The night before Christmas

Short post today because I am really trying to enjoy myself during this season. Well, it took a lot of Christmas music, lots of church videos and preparing to give a talk on Christmas day to get me through it but I think that I'm doing just fine this year. Yes, this is the second year in a row that I have not been able to be home for Christmas; something that hasn't happened since I went on my mission ten years ago. The only difference between now and then is that I was crazy busy every day doing the work of the Lord and now I'm only crazy busy doing the work of the Lord part-time and kind of sucking at it as of late. But there has been something special about this Christmas. Again I have felt the love of the Lord pulling me through not being able to be with my family, which feels so terrible, but this year I have started to feel a reliance on the Lord that I haven't felt in a while. One thing I learned on my mission was reliance on the Lord because if you didn't have that, well you just about went crazy. But ever since being back I guess I didn't feel so much like it was just me and the Lord in the world and I started putting my trust in others, not forgetting about the Lord of course; at first. You know if there is one thing that I really put forth a big effort in doing in my life is keeping in contact with the people who I've become friends with whether or not it has been in the past or the present. Now I'm not the best at it but I really try stay in contact with people that I care about and try not to miss important dates and things. Staying in touch with the Lord shouldn't be as hard as staying in contact with people but sometimes it just is. Through this Christmas season I have had to rely on something other than the relationships that I've had and the relationships that I have now. I've had to rely more on myself, more than I ever had before and whenever I do that I realize how terribly short I fall. That is when I remember my primary and Sunday School lessons which has taught me that whenever I fall short that I always have somewhere to turn to. That's why I've made a resolution this year that I'm going to make sure that I come home for Christmas every year. Now I might not be able to come to my earthly home with my brother's and sister and my Mom and Dad but I can come home to the place that I know that I will be always welcome no matter what I do or who I am. I know that I am always welcome in the arms of the Lord. Just as the prodigal son, if I return to him then I know that every time he will come running to the rescue. This has never failed me in my life and has been the only constant in this unreliable world. I love the Lord and the things he has done for me. Merry Christmas everybody.

Yes ladies and gentleman, It's time for another Good Idea, Bad Idea

Good Idea: rewarding yourself for a long eventful and productive day by eating a piece of pizza. Bad Idea: trying to make up for a long day of not eating and staying in bed because you felt sick to your stomach by eating a whole medium size pizza along with garlic bread and three spicy drumsticks. The End, at least I wished. I have realized that the more I stay in this country that has little to no meals based on anything dairy, the more I become intolerant to lactose. Eating all that food was definitely not the satisfying end to a hard day that I wanted. The happy ending is that I did actually get to sleep eventually and woke up feeling loads better.

I've gotten a lot better at staying on top of things and keeping myself busy with little projects this week. I'm getting really excited for Christmas not because I'm doing anything special for Christmas but for the observance of the holiday. Living in a country that doesn't have all the Christmas hullabaloo during this time of year, you really have to wait until Christmastime to see anybody getting into the holiday at all. I find myself going to American stores like Costco so I can see the tree and feel a little bit of it's magic. I remember Christmases when I was going to BYU. When I was coming home for Christmas during my first year at BYU I was driving on the cold and snowy road that I had driven down so many times before but there was a new excitement this time. I was listening to the radio to catch the Christmas tunes to put me in the Christmas mood and I remember one song came on that brought tears to my eyes. I know it's a kind of sappy memory but bear with me. It was Kenny Loggins "Celebrate me home." I've always loved soulful songs where you can make up your own melodies to sing in the background with a gospel choir to back you up and this just gave me an excuse to start singing at the top of my lungs. Ever since that Christmas it has been a tradition of mine to play that song whenever I am traveling home for Christmas and even though last Christmas and this Christmas I have not been able to get home I love listening to the music of this season because it inspires us and brings back the memories that make this season so magical. I feel that among the many lessons and principles that this season teaches there lies one that rings a special tune, and that one is of remembrance. Not only remembrance of Christmases past, of family togetherness and memories of dear friends and family who have left this world, but also of the way the first Christmas was passed and the incredible gift of love that was brought to this earth that night. I hope that everyone really does have a great Christmas this year and is able to spend it with the people that they love because it is the people in this life that make it sweet.

Ok, preachy sappy post is now over. I shall now get down from my proverbial soap box.