Forgiveness

Last night I had a sweet moment with my 7 year old daughter.
Just before it was time to say her night time prayers she asked me to come into her room to talk to her. She sat down on her bed and asked me, "How can I make a wrong choice right?"
I asked her what choice she had made. She then started crying, and through her tears explained that the last 3 days of art class her best friend wouldn't sit next to her or have anything to do with her during the class. This made my daughter so mad and hurt she called her best friend a bad name. She started sobbing even more. I let her sit there until she was ready to continue the story.
When she had calmed down enough to continue she explained that she knew she had made a wrong choice and had gone to her best friend and apologized. I gave her a big hug but before I could say anything she said, "mom she forgave me, so why do I still feel so bad?"
This completely melted my heart. I reinforced to her that her steps in making her wrong choice better were exactly what she was supposed to do, and if her friend had forgiven her then her Heavenly Father had too.
That didn't help her at all. Then it hit me, forgiving ourselves for our own mistakes is the hardest thing to do. I know that many times over my life I have been forgiven by others and also felt forgiveness from the Lord, but have had a hard time letting myself "off the hook". I tried to explain that to her in the best 7 year old terms I could. I didn't know if she understood me so I suggest that we pray to Heavenly Father about it. She agreed and asked me to offer the prayer.
It was one of the sweetest experience that I have had with prayer with one of my children. It was if I knew what Heavenly Father wanted me to say to help her have comfort. There was such a love and peacefulness in the room. When I finished she gave me a very long and warm hug. I knew she was feeling what I was, peace and love and forgiveness from our Father in Heaven.
I am not only grateful for prayer and forgiveness, but also for that special moment in time where my daughter and I connected so deeply. I will treasure that moment for the rest of my life.

Annoying pain

I should be used to pain, I've had it a lot the past 5 years. But I went a good 3 months without very much if any at all. It was so nice. I woke up every day so grateful for it. Well today I had lots of stomach pain again. I needed to get dinner ready for my family as well as be somewhere important. After I finished dinner I did the things I usually do to help with the pain. When it gets as bad as it was it usually takes a few hours for it to subside. I was so blessed to have it leave within a half hour. I was able to be where I needed to be and take care of my family. The pain did return after I had my children back home and in bed, but I am so grateful that I was blessed to have it leave when I needed it most. My Heavenly Father watches out for me.

Time

To say that it has been a long time would be an understatement. I feel like my life has been a little too crazy and too busy lately. One of my biggest trials, as of late and aside from my health, is what I do with the time that I have each day. For several months I have had this on my mind. I have so many things to fit into such a short period of time. I am now serving in my church in a calling that takes a lot of time. I love the service and I love the people that I get to serve. Over this past week I was gone from my children for most of the time that they were home from school, which isn't very long. I talked it over with the others that I serve with and we are cutting down the time that I am away from my children. I will still be able to serve others, which I am truly grateful for. And I will be able to spend more time with my children and husband.
It is a blessing to serve God's children, and it is a blessing to be a wife and a mother. I am very blessed to be able to do both. I just need to be better with the time that I am given each and every day for that is also a gift from my Heavenly Father.

Day 12- Christ

I am the Christmas Spirit—
 I enter the home of poverty, causing palefaced children to open their eyes wide, in pleased wonder. I cause the miser’s clutched hand to relax and thus paint a bright spot on his soul. I cause the aged to renew their youth and to laugh in the old glad way. I keep romance alive in the heart of childhood, and brighten sleep with dreams woven of magic. I cause eager feet to climb dark stairways with filled baskets, leaving behind hearts amazed at the goodness of the world. I cause the prodigal to pause a moment on his wild, wasteful way and send to anxious love some little token that releases glad tears—tears which wash away the hard lines of sorrow. I enter dark prison cells, reminding scarred manhood of what might have been and pointing forward to good days yet to be. I come softly into the still, white home of pain, and lips that are too weak to speak just tremble in silent, eloquent gratitude. In a thousand ways, I cause the weary world to look up into the face of God, and for a little moment forget the things that are small and wretched. I am the Christmas Spirit. 
May we each discover anew the Christmas spirit—even the Spirit of Christ.
 Pres. Thomas S. Monson, REDISCOVERING THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, Dec. 2012

Day 11 - The Manger

I think the manger is a little over looked when it come to the significance of it. They were in a stable and it was probably the cleanest place for Mary and Joseph to make a bed for the Savior. I like what ElderRussell M. Neilson said, “French speakers will recognize that manger means “to eat.” A manger is a trough or an open box in a stable designed to hold feed for animals.” What great incite! In John 6:35 Jesus himself says, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger.” From the very start of His life He was teaching us to come unto Him. So tonight I ask you; are you coming unto Christ? Are you partaking of His teachings so that your soul is full? May you remember His teachings when you look at the Nativity.

Day 10- The Star

The first Christmas star announced to the world that the Savior had been born and exactly where his birth had been. Today we put up hundreds of lights to shine in the dark nights telling all the world that we believe, and inviting others to share in the message of his birth. He is the Light of the World.

Day 9- Shepherds

It is interesting that the Angel appeared to shepherds. Men who knew how important it was to listen and then to follow instructions. When the angels finished and were 'gone away' they said to each other, "Let us now go". We too can go now and do those kind of promptings that we receive from the Lord to bless other's lives.