RULDS2?

When I was about 7 or 8, I saw a bumper sticker on a big van in front of our big van that said, "RULDS2?" I thought it was great. We lived in Southern California, and while there were plenty of LDS members there, we were still enough of a minority that it was fun and unique to find more members.

The other day, I found a sticker that says "LDS" on it, and I thought that it was time to put one on our car. I went and stuck in on the window, and a flash of understanding came that I was loosing a bit of anonymity--and I questioned myself if I wanted to. When I am out in public with my five kids (and it is still very often all five of them, since my oldest is not yet old enough to babysit), I know I am conspicuous. I know people watch us and observe how we treat each other and other choices we make. But when we load into the car, with the tinted windows, we are just another car with all the others. Sometimes that is a bit of a relief!

When I put the sticker on, though, it was like I was putting my missionary nametag on again. I would have to be accountable for who I am even as I am driving my car. Those who know what "LDS" means can watch me knowingly, and those who don't might recall my actions when they find out.

I decided to leave it on. My driving has changed a bit, and you know, that is always a good thing.

My Musical Christmas Story

One of the best ways for me to get in the Christmas Spirit is to break out the Christmas songs. I don't have a huge music collection, but the largest percentage of what I have is Christmas-sy. (My current favorite CD is one I got for my birthday last year from Ben--Andrea Bocelli's "My Christmas." John Denver and the Muppet's "A Christmas Together" is also high on the list!)

I was more involved in our church Christmas music this year than I have been for a long time. It was really good for my soul. (And I had to practice--a LOT--which was good for, well, for me.) I got to play "What Child is This" as a duet with Ben at our Ward Christmas Party. (That man can still melt me with is viola.) I also accompanied two friends as they sang. Then, on the Sunday before Christmas, Ben and I played again--this time we did "O Holy Night." (The kids had just sung some Primary Christmas songs, so my eyes were a little moist, and there was a stuck key on the piano I needed, but it turned out nicely, anyway.) I was also able to sing with the ward choir that day. We sang "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" and "Beautiful Savior," which is generally an Easter song, but really fit so well with Christmas, too. Then, the following Sunday, which was the day after Christmas, I accompanied two more songs a couple families in our ward sang.

So, thanks, Mom and Dad, for providing my piano education. Thanks, Ben, for watching the kids while I went to choir practice. Thanks, kids, for giving me quiet-ish time to practice. Thanks, talented singers that I know, for letting me be a part of your beauty. It was a significant part of my Christmas season, and it really brought the Spirit straight to my heart.

A Patriotic Christmas Story

For a Cub Scout activity in December, Scott and I went with his pack to the DFW airport to "Welcome Home a Hero." Apparently, any time a soldier comes back to America from wherever he or she was, their first stop is DFW, and they have set up a program for the community to welcome them home. It was so...thrilling. There was patriotic music playing, and we all were waving flags and cheering and holding up the signs the cubs had made, in a large crowd of others who were also mostly volunteers, as the soldiers came through the doors and down a pathway through all of us. Most were connecting on to other flights, but there were some with families there to welcome them here.

Before the soldiers came out, we were given a little information about them. There are flights that arrive every day. On the day we went, there were about 230 soldiers, which is a large group. One of the men had been travelling for 13 days, because he had been stationed in such a remote location. Most of the soldiers were so excited and were high-fiving everyone along the path. Some were overwhelmed with the large crowds and noise, because of the nature of what they had been doing, and just moved quickly with their heads down. One in particular was very emotional as he came through the doors, and I think at least half of us joined him with our tears.

I was so happy to share this experience with Scott just before Christmas. It is another example of how we are so blessed in our lives, and how so many people work to serve and bring blessings to the lives of others. I was glad that we were able to say thanks in this small way.

(Click on the link to see the pictures. I didn't have my camera, and was just going to "use" a picture from the website, but it said not to... But it looked just like it does on the homepage.)