Just found this easy tutorial on a way cute star for the top of a Christmas tree. I wanted a natural looking one for our Thankful Tree for this month and think it turned out well!
I am trying a new thing this year where each Monday before Thanksgiving we do a lesson on Giving Thanks...for family, for God and Jesus Christ, for the beauty of the earth, and for others. There is a story and a scripture for each one, and then afterwards we all write (or draw) something we are thankful for (having to do with the discussed topic) on the paper ornaments and hang them on the tree.
I love it because it is helping me think of my blessings more than just on Thanksgiving Day. It's been especially good timing this year...I was quite down after the election. The moment they called Ohio in Obama's favor and determined that he won I felt like the world was going to end. As dramatic as that sounds, I really was devastated. Mostly because besides voting, as much as I believed in what Mitt Romney stood for, believed in his economic policies, believed he would be far superior to Barack Obama as the President of our country, and knew he was the only hope of bringing America back to where it needed to be to succeed...I did nothing! I didn't have a sign in my yard, no sticker on my car, only posted a few things on my FB page, didn't volunteer to make calls for the campaign, didn't donate money, didn't do squat. My husband assured me that I surely couldn't have made a big enough difference to really change things...and while that may be true, I could have done something and who knows what would have happened? If nothing else at least I would have felt like I did my part. Lesson learned I guess. But neat for me, and on a spiritual note, the next day as I was studying the Book of Mormon reading in Alma 5 where the prophet Alma is asking, when we get to the judgement day and are before our Lord, is he going to say you are blessed because your works have been good and righteous while on the earth, or are you going to feel guilty and know that you didn't do what you were supposed to do?! It hit me so hard, that the feeling I felt about the election was just a sample of how awful it would be, to get before Christ and know that I didn't follow him as well as I could have! That I didn't do those things that I was prompted to do and didn't live the way I knew I should have lived. That would be THE WORST! As horrible as I felt after the election, oh I can only imagine how awful this would feel.
Grateful for the ways that the Lord teaches us. Grateful for the scriptures and the insights they can give. Grateful that while the election didn't pan out the way I personally would have liked, that Mitt Romney was a good example of light and goodness and won't stop doing good in the world just because he wasn't elected President. Wish I could thank him personally.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am trying a new thing this year where each Monday before Thanksgiving we do a lesson on Giving Thanks...for family, for God and Jesus Christ, for the beauty of the earth, and for others. There is a story and a scripture for each one, and then afterwards we all write (or draw) something we are thankful for (having to do with the discussed topic) on the paper ornaments and hang them on the tree.
I love it because it is helping me think of my blessings more than just on Thanksgiving Day. It's been especially good timing this year...I was quite down after the election. The moment they called Ohio in Obama's favor and determined that he won I felt like the world was going to end. As dramatic as that sounds, I really was devastated. Mostly because besides voting, as much as I believed in what Mitt Romney stood for, believed in his economic policies, believed he would be far superior to Barack Obama as the President of our country, and knew he was the only hope of bringing America back to where it needed to be to succeed...I did nothing! I didn't have a sign in my yard, no sticker on my car, only posted a few things on my FB page, didn't volunteer to make calls for the campaign, didn't donate money, didn't do squat. My husband assured me that I surely couldn't have made a big enough difference to really change things...and while that may be true, I could have done something and who knows what would have happened? If nothing else at least I would have felt like I did my part. Lesson learned I guess. But neat for me, and on a spiritual note, the next day as I was studying the Book of Mormon reading in Alma 5 where the prophet Alma is asking, when we get to the judgement day and are before our Lord, is he going to say you are blessed because your works have been good and righteous while on the earth, or are you going to feel guilty and know that you didn't do what you were supposed to do?! It hit me so hard, that the feeling I felt about the election was just a sample of how awful it would be, to get before Christ and know that I didn't follow him as well as I could have! That I didn't do those things that I was prompted to do and didn't live the way I knew I should have lived. That would be THE WORST! As horrible as I felt after the election, oh I can only imagine how awful this would feel. Grateful for the ways that the Lord teaches us. Grateful for the scriptures and the insights they can give. Grateful that while the election didn't pan out the way I personally would have liked, that Mitt Romney was a good example of light and goodness and won't stop doing good in the world just because he wasn't elected President. Wish I could thank him personally.
Happy Thanksgiving!
2 comments:
I always appreciate your sincere concern for good things in this life. Throw away any guilt and know that you are doing all the good things that make a difference. There is a time and a season for everything. It isn't your season to go door to door campaigning while your children sit at home without you. The world will not end and I have trust and faith in our country. One man alone does not run our country and if we think he does then why elect the others who represent us. There will always be differences of opinion and that is the challenge . . . to truly listen to each other and come to solutions to problems with the input of all. Anyway, as Pres. Monson so thoughtfully said after the election, "We need to pray for the President of our country and and his family and be supportive instead of being so divisive." Pres. Hinckly was really one of the first publicly in our church who recognized the positive role that we can play by our words and actions. I love to read the blogs of my grandchildren as you are growing through and going through the exciting decisions and challenges of your/our time. Love you
It's been almost 13 years since you've seen me, but I had a Jr. Miss moment over the weekend, told my friend Maquel who was in the pageant with us and she told me she came across your blog the other day. I'm Lisa, red head, who did the clogging number. My roommate during Jr. Miss, McKenzie, did an opera singing number and I just saw her perform in Michael Mccleans the Forgotten Carols over the weekend. I thought I recognized her and after the show went and talked to her. Small world. You are just as cute as ever with your adorable family. It looks like you've traveled the country with your husband. I met my husband in Chicago and we lived in Maryland for 4 years while he went to grad school. We are now in Utah working in Park City. I was diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year and lost all my hair, so you might remember me with long red hair, and I don't have that anymore. My blog is www.calderwoodfamily.blogspot.com. I tried to find you on facebook, but didn't see you under your maiden name. I hope all is well. Take care, Lisa (Foster)
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