Christ and Christmas :)

I love Christmas! I love everything about it - the lights, the music, the smell, the food and all the excitement on Christmas morning. I think most of all, however, I love that it reminds us again of our Savior, Jesus Christ and as we celebrate his birth it helps us to remember the many things that he has done for us.

We watched the video called Mr. Krueger's Christmas today (with Jimmy Stewart from It's a Wonderful Life - I love him!) and this is my favorite scene.

I love it. It depicts the love that our Savior has for us. It shows just how much he loves us and stands by us ALWAYS, not just when we need him most. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful to him for well... everything.


A poem by Leona B. Gates entitled "In His Steps" that describes this:

"The road is rough," I said.

"Dear Lord, there are stones that hurt me so."

And he said, "Dear child, I understand,

I walked it long ago."

"But there is a cool green path," I said.

"Let me walk there for a time."

"No child," he gently answered me,

"The green road does not climb."

"My burden," I said, "is far too great,

How can I bear it so?"

"My child," said he, "I remember its weight,

I carried my cross, you know."

"But," I said, "I wish there were friends with me

Who would make my way their own."

"Ah, yes," he said, "Gethsemane

Was hard to face alone."

And so I climbed the stony path,

Content at last to know

That where my Master had not gone,

I would not need to go.

And strangely then I found new friends,

The burden grew less sore,

As I remembered long ago,

That he had walked that way before.

I sometimes feel like the person in this poem. Sometimes life is too hard or too stressful or too uphill and I just want all of my problems to be solved right now, but I love the Savior's reply in this poem. It shows that the trials we face in life have a rhyme and a reason to them, that they will somehow all work together and be for our good and that we will not have to go where Christ has not gone. He will always be there for us and understand our trials and afflictions because he has been there before. He has been to Gethsemane. He lives and He loves us tremendously, so much so that he chose to suffer for us and die for our sins so that we can have hope in this life and so that we can live with Him and our Father in Heaven again. He has done so much for us!

I love this picture! This statue serves as a two way reminder. First of all, I love how Christ's arms are spread out as if He is still on the cross. To me this indicates the price that he paid for us so that we can live with Him again. His outstretched arms are also welcoming. They invite all to come unto Christ, to "believe in Him, believe that He is." The two of these combined show the love Christ has for us and make me realize just how much I want to live with Him again. Sure it will be hard, to take 'the road that climbs', but who said it wouldn't be worth it? As we keep His commandments and accept the gift that Christ has given us - the atonement - and as we repent of our sins and come unto Christ, we can live with Him again, for "neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

I am grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:

I love Him and I am forever grateful that he loved us enough to die for us for "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) I am also grateful for the opportunity that I will have to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicating my life in service for a year and a half to be able to bring this message of our Savior and Redeemer to those who are seeking for the truth, for it is true. I can't think of a better way to spend the next year and a half, starting March 28th. :)


Something that you might enjoy - One of my favorite things to watch on Christmas (or any time of year) are these videos that just came out with stories of Christ's life. They do a good job of depicting His life and the events preceding it. See them here