I've thought for days about what article I'd write this year about the true meaning of Christmas and I've tried not to look at previous years, or the memory of them, so that I'd take a fresh look at what it means to me this year. This may make me repeat myself. (Smile implied)
I'm perfectly content that this day is really about family, Christ, and it is representative of the Savior's birth. Our Savior's birth. Still, no one has yet written in about their feelings on the true meaning of Christmas, so I cannot quote, but as people have told me their reaction, they start to ponder. They try to come up with something about the true meaning of Christmas, but I think they real reason they pause, is not that their minds are empty of thought, but that their hearts are full of feeling. They've talked about wanting the Spirit of Christmas go with them all through the year, and this is, too, what I have most reflected on. It can't go through the whole year, or we wouldn't know the value of it year after year, but writing and re-editing this website often months after the original publish date, gets the feeling of the true meaning of Christmas to carry a little further for me.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
The True Meaning of Christmas, Year 2's Attempt
I've been thinking about this for a long time in anticipation of this year's Christmas entry about the true meaning of Christmas. I've always felt that when people talk about the Spirit of Christmas, that if they're religious they probably have another name for that feeling, but they want to be politically correct. I personally think that that feeling is born of the Holy Ghost, a part of the Godhead. He testifies quietly to our hearts the joy of this season that Elder Boyd K. Packer compared to the feeling of our desire to go Home (look up his talk on LDS.com). And in this case, I don't refer to just the feeling of family and kinship, but our Father's Home above.
We celebrate Christ and the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, whispers that it is true. We love that impossible story of a virgin birth, which really did happen because, "God so loved the world, that he sent His only Begotten Son." I forget the reference to this scripture, but I'd like to edit it in later. Now, this Spirit of Christmas that I referred to from my religious point of view by a different name, the Holy Ghost, may have a different name to some of you, and I'd like to hear your point of view.
I'll be sharing this blog titled, "The True Meaning of Christmas", and I hope that family will comment on how they feel, but I open my hope to more of you out there because it'd mean a lot to me to have help feeling out the true meaning of Christmas from another point of view. It meant a lot to me that last year family commented, I use analytics to track how many come to this website, and I know more of you out there can comment than just my family. Don't be shy.
Signed with love,
David Nichols, LDS
We celebrate Christ and the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, whispers that it is true. We love that impossible story of a virgin birth, which really did happen because, "God so loved the world, that he sent His only Begotten Son." I forget the reference to this scripture, but I'd like to edit it in later. Now, this Spirit of Christmas that I referred to from my religious point of view by a different name, the Holy Ghost, may have a different name to some of you, and I'd like to hear your point of view.
I'll be sharing this blog titled, "The True Meaning of Christmas", and I hope that family will comment on how they feel, but I open my hope to more of you out there because it'd mean a lot to me to have help feeling out the true meaning of Christmas from another point of view. It meant a lot to me that last year family commented, I use analytics to track how many come to this website, and I know more of you out there can comment than just my family. Don't be shy.
Signed with love,
David Nichols, LDS
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The True Meaning of Christmas
Dear Truth Seeker,
The true meaning of Christmas could never be captured in just one moment of typing, but tonight as I worked on someone's car happily, when I was moments earlier asleep - I think I felt the feeling in my heart what is based on the true meaning of Christmas.
You see. . . just as we crossed over midnight a woman pulled over on the side of road just outside of my apartment and offered us help. Her help wasn't required, but it made for a good feeling that someone cared close to midnight on Christmas Eve. Earlier, we looked at the time and it was Christmas! Later, right as the car started the first snow of white Christmas restarted. It was magic. This was all brought to us by service - a core principle in the true meaning of Christmas. That service principle is a principle I believe in that is in every religion I've ever seen, but I especially learned about it as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints.
The true meaning of Christmas brainstorming: it's in the people that you love and by the people you love. You'll find it in good movies, the Internet, songs that delight the mind or make usually too fanciful emotions real. It's in the snow that falls to earth just as easily as it is in a sand storm. Snow maybe specifically associated with this holiday, but I think if I was in a sand storm like my travels in California's Mohave desert, that I'd find that applicable too. Doesn't all the beauty of the earth testify of Christ? Wow, in talking about the true meaning of Christmas, I think I should have brought Jesus Christ up first!
By the way, I copied and pasted the first of my thoughts from here to my Virile Auto website because part of my true meaning at Christmas time is working on cars, because I'm never as happy at a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas without spending some time on my favorite hobby. One qualifier on favorite: it's my favorite hobby that involves plenty of muscle. I enjoyed even more the simple sharing of Luke chapter 2 at a Christmas Eve dinner.
By the way, I have to be away from family because of work on Christmas day and Christmas Eve - I saw them earlier this week. I must say, that a family took myself, and 2 other close friends in just because we weren't with family on this special day! What a feeling! They did it on short notice, too! The spirit, or the Holy Ghost in LDS terms, short for The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, was quite strong. I believe that whenever good people gather, the spirit accompanies them and makes that meeting even better. Gatherings of good people . . . hmm, I that supports the feeling behind the true meaning of Christmas too.
That last principle, good people gathering and the Holy Ghost getting involved, has always been true. That is why organized religion has value. You may not believe the same as me, but I'm still sure that when you gather with good people the Holy Spirit attends. All truths are supported by the Holy Ghost and as I type seeking to share what I feel is in the true meaning of Christmas, I hope that this Internet gathering of people has helped you too and brought the spirit to you as well.
May the good Lord's blessings be upon you as you seek out your own truths. This has been my best attempt at maybe not the true meaning of Christmas, but at least A true meaning of Christmas.
Signed with sincerity,
David Nichols LDS
P.S. On New Years day I opened a new blog in honor of my friend, Joyce, who passed on, but with such timing as to be close to the last year she blessed us with, the year 2008. Following this last day of the year, her family spent the day with us at group home. In honor of what their presence did in the grieving process, I opened a new blog for the new year 2009, called The New Years Gift.
The true meaning of Christmas could never be captured in just one moment of typing, but tonight as I worked on someone's car happily, when I was moments earlier asleep - I think I felt the feeling in my heart what is based on the true meaning of Christmas.
You see. . . just as we crossed over midnight a woman pulled over on the side of road just outside of my apartment and offered us help. Her help wasn't required, but it made for a good feeling that someone cared close to midnight on Christmas Eve. Earlier, we looked at the time and it was Christmas! Later, right as the car started the first snow of white Christmas restarted. It was magic. This was all brought to us by service - a core principle in the true meaning of Christmas. That service principle is a principle I believe in that is in every religion I've ever seen, but I especially learned about it as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints.
The true meaning of Christmas brainstorming: it's in the people that you love and by the people you love. You'll find it in good movies, the Internet, songs that delight the mind or make usually too fanciful emotions real. It's in the snow that falls to earth just as easily as it is in a sand storm. Snow maybe specifically associated with this holiday, but I think if I was in a sand storm like my travels in California's Mohave desert, that I'd find that applicable too. Doesn't all the beauty of the earth testify of Christ? Wow, in talking about the true meaning of Christmas, I think I should have brought Jesus Christ up first!
By the way, I copied and pasted the first of my thoughts from here to my Virile Auto website because part of my true meaning at Christmas time is working on cars, because I'm never as happy at a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas without spending some time on my favorite hobby. One qualifier on favorite: it's my favorite hobby that involves plenty of muscle. I enjoyed even more the simple sharing of Luke chapter 2 at a Christmas Eve dinner.
By the way, I have to be away from family because of work on Christmas day and Christmas Eve - I saw them earlier this week. I must say, that a family took myself, and 2 other close friends in just because we weren't with family on this special day! What a feeling! They did it on short notice, too! The spirit, or the Holy Ghost in LDS terms, short for The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, was quite strong. I believe that whenever good people gather, the spirit accompanies them and makes that meeting even better. Gatherings of good people . . . hmm, I that supports the feeling behind the true meaning of Christmas too.
That last principle, good people gathering and the Holy Ghost getting involved, has always been true. That is why organized religion has value. You may not believe the same as me, but I'm still sure that when you gather with good people the Holy Spirit attends. All truths are supported by the Holy Ghost and as I type seeking to share what I feel is in the true meaning of Christmas, I hope that this Internet gathering of people has helped you too and brought the spirit to you as well.
May the good Lord's blessings be upon you as you seek out your own truths. This has been my best attempt at maybe not the true meaning of Christmas, but at least A true meaning of Christmas.
Signed with sincerity,
David Nichols LDS
P.S. On New Years day I opened a new blog in honor of my friend, Joyce, who passed on, but with such timing as to be close to the last year she blessed us with, the year 2008. Following this last day of the year, her family spent the day with us at group home. In honor of what their presence did in the grieving process, I opened a new blog for the new year 2009, called The New Years Gift.
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