24 Days of Thanksgiving - Day Twenty-Four

Today is the last "day of Thanksgiving" here on my blog, at least for this year. I have to say, it's been a lot of fun writing these. There were very few days where I struggled to think of something to write about. I have a lot to be grateful for in my life. It's been nice to be so reminded of that fact.

Since this is the last day, I decided to write about the one person I'm more thankful for than anyone else. This person is the direct center of my heart, and the supreme example of who I want to be. He's done more for me than I can possibly imagine, and continues to help, love, and fight for me even now. He made it possible for me to have the experiences I've had in this life, and for me to fix my mistakes. He gave me my family, and paid the price so that I can be with them forever. I owe Him everything, and I will never be able to repay that debt.


But He loves me anyway!

I'm talking, of course, about my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I thought it especially appropriate to end my "days of thanksgiving" blog entries with Him, as not only is He the most important thing in my life, but also because as Thanksgiving ends, the Christmas season begins. And, as they say, "He's the reason for the season."

It's with a heart full of love and gratitude towards my Savior that I turn my thoughts to Christmastime, and the miracle of His birth.

I've had the opportunity over the past few days to put together two Christmas programs. One is for the nativity program at our Christmas party, and the other is the program for church on Christmas Day. I suppose I get chosen for these things because I'm good with music, theater, and writing. And also, because I volunteer.

But it's truly been wonderful to be immersed in the nativity story. As I've written the programs, and searched the scriptures for appropriate verses, and thought about what songs would fit best with what part of the story, and pondered the story itself, I've felt the Spirit so powerfully. Every time I read this, for example, I'm filled all over again with a burning love for the Savior and a desire to do anything and everything He asks of me:

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”  - Isaiah 53:3-5

I'm grateful  for the opportunity I have for the next month to be reminded of the Savior's birth on a constant basis. I'm grateful for this time of year, when people cast aside their typical distrust and indifference, and try to be more Christlike people. I'm grateful for my faith, and the knowledge that I have that the Savior is the literal Son of God, and that He lives. 

And more than anything, I'm grateful for Jesus Christ. I would be nothing without Him. 

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

- Isaiah 9:6

(Pictures from the lds.org media library)