Wonderful time of the year

It's that wonderful time of the year - yes it's Christmas time. What a joy it is to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I think of the difficult time it must of been for Mary and Joseph to go all that way to pay their taxes. Then the time coming for Mary to deliver Jesus. In a stable no less. Our pictures make it look so lovely but even at their best stables aren't what one might think of a place for a human "baby" to be born in. It is definitely a humble place to be born in and the song that mentions Jesus, once of humble birth. I think of that often and how sweet the birth of a baby is. What a learning process it is for the parents let alone the child. As I look back on our family being born and how much I have learned with each of our children as they have grown up. Sometimes were extremely difficult and sometimes were so sweet and even humbling. I can't believe it has been so many years since we first started on this journey. As each of our daughters came into the world, it was both difficult (as I didn't do anything easily) and it was sweet and beautiful. The joy I felt as each was placed in my arms and how I cried with each of their births. The happiness I felt as I checked them out to be sure they were "perfect". Little did I know they were perfect no matter what imperfections might have been on their bodies.

I guess the Lord knew I would need five children to learn all of the things I needed to learn. Wow had I only known how many children we would have before we were married I wonder if I would have taken the "journey". Having been raised more or less as an only child, I wasn't prepared for the noise or the conflicts that come with children. But neither was I prepared for the joy and happiness that comes with all of that noise and conflict. We only grow as a result of difficulty or difficult times. When these times comes to each of us, it is frightening. We are not prepared for them and therefore we feel unable to handle what may or may not come.

I know without a doubt that our Heavenly Father is there to guide and help us every step of the way, if we but have the faith and trust in Him to do so.

My prayers are with you all as you go through these difficult times of bearing, raising children and the other difficult times that will come your way. Have faith and trust.

Merry Christmas to all.