The Spiritual part of Christmas

So maybe it is just my imagination, but it seems to me like Christmas has become a holiday for getting instead of giving. I know kids makes lists pages long and have really expensive toys on their lists, such as video game systems, TVs, Ipods, etc. and I hate that part of Christmas. It always makes me so sad when I hear of moms who buy their own gifts because their husbands don't pick out what they want or need. To me Christmas is a holiday for giving. Probably about 10-15 years ago my family changed the way that we do Christmas, because we wanted it to be more Christ centered, over the years it has evolved somewhat, but the gist is still the same. We pick names for one person in our family, we set a limit of how much money that everyone can spend and then we have to think about what our person really would want. Something that they probably wouldn't go and buy for themselves but something they would really like. It has been so much fun and it has made Christmas so much more meaningful. For me (and the rest of my family) we have really enjoyed what we got for someone else, more than we enjoy what we got, but at the same time we enjoy what we got more than we would have, because we know that the person that got it for us put a lot of time and thought into what they gave us. We now do lists on our birthday, after all, birthdays are the days to celebrate your birth. Then my husband and I go to a marriage seminar class once a month and our teacher (a marriage counselor) told us about a tradition they started in their family...a tradition of giving a gift to Christ (since after all it is His birthday). Just one sin, or something that is hard for you to do...just to completely give it up. So my husband and I did that this year too, and we decided to help us to remember our gifts that we would keep the box with our gifts in it in a prominent place. I love the Spirit of giving...people are so much more inclined to give at Christmas time; if the world was this giving all year long the world would be a much better and happier place!!! But it is this season when we remember and acknowledge the birth of our Savior and His humble beginnings that His spirit is felt throughout our hearts, communities, and the world! I got this from the online gospel art book found here: http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8555-1-4779-4,00.html

The Holy Ghost

So I recently had a friend ask me what the difference between the gift of the Holy Ghost and the influence of the Holy Ghost is. That's an easy question right? The Holy Ghost becomes our constant companion, but what does that mean? Well, He gives us answers...but I know people that haven't received that gift and receive answers...well He warns us when we are in dangerous situations...but I know people that haven't received that gift and are warned too. In fact every situation I could possibly think of applied to the influence of the Holy Ghost, except one - He sanctifies us. So what does it mean to be sanctified? I learned that too. To be sanctified means that our sins are purged from our souls.

When we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost I believe that we are accepting sanctification. The Gift is so important that we perform by proxy the ordinance in the temple. And I find it significant that right after baptism - when we receive a remission of past sins - we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost - the power to have all forthcoming sins purged.

Goals

So I'm not very traditional in my goal setting...basically I seem to set goals all year long, just not at New Year's. I love making new goals, and I love keeping them, although I am not very good at that (that's why they are goals, right?). Anyway, I just made some new goals and Chad made some too and I thought it was a lot of fun!!! I found that the best way for me to keep goals is if I actually make a checklist and check it off when I do it (or before I go to bed). My favorite thing is I try to keep a good balance of goals, so when I create goals I try to have at least one of each of the following: a spiritual goal, a physical goal, and a mental goal (and sometimes a social goal). Then when I've successfully done the goal for several months (it's supposed to take 3 months to create a habit -- 3 weeks to break one) I pick new goals!!!

Black Friday

For the first time ever I shopped on Black Friday (before noon) and it was awesome!!! My husband and I looked through the ads the night before and saw some things that we wanted, so we decided to go. Granted it wasn't 5 in the morning that we went. No, I got up ate breakfast played with my husband and daughter for a bit and then we went!!! We didn't get to the stores until about 9:30 and it was great!!! And everything we wanted was there, although we didn't have our hearts set on anything. I felt really bad for employees who had to clean up after all the customers, though. Overall it was a great experience and I might do it again (although I doubt I will ever want something so bad as to get up at 5 in the morning and brave all those crazy shoppers).

Gratitude

So tis the season to be grateful!!! I've been so busy this week that I haven't had a chance to sit down and type what I am thankful for, but I am so blessed that I would be truly ungrateful if I didn't.

First and foremost I am most grateful to my Savior, Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father, because without them happiness would be impossible to achieve. Because of them and the sacrifices that they made I have the chance at eternal exaltation. Because of the sacrifices that they made I always have someone I can depend on and someone who knows exactly what I feel and what I have gone through. What extraordinary blessings that I am eternally indebted and grateful for!!!!

Second I am deeply grateful to and for my husband. He is the man that dreams are made of!!! He is so supportive of me and he listens to me and my crazy suggestions and he tries to do them!!!! He is so helpful around the house and with our daughter, and he is always so willing to watch her even when he has a lot of homework or research that he needs to get done!!! He loves to just be with me; he doesn't even care what we are doing as long as he gets to be with me and I both admire that and love him for that!!! I am also so grateful that we were led to each other and that we both followed the promptings of the Spirit that allowed us to be a forever family!!!

Next, I am grateful for my daughter, she is such an energy ball, but I love it and I love her so much!!! I'm grateful that she is a self entertainer and that she loves books!!! I'm grateful that she is healthy and that she is so curious!!! I'm grateful for her love and the joy that she brings into our family!!!!

I'm grateful for my parents; for giving me life and giving me a good life!!!! I'm grateful for the sacrifices that they made to raise me and to teach me correct principles!!! I'm grateful that they are always willing to give me (and Chad now) advice, but also to let us make our own decisions and not criticize us for making them!!!

I'm grateful for my in-laws; for allowing us to stay in their basement rent-free so that we can save for a house. I'm grateful for the opportunity that I've had to get to know them better and for the help and advice that they have given me. And I am especially grateful to them for raising such a wonderful son!!!

I'm grateful to my best friend, for our friendship and all the long talks that we have!!! I'm grateful that she trusts my opinion and that she knows me well enough to give me really good advice!!!

I'm grateful for my life, for my health, for my brothers, sisters and my husband's family. I'm grateful for my religion and my beliefs and my scriptures. I'm grateful for a living prophet and for my knowledge of that living prophet. I'm grateful to live in a free country where I am not jailed for my beliefs and where I get to help choose the leaders!! I'm grateful for my faith, for the roof over my head and the food that we have. I'm grateful for a running car and for music and for the fun I get to have. I'm grateful for new adventures and new experiences and good books and for good friends!!! I'm grateful that I get to go to the temple at least once a month and feel an outpouring of the spirit there!! And I'm grateful to all my sitters who watch my daughter for me!! I'm grateful for institute and for the beautiful world that we get to live in and enjoy!!! And I am grateful to have a family that is sealed forever!!!:) I have so much to be grateful for!!!