I have shared some of the things I have posted on Facebook. Today, I feel impressed to share some of the things Claude Jay Christensen has put on Facebook during these holidays. During December, we are encouraged to participate in Light the World. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes a suggestion of a way you might light the world. Claude has used this Light the World idea to share uplifting thoughts on his Facebook page. Claude is a good man and has some valuable thoughts from time-to-time. These are his thoughts.
December 2, 2020
#LightTheWorld Day 2 - While my wife Sandi is my "hero" day in and day out and demonstrates Christlike love as well as anyone I can think of, this year I can't help but give a little shout-out to my dearly departed Sister-In-Law Julie Christensen her stalwart faithfulness to the Lord, her husband, and her family and friends can only be described as inspirational and her wisdom and bravery in the face of her own mortality cannot be overstated.
December 3, 2020
This was taken on our trip to Japan. I have always loved the serenity of their lovely gardens. Every one we visited brought a calming and peaceful feeling, like somehow, for just a minute, I stepped away from this noisy world and found the other side of that coin and a little Peace On Earth. Day 3 - #LightTheWorld
I like the very concept of "hope." Think where we would be otherwise. Hope comes in many packages and flavours - from just being a little optimistic, to deep and eternal feelings bordering on certainty. It might also look a lot like a child born in a manger in a place far away from here, or it may resemble an innocent man tortured until he willingly gave up his life, for the world's individual shortcomings and mistakes. Hope is ideally a reality for most of us. It was His to create, but it is ours to use or lose, ours to share and teach and give, and ours to celebrate. #LightTheWorld
Gratitude is more art than science, I think. We learn to say please and thank you at an early age, hopefully taught to do so by good parents. However, the more independent we become the more mindful we need to be about being grateful, as it doesn't happen automatically. Are we grateful for each new day, regardless of what it brings us? Are we grateful for the thousands of little things others do to make our lives better? Are we grateful for He who gave His all that we might have forgiveness and hope? I sure hope so, and not just during the holiday season either. Gratefulness should be a habit, let's all work to make it such.
I'm grateful for those in my life to love me, who inspire me, who expect the best from me, and who help me want to do better each day. If we must be anything, let's at least be grateful. #lighttheworld
December 6, 2020
Charity is likely the most perfect kind of love, particularly if we look at it in the context as given in the scriptures. In word and deed, it "never faileth." Todays world has put a spin on charity such that tends toward the negative. I don't think God ever used the word the way we humans have come to view it. Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is loving and giving and helping without judgement. We do it because it's the right thing to do, preferably without fanfare or accolades. Not mentioned in the scriptural descriptions, charity, properly given, is a quiet, personal act. Charity is voluntary, if giving is mandated, it is not charity. If it is given with conditions, it is not charity. We cannot truley "Light The World" this season without being charitable. Let's try to do that, shall we? #LightTheWorld
December 8, 2020
I would have posted this yesterday but I had to wait for the film to get back from the drug store... But I digress...
In our area there are two young girls who started painting these "Be Kind" signs as a fund raiser for a local charity, and now they are in front yards and along the roads all over the place. This one, ours, is actually 90 miles away in Scott County in our front yard. I liked the idea of doing something like this to gently remind lots of people about the value of lifting one another up. The little flags are there for our participation in the annual Alzheimers Association walk this year. So everybody that passes our house gets a little reminder to be nice to the other humans. There are countless individuals who make it their business to look out for others and help them when they can. What say, we all try to be one of THOSE people.... and not just for the next couple of weeks, although that would be a nice start. #LightTheWorld
Among other things today, I'm appreciative of those among us to are on the front lines and in the back rooms of the health care industry. Many of us are fortunate enough to be able to take them for granted. Too many of us are not. They are the ones between the germs and us. They are the ones who don't always get holidays and weekends off. They are the ones we expect, frankly, to be there for us and our loved ones whenever and wherever we might have the need. They are the ones who meet people on their worst day and give their best and beyond to fix things. They are the ones who are usually underpaid and mostly overworked they do their best to answer the call under increasingly difficult circumstances. If you are one of those people THANK YOU! #LightTheWorld
December 9, 2020
Hopefully, we all have someone, or several someones, close enough to us that we grow to love them. The danger in this is that because they are close and frequenty visitors in our lives, we get used to having them around and grow complacent about the importance of our relationship with them. Every day, EVERY day, we need to be mindful of them and find a way to make them smile. Smiles are good for the soul. These folks we love, are good for us, good to us, and deserve our steady awareness and caring. They complete us as people. They may be close or extended family. They may be long-time friends. They may be imperfect. They may even be putzes from time to time. But they are in our circle and we owe them our thoughtful attention. Today, think about who is in your circle and what you can do to make them smile, even from far away. To all my peeps -- thanks for being there. #LightTheWorld
December 10, 2020
To say that I come from Pioneer Stock is kind of an understatement. My family history research over the years reveals that at least 27 of my ancestors made the trip across the plains with the various pioneer groups. They settled in and homesteaded and helped tame the Bear River Valley in Utah. A hardy lot, they were devoted to faith and family, and hard work was their constant companion. They helped to make me, me. I am grateful to them and proud of them, good cowboys and cowgirls one and all. The pics below are a few of them. The signpost names are from the Pioneer Memorial on the banks of the Mississippi at Nauvoo Illinois, from whence the crossed the great river and began the journey west. #LightTheWorld
I am enamoured with the notion of serenity. Maybe it's just the aging process but I recoil at all of the "drama" that surrounds us these days. It need not be so. It should not be so. We can make it not so... Simplicity, calm, and peaceful things are to be cherished, because they exhibit a purity of sorts. Are we not supposed to help create a "peaceable kingdom" in our homes, our communities, and by extension, our world. What if everybody "just took a pill" or counted to 10, or even took just a few deep breaths. I think that would help a bit. So would thinking of others first, especially during these holidays. Serenity in our spiritual and temporal lives is worth pursuing. I've included a couple of pics from our trip to Japan a few years back. They are of a garden so designed as to invite visitors to chill out and hear themselves think for a few moments. I like that and encourage you to look into it for you and yours. I think you'll like what you find... #LightTheWorld
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