More in 2011!

I can't believe that 2010 is nearing an end.  I swear it took me half of the year to get used to writing 2010 or 10 and now it is time to switch gears yet again.  Time seems to go faster every year and get a little crazier. This was my first full year with two munchkins to keep track of and very little free Mommy time during the day.  This was my first year of being a crazy coupon lady.  This was the year of my first experience taking family members to the hospital and dentist for "surgeries".  It has been a good year, a learning year, a growing year.  Now with a new year beginning and more crazy adventures awaiting I have been thinking a lot about change. Changes I want to make. New ideas.  Old ideas revamped.  More motivation.  Broken down itty-bitty goals that lead to meeting the overall goal.  Yes, I really want to RESOLVE to make several needed changes.

In our world of "MORE".  In our world of people who are constantly seeking for more money, more things, more toys, more individual pleasure, more worldliness, I hope I can spend this year seeking for more of the things of the kingdom of God.  Here are a few of the mores that I hope to  improve on:

- More prepared Family Home Evenings.
- More involved and prepared Family Scripture Study.
- More balance in my life.
- More time spent with loved ones.
- More appreciation, love, and affection given to loved ones.
- a More organized and clean home.
- More patience.
- More focus on healthy living.

I love the Hymn, "More Holiness Give Me".  What a great reminder of the things we should be seeking after,  The things we should be striving to make apart of our lives.  Let us all seek for MORE of the things that truly matter this coming year.

Look to the Light

The gift of Christmas isn't wrapped up in presents or parties. The gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God. As you follow Him, you put people first. You may spend less time in lines and more time serving others. You may spend less money on - and more time with - the people you love. You may lose yourself and you may find everything else that matters.

Let us all look to the Light this Christmas Season!

Morning Devotional: Saved By the Bell Style

So lately we've started a new little routine in the mornings.  It is quite simple really.  We sing a few songs, usually one non-churchy song which has lately been the "ABCs" or a classic from a few years back, maybe some of you will recognize it, "B--B-B--B-B-B! B--B-B--B-B-B - GO BAYSIDE!"  I know it is silly, but you gotta love it! One day my husband randomly sang it and both of our kids loved it, sometimes it even ends up being added into the mix at FHE. Our 14 month old will even say "B-B-B" in a little bit of a rhythm.  We usually end in saying Baby for our daughter, instead of Bayside, and then proceed to do the letters of all of our names and end with our last name.  Then after our more up tempo song we do one or two church songs which has lately been "I am a Child of God" or a random song listened to on one of our Primary CDs.

After our silly and peaceful singing we each say our individual prayers.  Then following this I started out having our son read a verse of scripture but have recently turned to reciting an Article of Faith.  After a little over a week our 3 year old has the 1st Article of Faith down and we are about to move on.  It is fun to see him get so excited about getting it.

It has been a great addition to our day and especially a great way to start our day.  It helps us to stop and remember what is most important and reminds us to always start the day off with a prayer and with happy family moments, even if it does mean bringing back Zack Morris and the gang.  :)

What does your family do to start the day off right? 

A Gift for Jesus: What Will You Give?

Every year, since I can remember, my family has had the tradition of writing down a gift we each individually want to give Jesus for the year.  Sometimes we have done this in conjuction with Christmas and other years we have done this on or around April 6th but we have always done it.  So when I saw this cute page in the December "Friend" it reminded me of years past and the gifts I sometimes succeeded in giving Christ and others that I had to write down a few years in row. I loved the gifts they suggested, a few of them include: a hello to include, a testimony to share, and a smile to cheer. 

 

So I have been thinking about what my gift will be this next year.  There are so many things I can do better at.  There are so many things I should give. 

A few weeks back I gave the lesson in Relief Society on spiritual gifts and learned a few things.  Among the so many blessings that we receive from the Lord we also receive wonderful spiritual gifts.  This year I will give Jesus a gift, hopefully more than one, but I am first going to be asking for a gift from Him:

President George Q. Cannon said, “If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect. Have I imperfections? I am full of them. What is my duty? To pray to God to give me the gifts that will correct these imperfections.… No man ought to say, ‘Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.’ He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts that will eradicate them. If a man lack wisdom, it is his duty to ask God for wisdom. The same with everything else. That is the design of God concerning His Church. He wants His Saints to be perfected in the truth. For this purpose He gives these gifts, and bestows them upon those who seek after them, in order that they may be a perfect people upon the face of the earth” (Millennial Star, 23 Apr. 1894, 260).

This year that is just what I plan to do.  I will first ask for the gifts that I feel I need in my life and in return my hope is that I will give all of my efforts in developing and seeking these gifts and that, in return, will be my gift to Jesus this year.

What Will You Give This Year?

Baby Jesus Makes Me Feel Happy

I have had a post on my mind for a while now but know it will take some time to get all of my thoughts out and organized and time has been lacking so I thought it was time that I atleast get something posted and switch gears from Thanksgiving to Christmas. 
The title of this post is one of my favorite lines that comes from a sweet little girl in this Mormon Message. Enjoy!