Christmas Decorations

I love Christmas decorations!

It's official

All the gifts are wrapped, the kids are out of school, the cookie dough is made and the Christmas music ready! CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!

I've decided that I haven't had enough "moments" yet this season so I am going to do my best to spend some great, "moment inducing" time with my husband and children.

Everyone have a great pre-Christmas weekend. Deck your halls with Jingle Bells because Santa Clause is Coming to town. I hope you have an O Holy Night and that all is calm, all is bright. Stay bundled up because Baby It's Cold Outside and know that I wish you a Merry Christmas.

GFC 10

Here's a new GFC. The challenge this time is to Listen! So often we are preoccupied with our own thoughts that we fail to truly hear what others are saying. Take time to concentrate on the conversations you have this week. It's a great time to practice with family around and special feelings being discussed. One suggestion, take some time to hone your skills with music or radio broadcasts. Have you really listened to the meaning of the words or are they just background noise? I'd love to hear about your Christmas experiences.

Happy Listening!

From the Mouths of Babes

Here are some great vocabulary words from my four year old!

Eat-pies: Magpies
Stink-a-buff: Buffalo
Door waver: windshield wipers
Dumpo: hippopotamus
Air Goggles: binoculars

These are just the ones I could recall quickly. He's a sweet, funny little boy.

'Tis the Season

List of things to do today:

Finish scrap book pages
Put glaze on Chocolate Cheesecake Peppermint Bars for church party
Wrap gifts
Find a store somewhere within a 10 mile radius that still has celophane bags
Put together neighbor gifts
Deliver day 3 of the 12 days of Christmas
Make more chocolate cheesecake peppermint bars for cookie exchange next week


This day may not be possible

Learning alot

I have to admit, since Mitt Romney has begun running for President, I've learned a lot about what other faiths think about Mormonism. I am surprised by how strongly some people feel against what I believe. I've always known that some find Mormonism questionable but I didn't realize that so many people truly feel that I and others of my faith are going to hell. After Mr. Odonnell's little outburst the other day I've been very uncomfortable with how my faith is perceived. I've thought quite a bit about how I feel living a religion that is considered evil and really, hated by many. First of all, I don't like anyone to have negative feelings about me. I want to be liked by everyone. Watching Lawrence Odonnell refer so heatedly to Mormonism as a racist, sexist, evil faith I really felt, for the first time in my life, personally hated. It's a very uncomfortable feeling.

However, as I cleaned my kitchen yesterday and worked on various projects I had some interesting thoughts.

I know all too well the blessings of God in my life and to deny that relationship would be wrong. I know that my relationship with God is what it is because of the doctrine of the LDS church. I'm grateful for the belief that I am a daughter of God and that I can return to live with Him someday. And even more so, I'm grateful for the knowledge that I can live with my children and my husband after this life is over, that those relationships continue even after death. I don't fault others for believing differently. I have no quarrel with those devout followers of other faiths or those who choose no faith at all. I can't make what I believe okay for anyone else but I sincerely hope that if nothing else, the people who live in this country can learn to respect each other for devotion to good things.

Which Reindeer are you?

Here's a fun little holiday diversion. Click on the link below to see which reindeer you are!! Here is my result. Right On!

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Singin'

I had the great opportunity to attend a Messiah sing-in last night. I read a book about Handel and his experience creating the Orotorio and I was grateful to have the chance to participate in the performance of such a profound piece of art. Considering it took Fredrick Handel three weeks to compose the massive Messiah I am nothing short of amazed at the beauty and profundity of it.

I was moved to tears during the chorus "Worthy is the lamb that was slain". I do not know anyone who could not appreciate the moment either spiritually or musically as you hear the soaring sopranos joined in syncopated movement with the altos, tenors and bases as they end the peice with NINE pages of amens.

Of course, it is also thrilling to know as you join with hundreds of voices to translate the Hallelujah chorus from written music to audible sound that you are a part of something that has been performed by thousands, if not millions, of people for over a hundred years.

My heart soared with gratitude and excitement as I sang "Hallelujah. Hallelujah. For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." It was a moment of pure worship and praise.

What a great way to spend a Christmas season evening.

Liked the speech

I read the transcript of Mitt's speech and found it very well done. It caused me to want to be more aware of others.

Mitt Romney:

"Today's generations of Americans have always known religious liberty. Perhaps we forget the long and arduous path our nation's forebears took to achieve it. They came here from England to seek freedom of religion. But upon finding it for themselves, they at first denied it to others. Because of their diverse beliefs, Ann Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts Bay, Roger Williams founded Rhode Island, and two centuries later, Brigham Young set out for the West. Americans were unable to accommodate their commitment to their own faith with an appreciation for the convictions of others to different faiths. In this, they were very much like those of the European nations they had left."

Tolerance?

Okay, Mitt Romney will give his big speech tomorrow which I'm sure will be met with mixed reviews. Do I think that he will be able to assuage people's fears of a Mormon president, no. (For the record, I'm an Obama girl.)
I think it's funny that so many people think they are well informed about Mormons. There is more to the religion than the Osmonds and Steve Young. Yeah, I know that there are huge differences in the ideology of the LDS church and other Christian sects but that's Okay. We're not murdering people, we're not enslaving people heck, we're not even supposed to swear at people. We believe in basic human rights and moral government. In fact, we believe in being subject to government. How scary can we really be?

Folks, religious intolerance is alive and well and unfortunately, this applies to some Mormons as well.

Frustrating.

From whence comfort comes

It seems that in times of prosperity and wealth signs of comfort go unnoticed and unwanted. I find it interesting that in times of trial and discomfort we grasp at anything for comfort and peace. It is difficult to learn the happy medium of finding peace in the blessings we already have. For this Christmas season I hope that we all can take comfort in the good things already in our lives.