The Reason For the Season

           Lately I’ve been feeling discontent and frustrated. Not sure why. After listening to the Christmas devotional though this last Sunday I started realizing that it was coming from not truly having the spirit of Christ and being focused on him this season.  I felt a lacking and I was lacking him.  Yesterday morning as I studied, read some great talks, listened to some great Christmas music, it was reaffirmed even more so.  I decided I need to do less, go less places, less social engagements, less projects and have more time for family, more time to just sit and ponder this wonderful event, more time in the scriptures, more time being focused on the reason for the season. Anything else is going to leave me empty and feeling cheated this holiday season.  So yesterday we tried to do just that. We sat and watched the snow fall. The first snow of the season. Thick and lots. I enjoyed just being with my kids and going with the flow. I spent the day thinking constantly about the talk posted below. We listened to Christmas music, and for Family Home Evening we focused the lesson on him and this great event.   It was such a better day.  I thought I’d share some ideas I found that helped me get that spirit of Christ back in my life more, and also suggestions on how to get back more in yours if you feel like you are being swallowed up more in the season of busyness, parties, shopping and no time to ponder what it’s really about.
           - Website devoted to Christmas and feeling the spirit of Christ. (www.lds.org/topics/christmas)
           - Nativity Masks for your kids to play with (my kids had a blast with these. http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/)
           - First Presidency Christmas Devotional
           - Study his life during this season (LDS Institute Manual)