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Christmas is Coming

“Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please to put a penny in the old man’s hat.

If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do.
If you haven’t got a ha’penny, then God Bless you!
God Bless you!”

I love that Christmas is this week. Last Saturday, we spent the day with our neice and nephew and their family. What a wonderful day! We sang Christmas carols, we shared past Christmas experiences, and we just enjoyed being together.

Being together is what Christmas is about. My husband and I drove down with our grandchildren in our car. It was delightful. Jakob read to us and I worked on a presentation. We talked and enjoyed the journey together. It was a long drive and at the end, everyone was happy to have arrived.

We shared a meal, swam (the brave ones, but not me. It was too cold for me). When it was time to go, it was hard for the children to say goodbye. But, we know that we will have many more glorious days to spend with them while they live so close.

Christmas is about love. Love from our Heavenly Father to send our Savior. Love from our Savior to make it possible for us to repent and return to live with Heavenly Father. Love from family and friends as we share time, talents and gifts with one another.

Christmas is coming…Are you ready?

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I Need More Christmas Than Just This

Today, we were at our daughter’s home. We were visiting and some of the children were across the street at a neighbor’s house. The children came back and forth. We watched one come in to take off her shoes. Our twin girl was upset and her dad took her to the garage and they brought out the wreath to put on the door. Eventually, she fell into the pool when she was trying to get a ball and needed a shower. Then, our six year old grandson came running to the door. As he entered the door, he called out, “I need more Christmas than just this!”

How profound! I thought about how I felt. This year, it seems we all need a little Christmas. Even before Thanksgiving, we had neighbors who had put up their Christmas lights. It was hard, but I waited until the traditional Friday after Thanksgiving to turn ours on even though they have been on the house and bushes since last week.

I love driving into our neighborhood where the Christmas lights greet us. Yesterday afternoon, I went back to the office to help my husband with a project and we left after dark. I was in my car. I turned on the radio to the station I knew was playing Christmas carols (they started before Thanksgiving as did DishNetwork radio). I was tired and contemplative as I listened. Then, I noticed as I do each year, how the “street lights, even stop lights blink a bright red and green”* and I thought “It feels like Christmas time.”

Then, I noticed the lights, just a hint from the road, but as I got closer to the turn, I saw them all. They are simple yet elegant, and they brought peace to me.

How many times I think about how we are connected. Just as the lights are connected to one another on each string, we are connected to one another. There are many colors of lights, just as each of us has our own unique characteristics. One light alone is pretty, but when they work together, they are magnificent; when we work together, we are powerful. We bring calm to the chaos going on in the world. We bring peace to one another. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about…”peace, goodwill toward men*”? I hope you have peace in your life.

*song: Silver Bells by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans; scripture is found in Kings James version of the Holy Bible, Luke 2:14