To Christmas:

It is Christmas.

A perfect day, love and joy enclose the world- Peace on Earth.

Growing up Christmas was always exciting- the anticipation of running up the stairs to open the gifts that Santa would leave during the night was almost unbearable.  I remember all six of us (yes I would have been like four or five years old) lining up at the bottom of the stairway while Mom would say- "Not yet! Dad is going to the bathroom" or the regular "I am getting the camera ready!" Mean while I would be doing the pee dance knowing that in a few minutes I will look "forget" how badly I need to release my bodily waters.

I still look forward to Christmas and consider it as one of my favorite days of the year, but for different reasons.  Christmas is magical.  People are in a different mood, a splendid giving mood- I love that a person can do something simple and nice and not expect something in return but that love is the motivating factor.  Watching the glow in the faces of my nieces and nephew as they get caught up in the belief and magic of the season.  How simple the faith and how true the promise.  Nothing is a mystery on Christmas, it is just pure belief.  It is magic.

Christmas this year has really hit me hard.  Well I guess it wasn't really Christmas, but everything leading up to this beloved season.  I moved away this year- I have been introduced to a whole new world.  I have got a taste of living on my own, and I have noticed how much I have been blessed.  My life has been relatively easy, I would like to say that I have worked for most everything that I have, but I haven't I have been very blessed- and it took me moving away to notice.

I am so grateful for having the gospel in my life.  I was trying to imagine where I would be without those blessings and I can't.  I would be an entirely different person.  I am thankful for prayer, for knowing that when I kneel down I can receive answers and that the Lord is always listening to me.  Christ suffered the atonement for me, and for everyone so that one day we will return to him- I will forever be indebted to him.  I am thankful for the sacred covenants of the temple and I am anxious to make those someday with my eternal best friend.  My life is marvelous.  I have a marvelous family and this is a marvelous day and age where every choice could determine my who being.  

Merry Christmas Everyone.  

Challenge: Take the feelings and thoughts of this day with me throughout the year.