Happy Christmas

Christmas was fantastic from where I stand.
I either saw or heard from most of my family
and it was glorious.
I love them.

Also my birthday was also great.

Do you know what I love about being born on that great holiday?

1. I have two sets of presents and I get to choose when I open the second one.
2. I get to see a bunch of family every year (unless we're snowed in)
3. People say "Happy Birthday." I get to say "Thanks! Merry Christmas."
4. My birthday gets somewhat celebrated throughout the week instead of just a day.
5. EVERYONE gets presents and celebrates on my birthday - that makes me happy.
6. It's Christ's birthday too and I get to remember that.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.

Increasing The Size of Your Word Stock 1

In case you have ever wondered 

how you can describe
those dark mist-filled nights 

in one word,
here you go:

caliginous.

Yup. Now you know.

You're Welcome.

Centered on Christ

This past weekend the Provo Tabernacle burned down.

Inside the firefighters saw this:

And this:

 

 And I love the look on the firefighter's face when they took it out:

Love it.

Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.

I cannot describe how much I love 

It's A Wonderful Life 
(I thought it'd be weird in color - I actually LOVE it)

(start from the beginning here - I love the beginning prayers 

AND the quotes "Is he sick?" "No worse, he's discouraged.")

Don't you wish we could all have an experience such as this? 

To see how we have changed the world? 

To clearly see our importance? 

Our impact in the lives of others?

Although I believe that for most of us it would be heartwrenching,

I think it would be profound.

I don't think everything we do changes 

the course of the future to the extent of George Bailey's 

but I know each of us is important 

and our decisions make a difference. . .

they determine our destiny and sometimes that of others.

Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia says:

"You wished yourself away and with it much more. 

You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are."

We're all unique for a reason.

Embrace it.
(I'm slowly but surely learning this lesson)

Playing Catch Up

Sadly I didn't keep up with Christmas

But I did try to remember in my own life

Sadly some days I didn't remember until the end of the day

but those days were great.

Here are a few things to keep remembering:

Sometimes amidst the commercialism of it all this is how I feel.

I love that Christmas can be all year long though!

Linus' classic Luke 2 scene.

I am not really a Charlie Brown fan,

but this is worth watching every time.

 

Again, remember His life and not just His birth.

Quick story.

Last weekend I went to a Christmas concert

put on by the LDS Institute

and USU Chamber Singers.

It was phenomenal. 

The songs were amazing and the talent was outstanding.

In between songs they shared a few stories,

This was one of them and I LOVE it.

I don't think this needs any words.

This Day in My Life.

So thinking about today, last night was not so happy.

I had to get up early to study,

I worked at 7:30 AM (luckily I continued to study there)

Had a final at 11:30 after which I returned to work until 5.

However. I got to work with my sister! :)

And later Cheryl :).

I learned the best way to take a test is

with a pint of Aggie Ice Cream by your side 

provided BY the teacher (love my major)!

My good friend S called me - I have not talked to her in a while!

So far those are the things I am relishing but later today I get to have a grocery store adventure with Kend and Ash.

And in celebration of finals week I get to dine here with Michelle.

Never underestimate how an expected bad day can be the complete opposite.

Where's the Line?

My friend April showed me this song.

I am not sure I am the biggest fan of it,

but the message is something we all need to hear.

p.s. We say that Christ died for us a lot (I think I did in one of the posts below because He did) but I like that he gave His life for us more . . .He lived a perfect example, showing us what to do, never giving into any temptation, He spent a night in the antagonizing Garden of Gethsemane, and ultimately gave His life on the cross - just the perspective of remembering His whole life is something that I sometimes forget.

A Finals Thought.

As I have been studying for finals I have started to think 

that I rely on the find function, 

you know CTRL + F to find any word in that document . . .

it's very frustrating when handtaken notes don't have it

and I can't find the one key word and the answer.

Good luck to those taking FINALS! 

We can do it.

President Monson.

I know that I already posted this song,

but this has added President Monson's wise words.

Plus remember how it's one of my favorites now?

Mary's Song.

I have always loved this Christmas song.

I am not a huge fan of the whole video when set to the song as it tends to bug me when things don't perfectly match the music, but my favorite part is from when the shepherd sees the star to the end.

I can't imagine the emotion of seeing something that glorious and then finding the babe lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. 

The babe who would one day bleed in Gethsemane and hang on a cross for ME. The thought overwhelms me.

What Shall We Give.

This song was featured in the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency.

It's become one of my favorites.

You can review the whole devotional HERE.

Some things I learned:

1. Rejoice in the Birth of Our Savior

2. Ponder His Influence in Our Lives Today

Think of His gifts for us each day.
And those we can give to Him through giving to others.

3. Look Steadfastly for His Coming.

And President Monson ended the devotional with these words:

"Let it be a time of prayers for peace, for the preservation of free principles, and for the protection of those who are far from us. Let it be a time of forgetting self and finding time for others. Let it be a time for discarding the meaningless and for stressing the true values. Let it be a time of peace because we have found peace in His teachings.

Most of all, let it be a time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the Wise Men.

My brothers and sisters, may the spirit of love which comes at Christmastime fill our homes and our lives and linger there long after the tree is down and the lights are put away for another year. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord, amen."

Remembering Christ.

The other night in institute I had the best lesson on the Atonement

and the Life of Christ I have ever had.

As we talked about the Atonement's purpose to make each of us better,as well as the importance and need for Christ in our lives 

(in YOUR life and in MY life), 

it was incredibly overwhelming.

As Christmas comes I want to remember what it is REALLY about each and every day.

You get to be a part too.

What I want to emphasize doesn't come until about 1:00 into the following clip and only goes to 4 minutes. . .

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "What Child is This."

I love pondering that question.

During this Christmas season, we often remember the child in manger, But let us not forget the Man that child became.

AND let us remember the tremendous, 

PERSONAL atonement He made for each of us, 

allowing Him into our lives, 

and letting Him make us all the best we can be.

America.

I am so incredibly thankful I was born in America.

I haven't really thought about being born elsewhere,

but at the mention of that it is a very odd thought.

I love those who have helped build and "maintain" our great country.

When I was at Deseret Book last night 

my roommate an I saw this painting:

I love how there are people from throughout time representing EVERYONE in it.

More?

Go here and read about each of the people and their impacts.

While I am on this subject I want to throw in things from my most favorite book in the whole world:

The Book of Mormon

I have been reading the last few chapters or Mormon and they are amazing. I love how Moroni discusses the last days and seeing us and how we are and he wonders why we are so pride filled and why we seek after riches, it makes me sad as I realize the truth to it all. Then he bares HIS testimony of the gospel and of Jesus Christ.

It all makes me see how I want to become better and how I can.

Then in Ether I love how the Lord talks of this land, our land, AMERICA, being the choice land above all others and it gives me chills as I think over history and think of the miraculous Revolutionary War and the men and women that helped to achieve the founding of the United States of America and what has commenced here since.

Curses.

On of my favorite board games EVER

(at least with people I know).

I played it not too long ago with the friends mentioned previously :)

Perfection.

Just imagine being the person who when touched:

Was given a big shock (act electrocuted) AND had to guard their cards while exclaiming "Yer always after me lucky charms" AND because you said something you had to say it with a French accent into an imaginary CB radio while scratching your underarms like a gorilla AND playing the air guitar AND you had to say Bok Bok because you spoke AND due to that chicken noise you must yell out a lunch meat and get incredibly itchy . . . 

Yeah people laugh at you A LOT.

And that my friends . . . is what I love about that game.

Don't Mind Me. . .

I am just gonna "brag" for a minute or two.

I seriously without any doubt in my mind 

have the best friends EVER.

They are hilarious.

Kind.

Caring.

Witty.

Loving.

And overall every good emotion exists 

or a good memory can be made 

in a room with any of them 

(it's even better when a room is filled with them).

I could never say enough about them.

I LOVE it.

I LOVE them.

Don't Eat the Yellow Snow

Unless it's really a lemon snowcone

offered to you by the Abominable Snowman.

Then enjoy it all you want! 

Just some wise words of wisdom you hopefully don't need.

Days of Past.

This past week has been great.

I got to see this:

Disney's Tangled

Amazing movie! 

I kicked "making a pumpkin pie from scratch" off my bucket list

I can now use canned pumpkin and feel just as complete . . .

Unless I want to make a more successful one. .  .

Michelle and I had fun in the kitchen that day.

Thanksgiving at the Savages! :)

Then home to Far Far Away.

I love my family. :)

A visit to Ammon and Shelley, ID.

 

 

Notice that Jessika's legs are straight?

Then back to Utah.

 It was a good break. . . 

2 more weeks and an even better one will occur! 

Remember, Remember (Take 1)

Yesterday in English our teacher asked us to free write

about three things we are thankful for.

Then we shared. 

And the let me tell you that there was an amazing feeling

that was in the room when we finished.

The prophets have told us over and over to have an 

Attitude of Gratitude.

I have a testimony that it's a true principle.

Thanksgiving was super and I'll post about my happenings but 

even after an AMAZING Thanksgiving break I needed 

a post to remember on Monday.

I remember my amazing family that I have.

My sister who listens and encourages me beyond to where I can't really doubt myself anymore.

My mom who is always willing to help, laugh,
share knowledge, or cry with.

My dad who calls to just tell me he loves me and has always been an example to me of extraordinary leadership.

My brother's smile and laugh who I get to have lunch with frequently now. Who is willing to do almost anything for me and who tells great jokes and brings up even better memories.

My brother who makes me smile and laugh and it's always a trick to getting him say "I love you" back making it all the more true.

My sister whose smile lights up the world and her Dash laugh. :)

My cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents for their smiles, laughter, tears, examples, and memories.

(believe me I didn't list it all)

My friends. 

How I ever deserved to be blessed with such amazing one's throughout my life I will never know. They laugh with me, cry with me, and just sit with me, AND let me join them in the same activities with them. They are a huge example to me and are teaching me everyday.

 Memories of camping with my family.

 

Grandpa and Grandma Savage treating me to Disneyworld.

Those who take time to notice others.

The gospel of Jesus Christ.

I KNOW it's true.

I KNOW God is my Heavenly Father.

That Christ is my brother and savior.

That the Book of Mormon is true.

Prayer works.

And that I am loved.

(and SO much more).

ThAnKsGiViNg DaIlY

Oh snow.

I like this picture.

And I like snow . . .

mostly when it's not cold and I don't have to go out in it.