First. I officially suck at posting consistently. How bad do I suck? Do you remember that one kid in dodgeball. You know, the one in movies and books--the one at your school-- who couldn't catch, who couldn't dodge, and who couldn't throw, so instead he stood in the very back and prayed he wouldn't be hit. That is how bad I suck. Scary huh! I'm just lucky the real bloggers out there haven't found me, stolen my clothes, and left me standing naked in the showers. Until then, I will continue to post whenever the writer's spirit in me gets the courage to step out on to the court and dodge balls. Who knows, maybe one day I will be good enough to actually win.
Why I sucked at blogging?
1. Finals.
2. Finals.
3. Finals.
Now onto my post about Christmas, and what it is really about. When I was a kid, and I thought of Christmas, my mind was filled with one thing. What am I going to get? I want this, and I want that. To tell the truth, I wanted anything; I was happy with anything. No matter what I got, something was better than nothing. Young children, in their innocence, understand what Christmas is about because they have the true spirit of receiving. They are truly grateful for whatever they receive. As the TV show modern family put it, some kids are happy enough playing with the box the gift came in. Do we have that same Spirit of receiving? Are we grateful for whatever comes our way? Or, instead, do we put on a fake smile, hide the gift away, and wait for the most opportune moment to get rid of it without totally disrespecting the giver? On the opposite side of the coin, you have parents and grandparents. People who have the Spirit of giving. People who are willing to stay up late on Christmas Eve. Father's and Mothers who wake up Christmas morning tired, with fingers sore from wrapping presents, and, depending on the family, stomachs nauseous from eating way too many of Santa's cookies. Parents who have saved up money all year. Father's who have worked extra jobs. Mother's who have gone without. Parents who have done all of these things, so that on Christmas morning, early Christmas morning, they can watch their young children's faces light up at the sight of the presents. Watch as their own hearts light up from the Spirit of giving. Where do we fit in on this scale? Are we true Giver's or true Receiver's? Do we fall somewhere in between? Are we the type of person who is never happy with what he/she gets for Christmas? Are we grumpy Christmas morning? Or are we the insincere giver? Do we give to receive? Are we disappointed when we give something of greater value then the gift given to us? In our hearts do we curse and curse again the person's who gave us the lesser gift? Do we curse their family? With all this receiving and giving. With the presents and paper. With the endless trips to the stores with long lines and our sore legs. With the commercialism of Christmas a lot of us our starting to lose the Spirit of receiving and the Spirit of giving, but what we are really losing is the Spirit of Christ. Why do we give during the Christmas season? Why did the shepherds hurry to see the new born babe lying in a manger? Why did the wise men travel hundreds of miles to give gifts to the young Christ child? Why did the early apostles drop their nets and follow him? What is it about Christ that inspires us to give? To give of our times, our gifts, our lives. What did Christ do for us that inspires such selfishness? What is it about the man named Christ that leads people, even today thousands of years later, to reach outside of their own lives to bless the lives of those around them. If you want to have the Spirit of giving this year, study the life and teachings of Christ, and you will learn what it mean's to be a Giver. Christ taught, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3). During this Christmas season let us become like little children. Let us be children of God, "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him" (Mosiah 3: 19). When we receive gifts this season let us be like young children, happy with whatever is given? Let us be like mother's who cherish the small little paper hearts their children give them on Mother's Day. Let us be like grandparents who cherish a simple visit, a letter, a hug. Let us be like Christ, the perfect Child, the Son of God. Let us receive whatever comes our way this Christmas season, both good and bad, with a Christlike attitude. Let us remember what Christmas is really about. I am grateful for my Savior, and for the help he has given me in my life. I hope this post will be valuable to all those who read it. It is a little Christmas gift from me to you.
Merry Christmas,
Malidran
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