In Defense

It's got to be said. It is time.

I love America. I love my country, my freedoms, my heritage. I love patriotism. I love hope and goodness. Songs like our National Anthem and The Battle Hymn of the Republic and so many other patriotic songs not only make me think of America and all it stands for~ they are also bright symbols of hope, faith, and all the things I cherish as an American Citizen. I love those songs, and the feelings they give me anywhere, anytime. They make me happy and grateful. They always bring a feeling of unity to those who enjoy America. And we listen with grateful hearts all through each year.

So let's talk about Christmas music. I know, I know...it's only September you say. Well, I am listening to Christmas music. It makes me feel the same way!  I was raised on it. It makes me happy.  It gives me hope. It reminds me of faith and family and all I've been blessed with. It embodies everything good. I love it. It keeps Christ in my thoughts. It makes me want to do good.

This morning choir practice began at my school. Guess what they were singing? Yup-Christmas music. And it made me feel great. It made the kids feel great too. Because they see the joy in it, and not the stress. They live in the feeling it gives them and not the rush of getting the season here. They understand that Christmas isn't just a day, or even a season~it's a state of the heart and where our hearts should always be. Grateful. Full of faith and joy and hope. So I will keep listening, and loving it. I'm not rushing Christmas here, just keeping it close to me always. And I am grateful.

It's Just Emotion that's Taking Me Over...

I LOVE this time of year. I absolutely love it! But I am just about the most emotional person on the planet from the first Christmas commercial until about the 3rd of January. It's joyful emotion, but emotion nonetheless. I cry at church. I cry at school. I cry watching TV and while listening to Christmas music. I cry when children sing Jingle Bells. I cry when I think of the Christ-child and His family. Like I said~joyful crying. But also choked up with emotion.

This time of year is all for one reason. Whether you're Christian, Jew, Catholic, non-denominational, white, colored, boy or girl, the Christmas season began because of Christ. It has become much more and some of those things enhance the season and all it's joys, and those joys are the things that get to my heart. Oh, I hear cries of "commercialism" and "skipping Thanksgiving" often, but here's the kicker...it's all in how you choose to view it. You can find joy or you can be upset. And we all know how I'm a connoisseur of  joy!

So I have found much joy in the season already. I gave praises of gratitude and thanks with my family in Washington for Thanksgiving. I began playing -and singing Christmas music early.

 I spent time watching fun Christmas movies with my family.

I gained inspiration and renewed strength in my job and calling in life by remembering I'm a guardian of children. I decorated my house with love. I watched Savior of the World with my Young Women. I marveled at the sacrifices made by so many to bring about His birth-and then to sing praises of joy because of it. I know I was in Heaven singing too.

Sydnee, Meghan and Shelby after Savior of the World
@Conference Center

Again I choose to find joy, and at this time of year you don't have to look far. I find a lot of it at home with my family and in the simple acts of preparation. Though there are events I would never miss I like to keep it simple so the rush and stress doesn't get too taxing. I count my blessings. I know I have many. And I'm emotional about it. In a joyful way.



Adding Up the Gratitude

I love this time of year when people make an extra effort to acknowledge the things they are grateful for. I love to see the things we notice in our lives that there are reasons to give thanks for. Facebook is full of "gratitude posts". Posted there are the small and simple things in life that can be taken for granted or the big miracles that are bestowed, and many more gifts in between, but the variety is endless and adds up quickly.

Though I have not participated in the one thing each day of November trend, I try to make sure I show gratitude as often as possible. I KNOW I am blessed. I enjoy concentrating on my blessings and finding the things that might otherwise be counted as coincidence or karma.

As yesterday was Veterans Day, I gave alot of thought to the men and women who so selflessly leave their families and life as they know it to go serve our country and protect our freedoms. I am so very grateful for their sacrifice! I have so much because of those willing to put their lives on the line in the name of freedom and goodness. Thank you Veterans as well as all those currently serving. I owe a debt I cannot repay except to pray for your safety and for your families, and continue to love this country I'm so blessed to live in. You're my heroes! Here is a great link to a site that is all about heroes and Veterans Day: http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

Speaking of heroes,
I am trying to do a little something for some of our heroes. I invite you to act if you feel the need to do so. When you are sending your Christmas cards out this year, take a minute to write an extra one with a note of thanks to a soldier who may not be receiving one this year. Or just send one because you are grateful for the service provided by our armed forces. I am collecting them for a service project at my school but am also adding several extras to my own personal list at home. And thank you in advance. Hopefully the dividend will be JOY for you as well as those you are sending a greeting to.

Some of the info:

Anyone who wants to send a greeting card to a Holiday Hero can do so with my greeting card system. We print it, We stuff it, We stamp it and We mail it for you. AND WE PAY FOR IT! www.321send.com  CLICK SEND A CARD

-OR-

 - Mail Cards to: Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456 Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456 | Cards and Stamps are FREE!

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanRedCrossHolidayMailForHeroes

http://www.redcross.org/support/get-involved/holiday-mail-for-heroes

Some of my homemade cards we are sending to soldiers

All Inspired and Revved up to Find Joy

(I started this at 11:50 pm on Sunday, July 14.)    Today was a great day. It was full of good people and great inspiration. It was filled with wonderful counsel and thought-provoking words. It was full of love. Love I felt towards ALL the amazing people in my life, love to me from my church leaders and coworkers in church, love from my family and from my Young Women. It was just good stuff all the way around.

I'm always amazed when a group of people though not together physically can become one in spirit and though not one person in the group has conversed with another about their thoughts, they still become one-and their thoughts take the same direction even though they were first thought independent of one another.  For example, a group of my friends were discussing health issues, and while being completely frustrated by them, we were also grateful for the blessings and joy we have encountered during them-even while suffering. We spoke about the lessons we've learned and how life is more important to LIVE because we do see joy in it-even through these ills.

Meanwhile for the last few months I have been searching for, finding, and blogging about finding joy-even the smallest bits, in the hardest of times- because it's there. And the bad times we have only enhance the goodness and joy because then we know how to grasp it and savor it, and it gets us through. I know so many good people who are facing tough things. I hurt for them and love them, and pray they get some joyful moments too.

Then today our wonderful Stake President Waddoups gave the most wonderful, meaningful talk  that included so many of the things that had already been on my mind. Oh, he said amazing things! I took notes. I was so inspired just listening to him today thinking, "These are all the things I've been talking about, writing about, and sharing. I'm so grateful I can gain a little more insight since it looks like this has all been on his mind too." He started with, "God EXPECTS us be joyful in this life."  And I'm thinking:I KNEW it!!!

President Waddoups' talk united me with those around me. It united me to him and his counsel. It made me understand life better, and why we go through the hardships we do. He said our hardships should not DEFINE us.... they should REFINE us. Make us better people, capable of more. Capable of empathy, and understanding,  and show us what has been done for us by God. We can get through if our foundation is firm in Him. What a great way to grow and help others grow with us. So I'm inspired in a BIG way. That's not to say that things won't get me down, because they will, but I hope I have the will to look for the good things that are everywhere despite my hardships.

PS-I found a great picture of Chad and me last night. He is one of my joys, so I'm sharing it!

Chad and I after Disney on Ice-another joyful event!

Feed Your Inner Nerd

I have another hobby that I do not have time for. While searching for items for Young Womens I kept seeing things linked to Pinterest that I did not have access to.....until I joined Pinterest. Yes I joined the site that turns spare time into a vacuum! I am enjoying my activity and seeing everyone else's also. I am doing well limiting my time on it but it has already taught me a lot about myself and the things that seem to attract my attention.

One of the good things I'm finding is that I love to be joyful. I love to be around joyful people, see joyful things, and read sayings that reflect joy. I am just eating it right up and there is an endless supply of material on Pinterest that can feed my joyful streak for more hours than there are in a day.  Many positive, happy, cute, inspiring things fill this world. I want to explore all of them-if not in person then at least online!

 

I am also finding my inner nerd - and feeding it! The things that make me laugh.....make me laugh! Dogs, Muppets, Thor Memes-I'm also finding I have a super nerd interest in weather phenomenon. Whoda thunk it? In all this I rather like feeding the nerdiness in my personality and am quite fond of it actually. The best part is that every person harbors a nerd in some part of their psyche. To let it shine and show a little bit of vulnerability is quite liberating. More fun, more personality, more joy. I highly recommend letting yours out once in awhile. It may delight you!

Statler and Waldorf at their finest.
 

Awesome weather in Australia

 

Cute pugs doing head tilts

Boxer reaction to lime

                                 Link to my Pinterest