That's What It's All About

(these photos are from last year--Dec 24, 2010)

Tonight for family home evening we had some friends over to read Luke 2 and re-enact the Nativity. Stuffed sheep--Check. Eyeore as donkey--Check. Angel costume and Star--Check. Manger and baby--Check. Total chaos--Check. It WAS fun, even though our dog Oscar ended up in the manger with the doll and kids laughed through the entire narration.

Now I'm listening to my kids and husband play Monopoly. Is writing on my blog an excuse to miss out on playing Monopoly? Maybe. I get tense just thinking about it! :) I did want to share that it was Casper's turn this week to give a talk in Primary. I'm constantly being reminded that amid all the 'Crazy Christmas Preparations,' you HAVE to make time for what it's all about.

"In December, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We sing and think about that peaceful night when He was born in a humble stable. One day, He will come again but in great glory. No one, not even the angels, knows exactly when He will come again. However, the scriptures tell us this about His Second Coming: “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God; wherefore, gird up your loins (which means to be brave and righteous) and I will suddenly come to my temple” (D&C 36:8).

Both Simeon and Anna were at the temple and saw Baby Jesus when He was there. They had been hoping and waiting to see the Messiah, or Savior. (See Luke 2:25–38.)

When He was twelve years old, He surprised the educated men in the temple with His understanding and knowledge. They knew the law and the commandments, yet the boy Jesus taught them. (See Luke 2:41–47.)

The “more righteous” of the Nephites saw the resurrected Savior when He appeared to them at the temple. Jesus Christ comforted and blessed them and filled them with joy and peace.

My friend Spencer was sealed to his family 2 years ago in the Mesa, AZ temple. My family and I were so happy for them and we drove to the temple to wait outside and celebrate with them. He was so surprised to see us. I was so happy, too, and it helped me want to go inside someday.

Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Those who keep the commandments will one day rejoice to stand in His presence. If we choose to do what is right and learn to help and comfort others, we can be the kind of people who will be at the temple when He comes in glory."

Plus, when you try to do what's right and help and comfort others, there is so much more happiness and peace in life!! I'm just praying that my kids come to understand that as they grow. Jesus is the REASON for the SEASON!

"Jesus is Born!"

I haven't published in a little over a year--which is really a shame because we've really had some amazing journeys in the last year. Currently, we live in Virginia Beach, VA in the Great Neck area about 10 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. Matt was mobilized from a Reservist status in Phoenix to Active Duty Status at Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach. We decided to move with him and experience the East Coast.

We attend the Cape Henry Ward and Whitney was assigned to speak in Primary on this month's theme: Jesus is born. A video would best depict her angelic delivery, but I don't have that, unfortunately. I still had to share it, though, since she typed it out herself using spell check, the search engine on lds.org under "angel" and the cut and paste feature from a Conference talk she found online by none other than Whitney Hinckley, "This Shall be a Sign Unto You." You may question her ability to do all this at the age of seven in the second grade. At their elementary school, kids are required regularly to Skype, Blog, type, write stories in Word and create math problems complete with drawings on the computer. It's amazing. The kids rise to the occasion. So, that being said, Whitney really wanted to do this talk without mom helping or practicing with her--I'm quite impressed!

"Every year the first Christmas decoration my mom gets out is the nativity. She has always let us play with it. It’s fun for us to imagine that baby Jesus would like to visit Santa or ride on the train, too! One year when I was little my mom found me playing with the Nativity, holding the angel high above everything, saying, “Jesus is born!!!! Jesus is born!!!!”

The Angel is very important. He is a messenger of Heavenly Father for ALL of His most important events. For example, when Joseph Smith first prayed about which church to join—do you remember what happened? An angel visited him in the grove and told him to join none of them. Later, an angel visited and taught him in his room. All through his job as the prophet, angels gave him messages from God.

The angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth that she would become the mother of the Savior. (See Luke 1:30–33.) The same angel told the father of John the Baptist of his son soon to be born. (See Luke 1:13.) When Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus fled to Egypt, it was an angel who gave them direction. When the wicked King Herod was killed, the angel told them to return home. (See Matt. 2:13, 19–20.)

I love dressing as an angel when we act out the Nativity story at Christmastime. It reminds me of my important job to tell others that Jesus was born and that he lives today."