and gave her her first experience with them.
Now Nichole is a little old for the Angelina Ballerina books, but after we found out she was interested in ballet all those years ago, we had the opportunity to put her in a dance class.  She is now on her fourth year of ballet.  We go to her dance performances and it is amazing the beauty we can see watching dance.  I've had some amazing experiences feeling the Spirit while watching dance, experiences I wouldn't have had if these things hadn't happened, if I hadn't known Nichole was interested in dance if she hadn't mentioned it to Amy.  Nichole and I went to watch The Nutcracker last December.  Good bonding time.  Ballet is beautiful to watch.
This evening we went to a Nutcracker Gala at the Orem Library.  The Academy of Ballet was showing selections from the Nutcracker then they handed out candy canes for the kids.

While we were there, I wrote a letter to Amy thanking her for what she did for our family.  Because of that simple act of helping a little girl find some new books, we've been able to see things that we wouldn't have thought to see.
I'm glad Amy was there and was able to get my note.  She was also grateful for it.

There is beauty to be seen around this world and what a blessing when people help us see it.

Ward Christmas Party 2016

Another long day.
After staying up so late again last night, we got the kids up early for scripture study.  They did well with sitting at the table for scripture study, especially when there were Mint M&Ms to be had.

I put together my YouTube video of visiting our friends to get the ornaments.  We did some shopping and library visiting.
LIGHTtheWORLD for December 2 is, "Jesus honored his parents and so can you."  I worked ahead of time on this one.  I wrote a letter to my parents and mailed it a few days ago with instructions on the outside to "Open on December 2."  I'm hoping my parents got it by today.  Did you get it in time, parents?

We told our children that they could do this one by being well behaved at our ward Christmas party this evening.  They actually had it set up so the kids could eat a sack dinner in the back while watching a movie and then do other activities.  The adults could eat different food and socialize in the front.  The theme was a Country Christmas and we were encouraged to dress up.

Nichole said her dragon ate her costume.

 
It was a fun activity.  Santa made an appearance toward the end, reading to the children and singing a Christmas song with them, and several of our kids sat on his lap and talked with him.

 
Jeremy and Santa even compared beards.

I, of course, talked with friends a lot after it was over so we got home kind of late.  Sigh.  At least the kids can sleep in tomorrow morning.

Worldwide Day of Service

It was a long day.  December 1 was a worldwide day of service for LIGHTtheWORLD.  The theme for the day was "Jesus lifted others' burdens and so can you."  We got up early and headed over to the stake center where breakfast was provided.  I put up a YouTube video about it.
Our Stake Presidency decided to lift the burden of making breakfast for people in the stake.  Quite a few people in the stake auxiliaries helped out.  Thanks to all.

For those that were in a hurry and not able to come in, they had a drive-thru where they said how many meals they needed and someone would run them out to them.  It was very well organized.

They had tables set up to sit at and socialize, plenty of food, and they had a TV set up with Bible videos playing.  It was really nice. 

And they had red apples to eat, which was good because December 1 is Eat a Red Apple Day.

After breakfast, we went home to start our Countdown to Christmas scripture study before school.

After school, we took Nichole to dance class.  While she was there, we went to Salem Pond where they have their Pond Town Christmas with Christmas trees made of lights floating on the water and other lights and decorations around.  Lucky and I had a nice walk on the trail and on the bridge.
We went once years ago when Jeremy was still in college and drove around the pond because Jeremy had heard about it in one of his classes.  That's before we really started visiting the pond as birders so we didn't know much about it at the time.  I do remember it was snowing and cold that day and there was a big pond with Christmas trees in the water.

It was nice this evening even though it was cold.  But it's December so that's to be expected.
After we picked Nichole up, we went to visit friends.  Every year they make ornaments to sell to earn money to buy gifts for less fortunate children.  This year they're planning to get gifts for refugee children.  We went to buy ornaments from them again tonight and they invited us into their home and gave us hot chocolate.  We brought them Pokemon balloon animals.  It was great to help each other LIGHTtheWORLD.

There are so many ways of serving both big and small.  Lucky cleaned up some milk that someone had spilled at breakfast this morning.  Jr. Jr. comforted a child who got hurt at school.  Jr. cleaned off the table so we could do scripture study this morning.  The children sang Primary songs as we were driving home tonight. 

I feel so blessed on this first day of December.  I'm looking forward to more of these days.