"Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room" Everyday, plus Nativities!

I have been trying to do printables again, but didn't quite get this one in the background the way I would like it to share it with you. But, I love that line from "Joy to the World", so I framed this one for my house. "Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room".

      It is December 12th and we are halfway to Christmas Eve and halfway through the #LIGHTtheWORLD advent event. How are you doing with it? I have been trying each day to do something, even something very small, to accomplish the goal of the day.  Some amazing personal experiences have happened to me because of it.

• Sometimes when I wonder exactly how I will accomplish that day's goal, an opportunity will present itself when least expected.  I truly believe that the Lord will bless us with the opportunity to do good when we have righteous desires to follow Him.
• On some of the days, I feel like the goal is easy because it is something I already do and that makes me think of two things:  1-How great that I am already doing something right! 2-How can I do that thing better and with more humility?
• I am feeling the Spirit of the Christmas Season in a deeper way than ever before.  More than anything, I have felt overwhelming feelings of gratitude for my Savior and for the blessings that I have been personally given.  I know that He lives and I love Him and my loving Father in Heaven.

       As you can tell, this is a deeply personal post and I appreciate that you are reading it and listening to it.  I have expressed my love of God in other posts, but because of the season and because of my experiences so far with #LIGHTtheWORLD, I have felt a deeper desire to share my feelings.
             I have read a lot of blog posts lately about keeping Christ is Chrismas and ways to do it.  That is very important to do. As you can see by the Nativities that I have only begun to post, we try to do that at our house. But, one of my favorite Christmas songs, that you may have heard Bing Crosby sing,  is called "The Secret of Christmas" and it goes like this:

"It's not the joy you feel when snow apprears,
It's not the Christmas Card you've sent for years,
Not the joyful sound when sleighbells ring,
Nor the merry sound when children sing.
That little gift you send on Christmas Day
Will not bring back the friend you've turned away.
So may I suggest, the secret of Christmas
Is not the things you do at Christmas time,
But the Christmas things you do all year through.​"

      To me, the message of that song is that in order to keep Christ in Christmas, we must keep Him in our lives all year.  We need to read about Him in the scriptures, ponder his words, teach our children of Him, pray in his name and try to follow his example.
     In John 10:27 He said: " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"
   And also, in John 7:17: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." 
      Another in John, 13:17:   "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
       One last thought from the Book Of Mormon: Mosiah 4: 10 "...and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." 

      I love the scripture that says we will be happy it we live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that is a true statement.  I also know that the only way to keep Christ in Christmas is to keep him in our lives all of the time. What brings me the most happiness is not only knowing that for myself, but also seeing that my own children have grown up and know for themselves where true happiness comes from.  You know by now that I am LDS, (or Mormon), but no matter what religion you are, I hope you will remember to live it "all year through".
​        If you would like to know more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the things that I believe,  here are two sources that you can go to to get you started: #LIGHTtheWORLD on mormon.org, and lds.org.

         All of that being said, I do love Nativities, and here are some of the favorites that we have around our house at Christmas.

Alicia and her husband Adrian visited his family in Ecuador and brought me back this beauty! I love it!

One of my very favorites is this one that Madalynn painted for me when she was very young. She found this piece of wood and painted it and then had her dad put a hinged piece on the back so it would stand. I cherish this thoughtful gift of love.

I love how the donkey looks kind of like a reindeer.

Her budding artistic talents are starting to show. See how she gave the grass and hay a textured look?

    If you haven't started doing the #LIGHTtheWORLD activities yet, there are still 12 days to take part.  I know that trying to be like Jesus can make a positive change in everyone's lives, just like it has in mine.  Merry Christmas!