Always around this time of year we become focused on what we are thankful for, even more so then at Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is about the food (mother, I'm only here for the food!) But around December, we all begin to gather with family and friends, we start giving to everyone and everything, saying Merry Christmas to complete strangers, and remembering all the things we have been given. Giving thanks has been prescribed through the years as a way to feel better, extend life, create better health and to even heal terminal illnesses. Surprisingly, with all the benefits of being thankful, we focus more on the negative in our lives then the positive. Today I had a wonderful experience and wanted to share it with you.
Sunday was the ward choir Christmas concert in church. It was what you would expect in a ward choir performance to be. The older woman who has lots of volume, and not much tune blasting the soprano line. The kids choir that is so sweet, and knows only every other line. But it was somehow comforting, an old sign of the Christmas season that always makes me smile. The final song of the program was a joint congregational hymn of Silent Night. An oldie, but a goodie! Sometime during the program, little Michael had fallen asleep and was content in my arms. I was suddenly hit with an overwhelming wave of emotion. I could see Mary holding her sleeping newborn in her arms, looking down into the face of the savior, just as I was with my son then. I imagined her having gone on this taxing journey from her home to Bethlehem and giving birth in a strange place, with Joseph her only help. How exhausted she must have been after that ordeal, and exhilarated to have brought our Savior into the world. By the end of the song, tears were threatening to flow and I could feel the spirit of the Lord strongly in my soul.
Because of this I began to think of how thankful I am for different things in my life. Thing like my child, my husband, my family, living in a place where I can go to church without fear of being attacked for my faith. I am so thankful for the amazing gift from the Lord that is my singing voice. I have been to profoundly changed recently when it comes to my singing voice that I hardly recognize myself. Before, singing was wrought with fear, worry, anger, anxiety and self doubt. After some very revelatory (is that a word?) experiences, I realized that I was looking at singing all wrong and now feel such a deep desire to be good because the Lord wants me to be good. No other reason. He will use me in whatever way he chooses. And on that day I was overcome with gratitude for the Lord that he gave me an outlet for my love of Him and my love of the world around us.
As the Christmas season finishes up, I hope we can all remember what the true meaning of the season is. Remember that all we have has been given to us via our Savior, Jesus Christ. Remember that family is the greatest gift we can have, if it be a family of two or of two hundred.
As always,
Love from my heart to yours.
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