Celebrate

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."

2 Nephi 25:26

Merry Christmas!
We have so many reasons to rejoice.

image via this

I'll open up the moon for you.

{I received several CDs for Christmas, and this is one of them. I think it has been in my cart at Amazon for at least two years, but I just hadn't got around to buying it.}

I fell in love with this song...oh I don't know how long ago. But it's been in the back of my mind for a few months.

{Sara's lyrics are always so heartfelt and clever. I always wish I'd thought of them myself. (if you don't believe me, listen to this song.)}

One Sweet Love

Just about the time the shadows call
I undress my mind and dare you to follow
Paint a portrait of my mystery
Only close my eyes and you are here with me
A nameless face to think I see
To sit and watch the waves with me till they're gone
A heart I'd swear I'd recognize is made out of
My own devices....
Could I be wrong?

[CHORUS]
The time that I've taken
I pray is not wasted
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?

Sleepless nights you creep inside of me
Paint your shadows on the breath that we share
You take more than just my sanity
You take my reason not to care.
No ordinary wings I'll need
The sky itself will carry me back to you
The things I dream that I can do I'll open up
The moon for you
Just come down soon

[CHORUS]
The time that I've taken
I pray is not wasted
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?
Ready and waiting for a heart worth the breaking
But I'd settle for an honest mistake in the name of
One sweet love.

Savor the sorrow to soften the pain sip on
The southern rain
As I do, I don't look don't touch don't do anything
But hope that there is a you.

The earth that is the space between,
I'd banish it from under me...to get to you.
Your unexpected love provides my solitary's
Suicide...oh I wish I knew

[CHORUS]
The time that I've taken
I pray is not wasted
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?
Ready and waiting for a heart worth the breaking
But I'd settle for an honest mistake in the name of
One sweet love.



I think what I love about this song is that it's not desperate, or needy, or even overtly impatient. It's not that she's unhappy with her single life; it's more...hopeful about the future.

And I get that, I really do. Because that's where I am right now: content with my life and truly happy, but not too content to lose hope for something more.

We contemplate our own mental versions of what we want. We make silent sacrifices and oaths to cheat time and bring that one sweet love to us a little sooner. We pray that our efforts are not in vain.

And we hope.
We hope that we haven't messed everything up.
We hope that we haven't missed our chance.
We hope that we haven't said too much, or not said enough.
We hope that there is a "you" to put at the end of our "I love..."

Ring Out the Bells on Christmas Day

I love both of these hymns, both taken from poems.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

...

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Ring out, wild bells

by Lord Tennyson

...

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

You say "ee-ther" and I say "eye-ther"*

Love-to-be:

I hope you don't fall asleep when we listen to "A Christmas Carol," the old radio version. Because my family listens to it every year, and it's one of my favorite traditions.

I hope you like fudge and almond roca, because my mom makes the best.


I don't know if I'll ever be able to cook a turkey or a Christmas ham to perfection like my mother or grandmother, but for you, I'll sure try my best.

I hope that you want to bundle up and go cut down our own tree, and that we'll quarrel just a little bit over which one to get. But we'll settle it over candy canes and hot cocoa.

I hope that you have funky ornaments you made in grade school, just like I do. Because they have so much character.

I hope you like my family. And I hope I like yours just as well.

And even if your family does things differently when it comes to Christmas, I'm okay with that. We'll compromise. And make our own traditions.

I hope we don't get too caught up in the shopping and cooking and planning to remember that his holiday is about love, and giving of ourselves, rather than our pocketbooks.

Because those are always the best gifts.

"It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so infectious as laughter and good-humor."

-A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

image via deviantart

*I've always been a sucker for jazz. Especially this time of year.

A little bit of Christmas cheer.

The Sunday before I flew back to school after Thanksgiving, my family and I went to the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at our county courthouse.

We sang Christmas carols together. We prayed together. We lifted each others' spirits. Most of all. We came together as a community.

This is one reason I'm so glad I grew up in a small town. I think community is so important. Not saying you can't find that in a big city, but you probably have to look harder for it.

It wasn't commercial or worldly or costly. I really felt like it embodied the true spirit of Christmas: Love.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." -John 3:16

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year:D!

Hey everybody...all 2 of you..lol. Hope you all had a FANTABULOUS Christmas and are going to have a flippin awesome New year! Well my week's been goin pretty good so far. My Christmas was great:D...and I'm excited for New Year's Eve:D Last night was super fun at Ryan's..mormon party all the way ..then alex and peter and david showed up..funny boys Wish I hung out w/them more. I love my friends:D..they're awesome. Don't know what I'd do without them. I miss summer....:( Hmm..well this is going to be a short one..since I dont have anything important to say (like I ever do) Anyway...talk to you ALL lata:D

-LC:D

shout outs to:

~LL the main reader of this thing lol..you're the best!
~All my buddies:D Love you all! thanks for everything


HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! WOOOHOO!!!

Yay Christmas! Yay Break! Yay Christmas Break!

Hey everybody who reads this (All none of you lol.) Yay it's christmas break! I'm so happy. I definitely need the time to de-stress and stuff. I slept in until like 1:15 pm today..it felt....soo good. I'm excited for Christmas and New Year's too. Our New Year's dance at church is going to be soo fun:D. Kara and Becca and Liz and I are in charge of it. We need to get plannin on that too..but it'll be fun. Anyway...No school for two weeks. YES!! I'm finally gettin over being sick. (hopefully I didn't just jinx it..cross my fingers) Right now..life is good. I have great friends, Christmas is coming, I get to sleep in, and stay up late. Except I need to clean my room...I should do that tomorrow. Hmm...I'll think about it. :D Well I'll try and update more...see you ALL later:D -LC

Life is...
...full of love
...being yourself
...never letting go
...sharing a bowl of ice cream with someone special
...dancing in your bedroom
...blasting Spice Girls and singing along
...learning from your mistakes
...loving through the tough times
...smiling every day