CHOP
happy happy happy
Here's some happy moments in the past few days I don't want to forget:
Watching the Christmas Devotional with my in-laws and drinking hot cider in
this little mug I wanted to steal.
Tyler shooting a dove in the backyard after I told him to think of what he wanted for dinner.
This picture of the Oakland temple my brother sent me and his sweet email.
Being silly with Becca.
Realizing I have no more homework for the rest of the year and being excited to see my cohort.
Going on my run and wishing the sun could always be setting and that the lights could stay up all year.
My obsessions with the two palm tree in front of my parents house.
Watching my little brother wrestle and being SO proud.
THIS.
heavenly peace
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This past February to August I was a caregiver to the sweetest girl named Grace, and she has cerebral palsy. She is definitely one of the brightest and bravest 12-year olds I know and I was so sad when I had to leave that job. Grace also has a beautiful voice along with her older sisters and they all sing in EVMCO. I remember taking her to choir practice and I've never heard children sing that before. Sadly I missed that concert but I managed to get tickets to their Christmas concert in the very middle back row. Tyler thought it was the best view in the theater and I couldn't agree more.
I can't even describe how amazing it was. I actually cried while they sang Silent Night and Allelujah. I'm a lover of music and it's moments like those that I live for. It brought me back to being in an orchestra and how it felt to be apart of something so inspiring to me. That I could make beautiful music with the violas and the cellos and the bass and how perfectly it all sounded together. But what made me cry was the beauty of what that music was about. I felt the love of Christ so strong and my testimony grew a little because I knew that there were heavenly choirs singing when he was born and I was given a taste of what it must have sounded like.
One of my favorite songs was The Holly and The Ivy which I had never heard of and it dates back 1000 years. The director talked about the true doctrine of the song and how perfectly it tells the story.
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
Another favorite was Alleluia by Eric Whitacre. It was literally nine minutes of "alleluia" but it was by far the prettiest piece of the night.
I of course got to see Grace and her family and they were all smiles. I missed them so much! Grace made me laugh because she just kept saying how tired she but she looked cute as ever! Her and her family are the nicest people you will ever meet and I wish I knew more families like that.
The funny thing is I don't think Tyler was as excited to go to the performance as I was and I kind of dragged him to it. He was not expecting to love it as much as he did and told me it was the best concert he had ever been to (apparently he's been to a lot of plays and I didn't know that). I am so grateful I married someone with an appreciation for the art of music otherwise I don't know what I would do.
The title of the concert was called Heavenly Peace and the director said that they take the name very seriously. He said that it sends a message to not only the performers but to us. I thought about the meaning of that phrase and about the birth of Christ and what better way to describe it all than Heavenly Peace. Lately I've been so aware of all the evil and wickedness in the world and I know that it will always be there. But even in these times we can on this Earth find Heavenly Peace because of Him.
hello december
December is here and I could not be more excited for this Christmas season! I could just feel that Christmasy vibe so strong today. The whole day at work I had "This Christmas" playing in my head and I loved having all my neighbors lights brighten up my run when it started to get dark.
Last year was crazy since my grandmother had passed away a few months before, my brother had just left on his mission and we were still living with my parents. I feel like this is our first real Christmas and I've always loved the thought of starting new traditions with my family. So I thought buying a fresh fir tree on the first on December was a pretty good idea!
While I want to do it all: decorate my whole little house, make gingerbread cookies, buy the best presents, make beautiful holiday paintings, and lots of other fun wintery things, I was reminded of something super important by the prophet, President Thomas S. Monson that I happened to see on Facebook:
"Overdoing it is especially common this time of the year for many of us. The causes for this might include too many Christmas activities to attend, too much to eat, too much money spent, too many expectations, and too much tension. Often our efforts at Christmastime result in our feeling stressed out, wrung out, and worn out during a time we should feel the simple joys of commemorating the birth of our Savior.
Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done, nor is it found in the purchasing of gifts. We find real joy when we make the Savior the focus of the season."
I can always count on prophets and apostles to put things into perspective. As I was on my run I remembered that the symbolism of all those pretty lights represent the light of Christ. It is such a beautiful reminder of the gift we were all given; a Savior. Hopefully I will continue to remember that important symbol each time I see my little Christmas tree twinkling with its colorful lights or all those houses I pass by.
Last year was crazy since my grandmother had passed away a few months before, my brother had just left on his mission and we were still living with my parents. I feel like this is our first real Christmas and I've always loved the thought of starting new traditions with my family. So I thought buying a fresh fir tree on the first on December was a pretty good idea!
While I want to do it all: decorate my whole little house, make gingerbread cookies, buy the best presents, make beautiful holiday paintings, and lots of other fun wintery things, I was reminded of something super important by the prophet, President Thomas S. Monson that I happened to see on Facebook:
"Overdoing it is especially common this time of the year for many of us. The causes for this might include too many Christmas activities to attend, too much to eat, too much money spent, too many expectations, and too much tension. Often our efforts at Christmastime result in our feeling stressed out, wrung out, and worn out during a time we should feel the simple joys of commemorating the birth of our Savior.
Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done, nor is it found in the purchasing of gifts. We find real joy when we make the Savior the focus of the season."
I can always count on prophets and apostles to put things into perspective. As I was on my run I remembered that the symbolism of all those pretty lights represent the light of Christ. It is such a beautiful reminder of the gift we were all given; a Savior. Hopefully I will continue to remember that important symbol each time I see my little Christmas tree twinkling with its colorful lights or all those houses I pass by.
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