Christmas day is over...the Spirit of Christmas need never leave.

The DAY of Christmas is over...the feelings for me are not.   I guess when you have no children...and not a lot of money...the whole commercializing of Christmas day isn't the same.    It was a great day.   Jeff and I are truly blessed.   We have been together Saturday, Sunday, Monday and today, Tuesday.   I feel the Spirit so much this year.   I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  

Jeff got a job and started working on the 28th of November.  It is the first full-time benefited job he has had since January 2010.   We are blessed we are still here...I am not sure I would have ever believed we could make it through a few months without a job before this experience.   We have learned a great deal about ourselves and others through it all.  

We miss our family in Virginia every day.   We love them SO much.    Our nieces and nephews are so very precious to us.   It was wonderful being near so many of them.    We miss them so much.   We love ALL of our family.   It has been a lot of years since I have put pictures of our family on here...I believe on the first post I had all of them listed and pics.   So this is going to be my project again this year.   You will NOT believe how grown up they have gotten in the last 3 years...we also have a new one!  WOOT!   We sure LOVE LOVE LOVE them so much!

The Lambert Girls Christmas 2011

The Heavener/Ours kids...minus Cary

Cary Ours

JD Mullins

 Kailey Mullins

Eden and Gage Sugg

Nothing is Impossible

This post is about one of my favorite artists.   She always has a story to tell which explains what she was thinking when painting each particular piece of art.   I would like to share a new painting I just found.   (Remember all artwork may have a copyright law)

For All Mankind by Liz Lemon Swindle

One of the first children I met in Zambia was a little boy named Kennedy. At three years old, Kennedy had lost both of his parents to AIDS and was found living alone with his six year old brother and ten year old sister. When I thought of those three children struggling to survive and the millions of others across Africa in similar circumstances, I felt an overwhelming hopelessness and said to myself, “No amount of money can fix this.”

I was curious to see how Kennedy and the others would react to Phillip, the man playing Christ. We decided to drop Phillip off several hundred yards from the “farm” and then drive in and set up our cameras. We told the children we had a wonderful surprise for them. When Phillip came into view the children instinctively ran to him and threw their arms around him. Everyone except Kennedy.

When Phillip saw this little boy standing apart from the others, he walked over and knelt down. As he opened his arms this little soul ran to him and threw his arms around his neck. He began speaking as fast as he could. Phillip looked for help to understand. One of the others translated.

“My mom and dad died. They are in heaven. Have you seen them? Are they ok?”

At that moment I knew it wasn’t hopeless. I realized that the Savior could fix not only the problems of Africa, but of the whole world…and we can be His hands to do it. For the first time in my life I felt what Isaiah meant when he said, “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces.” To Kennedy and all who struggle to understand why, I promise that God has not forgotten you. That the time is coming when He will come in power and glory and when He will keep his promise and wipe away all of our  tears.

I know with all of my heart we are known by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I know one day the struggles, no matter what they are, will be over and we shall see the face of Christ.   He will hug us and the pain of the earlier days will be over.   We will be victorious!   I hope and pray we will all be able to make it to that day.

Christmas: JOY TO THE WORLD

Each year when we were kids we would read a little paperback book.   The name of the book is The Adventures of Nicholas or The Wonderful Life and Complete Account of That Famous Toymaker and Children's Friend, Nicholas   Better known as Santa Claus   

The author is Helen Siiteri and the book is illustrated by Wayne Blickenstaff

This book always filled my heart with love and gratitude for the Christmas season.   I love my Savior, Jesus Christ.   I may sound very childish saying this, however, I have room for Santa Claus in Christmas.   He is a disciple of Jesus Christ and brings happiness, peace and excitement to all people who believe.  (We are the ones who have commercialized Christmas, not Santa.)   I love this picture of Santa.   He is my friend.   (The artwork above is by Dean Morrissey and titled The Portrait of Father Christmas.)   The book I have is old.   I got it when I was in grade school.   We had times we could buy scholastic books and it is one of those books.   The copyright is 1966.   That is probably the year my parents bought it for me.   The pages are discolored and the back cover is missing.   The front cover is there...ripped and off the rest of the book.   I have it in a zip lock bag to keep it from getting torn any more.   I love it.   When I was young my parents read to us.   When I was old enough I read... and read...and read.    I LOVED it when the time for the Scholastic book sales came.   We weren't rich, however, there were very few times Cindy and I (and later Denise) didn't get at least one book each.   If I could thank my parents for one thing I believe it would be their giving me the love of books (reading).   It has made a huge difference in my life.   

What goes around comes around.   Here is what has come around.   Because of my ability to read I have been able to read the scriptures.   I have learned about the Savior's love for me.   I am so grateful for ALL He has done for me.   I love this time of year.  It is a time I remember ALL those things and also imagine the precious baby He was.   I love children...anytime I have an opportunity to learn of them, I am happy.   I have imagined many times what it must have been like then.   It must have been some night for all who were privileged to have been there.   

 "Every Knee Shall Bow" by Gaye Frances Willard

 Unknown Title by Gaye Frances Willard

The above two portraits are the way I see Santa Claus.   He IS part of Christmas because of the Christ Child...he represents the child in all of us.   It is so impressive to me when someone can paint, draw, sketch, watercolor or any number of ways to express in such detail what I am thinking and am not able to express.   I find myself often looking through artwork to catch the feeling I have.   (The pieces I share in my blog may have copyright laws attached to them.)   I put them in my blog to show my inner feelings which I find unexpressable in other ways.    When I see some artwork it is like "THAT IS IT!   THAT SHOWS WHAT I HAVE BEEN FEELING AND THINKING!"     

The saying goes "Jesus is the reason for the season".   I feel that and know that with ALL my heart and soul.   I also know   "There is room for Santa in Christmas".   This year I will be reading The Adventures of Nicholas once again and as in every year for many many years I will be grateful for a man who was kind, generous, loving and obedient...sound like anyone you know?   I love Jesus Christ so much.   He has been an example to sooo many...even Santa Claus!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!  I hope Santa brings you all you need and I pray Jesus Christ will bless your lives forever.   Happy New Year, too.   2012 is coming soon...God bless us one and all.