Tuesday, December 22, 2009

What an experience that would be!

I always liked the story of THE CHRISTMAS CAROL where Ebenezer Scrooge gets a second chance to see the opportunities that he missed in his life. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us could have such an experience?

First the chance to go back and see our past, to understand a little more about circumstances, ourselves, our thoughts and our habits. Understanding and recognizing our past is vital ---in the process of change.

Then if someone could show us the present, it would be like someone videotaping our everyday life, our choices, our actions, our thoughts , and our behaviors, I am sure after truly seeing ourselves in such an honest way, that we may be more eager to change.

Then of course then having the ability to see the future, I think this might just be the hardest one to watch. To see what will happen in our lives IF we don’t change our ways now. Yes, the Christmas Carol is a wonderful reminder that it is never too late to change.

Fortunately, as we know, Ebenezer Scrooge changed his life for the better. He then says “I am not the man I was.”

Wouldn’t it be great if this Christmas season, something would touch our hearts and our lives in such a way that we would actually change for the better? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to say to ourselves “ I am not the man or the woman I was, I am now someone kinder, better, happier, and more giving?

Yes, Christmas is all about Change, it is all about Christ and the changes that he made in this world … just by his actions.

I liked how Thomas S. Monson explains why the Christmas Carol is so popular...

“I personally feel it is inspired of God. It brings out the best within human nature. It gives hope. It motivates change. We can turn from the paths which would lead us down and, with a song in our hearts, follow a star and walk toward the light. We can quicken our step, bolster our courage, and bask in the sunlight of truth. We can hear more clearly the laughter of little children. We can dry the tear of the weeping. We can comfort the dying by sharing the promise of eternal life. If we lift one weary hand which hangs down, if we bring peace to one struggling soul, if we give as did the Master.”

We all probably won't have such a dream ourselves, but there is no reason that we can't slow life down enough, to really take a hard look at our thoughts, dreams, actions. To see if we truly are living a life that Christ would be proud of. I sure hope we are, and if we aren't... I pray that we will make the necessary changes to make this attitude of Christmas a reality. Merry Christmas dear friends!

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"
- A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

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