Unfortunately, I took almost no pictures this week. So I'll try to keep my words to a minimum.
I helped Cecily and Mira wrap their presents to cousins one night. Mira was SO proud of doing it mostly by herself. I had writing group one night this week, and it's always fun to get together and eat and chat and catch up on each other's lives. Honestly, it's more about that than the writing. We spend less than 1/3 of the time actually talking about the words. :) One night this week, I took the girls to Dollar Tree and DI to pick out gifts for each other. One night this week, I separated all of the legos we have by color and put them in the new bin I bought for $5 at DI while we watched The Grinch (cartoon) and Merry Christmas Charlie Brown. The rest of the family sat on the couch and didn't help me. (I'm not bitter or anything.) One night this week, we all painted Christmas ornaments to put on the tree. It's a tradition we started two years ago, so now we all have 3 hand-painted ornaments on the tree and it's so fun to get them out from the previous year and see how the kids have improved. I love it. Steve goes along with it because I love it. :)
I've continued to keep an eye on the #LighttheWorld initiative. I had so much gusto that first week and was proud that I planned ahead and had activities we could do each day. When I went to look at the calendar last Sunday to plan out the week again, I realized that I'd done each one already in one way or another.
Monday was "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." —Matthew 5:44 The suggestion was to apologize to someone you may have hurt or offended, or to focus on being kind to someone that is hard to get along with. I do this with my children constantly. I try to apologize to them when I've yelled at them or not taken their feelings into consideration. I try daily to be kinder to them, even when they're at their worst.
Tuesday was "I was sick, and ye visited me." —Matthew 25:36 That day, me and the girls actually did go to a nursing home and sing Christmas carols to the residents with Emilia's Activity Days girls.
Wednesday was "Search the scriptures." —John 5:39 The suggestions were to read scriptures daily with your family, share a scripture on social media, or send a scripture to a friend who you think might need it. We try to read the scriptures as a family every day before school starts. We don't always make it, but we're pretty consistent. I also had sent a scripture to a friend who I thought might need it just two days earlier.
Thursday was "I was a stranger, and ye took me in." —Matthew 25:35 The suggestions were to do something nice for a stranger. Now that I'm looking at it, I guess I could have done a better job that day of focusing on helping someone I don't know. For that day, I thought of the friend we gave all of our extra Christmas money to because their heater had gone out and they were living off space heaters and a small fireplace. They weren't strangers, but we took them in in the best way we could. I also regularly give money to the people begging with cardboard signs at Walmart. Usually just the change I have in my purse, if I have any. But maybe I'll try this week to do something nice for a complete stranger, even if it's just giving them a compliment.
I was frustrated at first because I wasn't participating the way I had been the first week, but I came to a place of peace about it. I think I can be content knowing that I live the kind of life daily that emulates aspects of the Savior. I didn't have a photo op to share on social media, but I think that's okay.
And onto my only photos for the week--Christmas presents. I'm making mermaid dolls for the girls because they've been asking for them since before our trip to Disneyland, and because we got them "experiences" with their Christmas money instead of toys and I wanted them to have a couple of toys to open Christmas day. I work on them every night after the girls go to bed and I'm really excited about how they're turning out. Making gifts is really my happy place at Christmas time anyway, so I'm glad I have an excuse. :)
Last but not least, my announcement.
I found out this week that the short story I wrote was chosen to be published in the anthology I wrote it for and submitted it to. It will be my first published piece and I'm so excited. It was a daunting thing for me to write a short story. I haven't read many short stories and I felt very inadequate and underprepared, but I pushed through those negative feelings and did it anyway. And I got in! I'll even get royalties after the first 200 copies sell (haha! I doubt that will happen, but it's nice to think about.) I'll let you know when it comes out so you can get a copy if you'd like. I appreciate everyone's support of this hobby of mine and always asking how it's going. Yay for baby steps!
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