I don’t know how December came so quickly, but here we are!
My simple Sunday message today is to “Let Your Light Shine”. So many people in today’s world need a bit of your light. Here are some ideas:
Have a superb Sunday. I hope you do or learn something NEW!
Happy Sunday!
I took this NEW photo at a Christmas light event. So many lights (and so many man-hours placing them on branch after branch!) Very pretty!…my phone camera didn’t do too great of a job capturing the prettiness, but here are some more photos:
It was fun to kick off December and the Christmas season attending this event. And for my {very} short sermon today, I’d like to simply share 8 Christmas verses from the Bible so we can remember the true reason we celebrate. Additionally, down below is a calendar with ideas of service-type things to do every day to #LightTheWorld with love. I’m going to try and do as many as I can.
Have a great Sunday and learn or something NEW!
Scripture #1
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Scripture # 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Scripture # 3
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Scripture # 4
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Scripture # 5
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 ( And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Scripture # 6
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Scripture # 7
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luke 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luke 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Scripture # 8
Luke 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Luke 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
You can print this calendar out HERE.
This is a photo of my gr-gr-grandfather. He lived through a time when people (mobs) persecuted members of his faith and drove them from their homes (and this was in America – the supposed ‘Land of the Free’)! He and many others were essentially religious refugees. So I need to remember to help, serve and do what I can to help modern-day refugees.
I thought this video (link below) was really well done. It was a good reminder to me that I need to “Be that Someone”. Life is so hard for many people – especially refugees. It’s called:
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/serve-others?lang=eng
My big question was HOW? I don’t personally know any refugees. My answer came from this article: 40 Ways to Help Refugees.
Have a great Sunday! Do, learn OR HELP, someone NEW!
Happy Sunday! I don’t even remember when or where I got these little starfish, but they sure were fun to photograph and edit-play with. Why haven’t I noticed them sitting on my bookshelf before???
Anyway…isn’t it true that the more we do, the more we really can do?!? A few Sunday’s ago, I had an assignment to visit a different church congregation than my normal one. The speaker that day mentioned that the young people in that ward had a very ambitious goal. They were going to do 5000 acts of service in 5 months. I am not sure how large their youth group is, so I’m not sure exactly how ambitious that goal is, but I LOVED the idea! This is a poster with the church-wide youth theme for this year, and this link HERE is an article about how many other youth groups will be ‘Embarking’ on service this year.
Again, I think this theme is GREAT! Service to others is so important…so fulfilling….and such a blessing (for both the giver and the receiver). Have a wonderful day! Do, Learn, OR SERVE someone NEW today!
Happy Sunday! Today I’m going to blog, brag and blab about a very sweet friend and neighbor of mine. This person truly knows the meaning of friendship, service, thoughtfulness and a zillion other wonderful attributes! When my hubby was in the hospital, she went {way} beyond the expected. She thought of everything we could possible need…even before we knew we needed them! She gave us a gift bag FULL of items to make that hard time seem so much easier. One item was a beautiful book with short stories. We had browsed through the book in the hospital and I personally LOVED the photography! Then, when hubby was released from the hospital, we packed up all the paraphernalia to come home, and the beautiful book got stashed in a miscellaneous bag and very sadly, kind of forgotten (for a while). Fast forward to five or six weeks later when this very kind friend asked how I liked the book, when we passed it in the store. I didn’t recognize the cover…I didn’t realize this was the same book that was stashed away. I was very embarrassed that it most definitely seemed like I didn’t appreciate her gift! I came home and pulled out the book (I knew exactly which bag it was still in)…and started browsing again. I read a few more of the stories…I fell in love (again) with the beautiful photography…but most of all, I remembered the sweet memory of the love and kindness that was shown by our dear friend in those difficult days after hubby’s accident.
Here’s one of the stories told by Elder David B Haight:
A few years ago, when Arturo Toscanini was musical director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in New York City, he had a Saturday afternoon radio broadcast. And one day he received in his mail a crumpled little note on some brownish paper which read:
“Dear Mr. Toscanini, I am a lonely sheepherder in the mountains of Wyoming. I have two prized possessions: an old violin and a battery radio. And the batteries are getting weak and beginning to run down on my radio, and my violin is so out of tune I can’t play it anymore. Would you please sound an A next Saturday on your program?”
The next week on the program, Arturo Toscanini announced: “To a newfound friend in the mountains of Wyoming, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra is now, all together and in unison, going to sound a perfect A.” And they sounded the perfect A. Then that lonely little man was able to tune the A string and then the E string and the D and the G from that perfect A.
Isn’t it interesting to reflect in our own lives and in the lives of the many people who may hear me at this time—those whose violin or lives may be a little out of tune—that we are able to come to a general conference of the Church and hear the marvelous messages that are spoken? Those of us who have the opportunity to speak here pray mightily that we would have the energy and the strength and the vitality even as I do, as I enter the twilight of my life, to stand and bear witness of the truthfulness of this work—because I am a witness of it.
Here are a couple more photos of my cherished book. Thank you Dear Darci!!!
Have a great Sabbath! Do or learn something NEW!
I took this photo of these two sisters so quickly that I’m kind of shocked it was even in focus! I just thought they were SO cute, but I get SO nervous taking pics of strangers…especially children with their parents close by …(cuz I didn’t ask permission or anything…ya know?)…sketchy-scary! So I was trying to hurry and capture this image while their Mom had her head turned. (I think she saw me though)…Whew! I’m so glad she didn’t confront me and tear my camera off my neck and throw it into the pond! :o) Haha!
Anyway…moving onward…please enjoy some great advice from a great lady:
Happy Sunday! Have a great Sabbath and do or learn something NEW!
I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker. Helen Keller
This quote reminded me of a couple of scriptures I memorized recently (did you catch my post on the AWESOME memorization program?…I’ve memorized 83 so far! :o)
The scripture that today’s quote reminded me of is Alma 37:6-7: Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. (7) And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
Have a GREAT day everyone! DO or LEARN something NEW!
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