The Gift

Each year at Christmas time, I try to think of something I can do to honor the Savior - a "gift" for Him, if you will.

Last year's "gift" has a complicated back story, but the short version, to give you an idea of what I'm talking about, is that I was feeling very irritated toward an individual, and after weeks of being aggravated over this person's behavior, I decided to let it go. I had allowed negative emotions to affect my Christmas, the very season that is supposed to be centered around Christ. As I contemplated the significance of Christ's life, I realized that I was doing something very harmful. Not only was I neglecting the atonement, I was impairing my own ability to feel the spirit at Christmas time.

So there you have it, my gift of 2011: I let it go.

This year, as the Christmas season approached, I kept thinking about the importance of service and how the best way to give a "gift" to Christ is to serve others. I had this idea to do 100 acts of service during the month of December. Obviously they would not be grand acts of service, but that's what I think would be cool about it - I would have to be service-minded all season long, and I would have to perform the types of kindnesses that should (and could) be every day actions, like letting someone go ahead of me in the line at Walmart or picking up something someone dropped. The point of it all was to be intentional about it - to look for opportunities to help others and then act.

But guess what!

This happened:

BOOM!

Three kids!

And I can't even brush my teeth without having to change a diaper, break up a fight, or put a band-aid on someone, so naturally, I never got started on my 100 acts of service.

So, note to self: do that next year.

Instead, I am spending this Christmas season looking for the ways Heavenly Father has used others to bless my life, and I've realized that a lot of people love me. I mean that in the most humble way possible.

They love me! They really love me!

I am so blessed to have so many "instruments" in my life who are doing Christ's work. They have cared for me, served me, and even forgiven me (and wow! Am I thankful for the people who have forgiven me!)

I only hope that I can learn from their examples and extend the same kind of love toward others.