On Thanksgiving, I decided that I wanted to really focus on Christmas this year, so I could truly get into the spirit of Christmas and actually celebrate it the way we're supposed to. Unfortunately, up until yesterday, I was too busy with my school work and other sources of stress to actually do anything to the effect of celebrating Christmas. Now, with Christmas only a week away, I have very little time left to get myself into the proper mood if I'm actually going to appreciate Christmas this year. Thankfully, I've found a list of suggestions that will help me do exactly that.
I recently found an article titled "10 Ways Mormons Can Keep Christ in Christmas." This is an unfortunate title because any Christian can follow the article's suggestions, not just Mormons. The two suggestions I want to look at first are the Fourth and Fifth ones: "Listen to Christmas songs about Christ" and "Focus your entertainment around Christ."
Listening to hymns, particularly Christmas hymns about Jesus Christ, is a great way to attract the Spirit, especially at Christmas, and since I typically spend a good deal of my downtime on entertainment, focussing my entertainment on Jesus Christ would be a good way for me to keep Christ on my mind and hopefully put His spirit in my heart.
I've set myself the goal that I would really get into Christmas this year, and so far, I've been failing pretty badly at that, but I hope that now, while I still have a little bit of time to work on it, these suggestions will help me focus my thoughts on the Savior and help me really celebrate His birth.
2 comments:
It is one of our great challenges to always remember Him as we have promised and always have his Spirit to be with us. Life is busy, demanding, and often hard. There are many distractions and problems. We cannot wait until everything falls into place and makes it easy for us. We have to consciously, continually, repeatedly strive and seek to have His spirit with us. Even when we are hurting, frantically busy, dealing with irritations, and have many, many demands on us. NOT EASY! But the more we try to constantly seek and feel His spirit, the better able we are to cope with all our problems, ailments, responsibilities, deadlines, etc. An almost constant struggle. But worth the effort.
I am grateful for the precious, often fleeting moments when it is easy to feel the spirit. When testimony is borne to my soul that a principle is true, when certain music lifts me, when the sound of children's laughter brings a touch of heaven, when I am filled with love for my children (or any other of God's children), when I notice the beauty of nature. I am thankful for the occasional waves of joy.
On a regular, day to day basis, I need to be more diligent in seeking, more willing to see and feel, more thoughtful and receptive - even in all the rush and stress and taking care of business because seldom are things going to settle down and make it easy for me.
I am going to try to follow your suggestion about music. That will help.
Down time? What is that? I want some!!
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