Joys of Artificial Pine

With just a few days to go, it's beginning to look a bit more like Christmas around here. Forget the pile of dishes on the counter, waiting to be put away. I have my priorities. No sooner had the movers stepped out the door and the tree was up, awaiting it's garnishings. I stayed up last night to properly dress the stairway with its festive attire, and instantly felt a rush of holiday energy. The decorations have definitely helped bring in the holiday spirit. It has been a very untraditional holiday season. We're not only lacking the lights and glitter of the season, but the warmth and kindness, that this season seems to bring out in every one. Even our own home seems to be lacking in the kindness area. For Family Home Evening we discussed this months First Presidency Message in the Ensign, "The Best Christmas Ever". It reminds us how the Christmas spirit is the spirit of Christ. How serving others (being Christ-like) brings happiness and brotherly love ie. the Christmas spirit. So, while I yearned for that familiar feeling of Christmas, I waited for our decorations to come, and a car to get me to the store to shop. When the joy of Christmas was more of a choice on my part and less of something to be shipped over. All I needed to do, was look beyond my own seemingly overwhelming situation, and find opportunities to serve, however small they may have been.