We had a wonderful experience going down to Santa Rosa to do some Christmas shopping with two ladies from Middletown. We went to two malls and Costco all in one day. While we were at the second mall, we were in JcPenny and I was getting a little bit tired. We were conveniently in the bedding section, and their was a spot that you could test the memory foam pads. I laid down for a little and rested there. I was super tired. But when all was done, we had had such a fun time that we didn't feel bad about going and really appreciated the trip and the experiences that we had there.
Some days we may feel like this life is too much or too hard for us to handle. But it is not. The person we are about to celebrate the birth of, Jesus Christ, has already taken upon him all the unfairness and the discomforts in this life so that he will know how to succor us, or to support us.
I like to think of Mary when I think of 'enduring to the end'. She was a very strong lady and had to suffer much to bring the Savior into this world. She saw an angel that told her that she was going to conceive a Child. Then she had to tell the man she was engaged to. Then she had to travel great distances before she actually had the baby. Gave birth in the humble circumstances of a manger stall. Now I don't know about you, but this seems like a trial to go through and she is extremely humble through the whole experience.
In Luke 1:48-49 Mary is describing her feelings after having heard the news that she is going to give birth to the Son of God. She says,
"For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name."
We each face trials, but Christ has already overcome them. He is there for us and wants us to feel of His love all the time. Christmas is important because we get a chance to celebrate and reflect on the MIRACLE of Christ's birth, as well as the promises of His sacrifice to overcome the world. In the end its going to be worth it. We will look back and be glad we stayed strong and faithful in our life. Christ and God are real. They LOVE us very much. They want us to be successful in this life, and not to get weighed down or discouraged in the different experiences we face in life. Let us be happy and rejoice as we celebrate this CHRISTmas season.
We were driving in the back areas of Cobb the other day and came upon a tree. There were two trees here, and to the best of our understanding the tree had two regular visitors: the woodpecker and the squirrel. Now, I don't think these two get together often and plan these things out, but it seemed that they were helping each other but didn't really know or understand how. From what is appeared to us, that the woodpeckers were making holes in the trees and then the squirrels came by later and used those holes to store their acorns. We did not realize what was on the tree until we walked up to it but it was a ton of holes with acorns shoved in them.
No I don't know about you, but I would think that it would take FOREVER to fill that whole tree up with nuts to be stored, but little by little, the squirrels were able to fill up both trees from bottom to top! I think through life, and we don't think that we could make a difference with one thing versus another and that even if we tried a little, it wouldn't make a difference. We have to remember though, its not man that counts the kind acts, its God. And God is all knowing and does see every small step we take to better following Him. In 3 Nephi 18:32 Christ is teaching about being loving and excepting of everyone.
"Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and YE shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them."
I love this scripture to me, because it states that every effort that we do for ourselves and our fellowman is worth it. That we do not know, and cannot judge whether someone will be touched by our actions. The woodpeckers didn't know that they would help the squirrels, and they probably don't see the use they were to the squirrels, but the squirrels see it and utilized it and above all, God sees it.
If God hasn't lost hope on us, then why should we?
