Creating a Memorable Christmas

     What a wonderful time of the year it is. And we've been giving a unique set of circumstances to create a truly memorable Christmas for our families. As I write, millions of people are participating in the shopping phenomenon known as Black Friday, but it isn't even Friday yet. So is it Black Thanksgiving? What a contradiction in terms. That's what life is today. A contradiction in terms.
     Yes, we are thankful for our blessings that allow us to sit at the heavy laden table to feast with loved ones; thankful for the jobs that we have that allow us to buy such things as a 20 lb turkey with all the trimmings, including green bean casserole, stuffing and pumpkin pie; thankful we are alive and have survived a year of tornadoes, hurricanes, a presidential election with its accompanying avalanche of negative political ads and a slumping economy. We are all wondering what's next? What's 'gonna come next? We may even be holding our breaths.
     Now, as "Daughters in Zion" we must make some quite giant decisions about this upcoming holiday season. Are we going to indulge in the frantic shopping that begins tonight at many stores that are requiring their employees to work on a day, when in past years it was sacrosanct as a day off to be with family, OR are we going to be sensible, sane, spiritual and to walk in the light?
The Special Gift We've Been Given this Year
     I won't beat around the bush and keep you in the dark one more moment. The gift we've been given is an extra week! 
     So, if you made a bad decision and realize you've got caught up in the materialistic world of Black Friday, you can repent. Isaiah tells us in Chapter 1: 18

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though the be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

The next verses tell us, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword."

BE WILLING AND OBEDIENT
    How do we translate this into a MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS? As Michael Jackson would say let's, "Look at the man in the mirror, and ask him to change his ways." CHANGE. Let's together, change, and the results will amaze you.  Are we WILLING to take a stand for our family's sake and make this a truly remarkable and spiritual Christmas? What have we got to lose? Indeed we have much to gain. For God says, "I will turn (in Hebrew this means return; i.e. repeatedly chastise) my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin; And I will restore thy judges as at first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed,,,"
     Let's be OBEDIENT. Let's do what all the prophets, ancient and modern, have told us to do. Keep the commandments!
     The Lord told us at the beginning of this, "Come now, let us reason together." So let's you and I reason out how we might use our gift of an extra week, and plan out how to make this a Christmas our families will never forget.

PRAY FIRST FOR THE SPIRIT TO BE WITH YOU

     GOD is behind us in our efforts and he will inspire us exactly how to begin organizing or creating a memorable holiday period.  We have a full 32 days to do it.  Begin each day with a prayer that you may remember HIM, Jesus Christ in all of you plans, and that the Holy Spirit will direct your thoughts and actions.
     "Relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." In other words, each day do small act of kindness and teach your children that they, too should do this. It will make the season truly Christlike.
     Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, "Service will be your solution against selfishness and sense of entitlement that more and more afflict societies around the world...Your service will bless others, but it will also perfect you."
PLANNING A MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS
     Keeping in mind the things I've just spoken about, let's follow Christ's example when He created this wonderful earth. Step by step I will lead you through a process that will help you create a memorable Christmas. God had a PLAN. It started long before the physical world was built in six creative periods.
To create a plan ask yourself the following basic questions:
How important is Christmas to me?
How important is Christmas to my family?
Why do I want to celebrate Christmas? Some reasons might include, tradition, your children or grandchildren, an annual social event, to win a neighborhood prize or recognition, your religious convictions, fond childhood memories, to feel good or joyful, or to learn new skills,  to teach/share skills with others, etc.
     You now, after thoughtful consideration and prayer, at least know WHY you are WILLING to spend time and energy to reach your goals of a successful Christmas celebration. You have a choice of how much time and money will be spent on the various phases of this plan. Hopefully you have not overspent on Black Friday because the step three includes a budget. But even this is not fatal; I have suggestions on how to reverse those impulsive actions including returning some of the gifts you bought when they don't fit into your plan.
Keep Reading My Blog
Tomorrow I will list all of things you may wish to review before you set a budget in Step 3.
I am thankful to all my family and friends who so enrich my life. This blog is an opportunity to give back and share some of the things that I've learned over the past 40 years. Christmas was always special to me. My mother helped show me how to creatively celebrate. Long before my daughter was born on Christmas day, I came to love and revere this season of joy.
May God bless you