December 24th

I was up early and found Meg in my conference talk.  Her little babies are growing, because of the tender care of their parents.  

Our worship in the chapel today was quiet and tender.  We shared our voices through song and our hearts through joyous rapture in greeting family and friends.  My children SING the hymns, and I love it.

Everyone napped, so we listened to Jim Curry's audible version of "A Christmas Carol" and puzzled.  (Austin wrote his last email to Elder Babcock today.  He comes home in four days!)

Austin smoked a ham today; it was practically bacon.  Ryan went for seconds and came back with his mouth full of ham and his plate piled high with potatoes.  Eddie immediately asked if he could have a scoop.  Nice Ryan let him.

Grandma and Grandpa came for dinner and the movie.  We watched, "It's a Wonderful Life," a Christmas classic that always makes me tear up.  It was so cozy watching the best movie ever basking in the lights of Christmas.

Austin came to family choir with a bald cap and headband, Friar Tuck, he called himself.  We every Christmas HYMN and then moved on to the secular Christmas songs.  Maisie was home, and her voice/guiter were epic.  Maddie sight reads music with her recorder, and it's so good.  Everyone sang loud and clear --  my soul filled right up.

It feels like Christmas around here.  I came to this conclusion today while pondering in church:  That line from Dickens about keeping Christmas in your heart all year, looks so much like how we do CFM as a family.  We sing, we pray, we testify of Jesus Christ, we ponder about how we can be like Him, how we can live like Him, and it happens everyday, not just once a year.  That realization feels really good.  Jesus Christ is the center of our home, not just the center of one season.  And yet, I still allowed my feelings to be really hurt.  Progression comes so slowly for me, but that's okay, because I'm not alone in my daily worship or daily fails.  I walk with Him, so successful progression comes everyday not just during the holiday season.  I keep Christmas in my heart when I consistenly make CFM a priority and consistently lean into and depend upon His grace.