Christmas and Weddings!

Yesterday, the 20th my cousin's daughter got married. As I sat there and watched Jessica and my cousin do the daddy daughter dance I was so overcome with gratitude that I have a family. My grandparents just had the two kids, my mom and my aunt ...so growing up we were all just one big family. Some of my most cherished memories include playing kick the can with these cousin's (Jessica's dad). Sneaking down the north hall at grandmas on a dare to see if we could make it down to the end of the hall with out making Grandpa yell ... going for ice cream with uncle Ron (he's the uncle who called me giggles...he passed away a year ago next month) ... I'm grateful for eternal life and eternal families! Congratulations Nick and Jessica and best wishes for a wonderful life together. I'm glad you chose a temple marriage so this can continue for ever ... I love you!

The lyrics below are from the song Evan (my cousin) and Jessica (his daughter) were dancing to.

I came to see her daddy for sit down man to man
It wasn't any secret i'd be asking for her hand
I guess that's why he left me waiting in the living room by myself
with at least a dozen pictures of her sitting on a shelf

[Chorus;]

She was playing Cinderella
She was riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes i'm Prince Charming
But to him i'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

I leaned in towards those pictures to get a better look at one
When I heard a voice behind me say "Now, ain't she something, son?"
I said "Yes, she quite a woman" and he just stared at me
Then I realized that in his eyes she would always be

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes i'm Prince Charming
But to him i'm just some fella riding in and stealing Cinderella

He slapped me on the shoulder
Then he called her in the room
When she threw her arms around him
That's when I could see it too

She was Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
If he gives me a hard time
I can't blame the fella
I'm the one who's stealing Cinderella

Christmas questionare

Christmas Questionnaire

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate ...egg nog is ookie! .
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped ...!!!!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love to look at houses with all kinds of lights! multi colored are my favorite I think! White ones are pretty on more elegant trees! I have a fiber optic tree that over heats, so I can't leave it on too long, but it's multi colored. I love outside lights, but I live vicariously through my neighbors and friends, because, well let's face it, I fall down going to the bathroom!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but it would be fun to have it hung. No, I have no-one to kiss under it so therefore, it would not fill the measure of it's creation if it lived at my house! (Sad but true)


5. When do you put up your decorations? Week end after Thanksgiving as a rule, however, if you get called to be the activities committe chairman and freak out 'til after the ward Christmas party, it will put a delay in the home decorations! So, this year it wasn't until Dec 7th
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I love cheese Balls!! I love food ...so this question is loaded! I'll take one of each ... minus the coconut ... add some gravy!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Santa would come and see us in the flesh on Christmas Eve (my uncle Ken) I can't even think of those precious memories without getting teary eyed!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What truth??? I don't understand the question ... Santa is ... Santa Was ... and Santa will always be! And that's the truth!
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a kid we could open one presant and it was always pajamas! My sister carried on that tradition with her kids, I spend Christmas eve with them and wake up on Christmas morning with them, I always have ... they have another tradition ...they open gifts from each other on Christmas eve so that those gifts don't get lost in the shuffle on Christmas day. .
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? one decoration at a time! :o) I change up quite often ... I have done Halmark collectables, all hearts, plastic canvas snow flakes and snow men, angels and this year it is stars!...I have a thing for stars lately!
12. Can you ice skate? Are you kidding??? I can barely walk!!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My sister gave me a picture frame that had sayings about sisters etched in it and a picture of us as babies ... she was 2, and I was 1. I cried when I opened it up!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with my family!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love all the homemade candy and cookies! Especially fudge, chocolate covered pretzels and caramels.
16.. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I do the 12 days of Christmas for a neighbor! Fun stuff!!
17. What tops your tree? A Star.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Both of course! I'll never turn down a gift :o) I love giving though, It warms my heart when I find something perfect for someone I love! I also like to sub for santa ... this year I bought one presant each for a needy family in my ward! I loved doing that!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Serious song: "Mary Did Ya Know" or "What Child Is This" silly song ... this year it would have to be "Gramma got Run Over by A Reindeer" ... I've gotten alot of milage out of that song this year!

20. Candy Canes? Yum ... I'll take one!
21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? yes! In this world that is becoming ever darker with hopelessness and dispair we need to remember why we celebrate this day ... too many people forget or don't care at all.

"For Unto Us is born this day

In the city of David, A Savior

who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Remember:

A Baby changes everything!

The Light Of His Love

I always like to write a poem for Christmas. I have been doing it for a long time (ten or more years I think) anyway, this year was hard ...I couldn't seem to find the inspiration to write the words I wanted. I love Christmas ... the Joy of the holiday and the message of hope. However, for some reason I have been overcome with a profound lonliness this year. Christmas always marks the passage of time for me ...another year gone by ... maybe it's because I can't save the world, and somewhere in my psychi I think I need to :o)I have seen a deep hate display itself in the media. I have never seen anything of that magnitude before. We still have troops fighting a war that seems endless ... our economy is drowning and there is a real fear about what happens when the "what If?" happens.
My reason for sharing this all with you isn't to whine ...I am happy, my life has been blessed abundantly! I have a family who loves me and hopes and dreams and a sense of humor about it all! I also have a profound and very deep testimony that my Father In Heaven is mindful of me and my righteous desires. I know, beyond the shadow of any doubt that I will be blessed. I share this now because I wanted you to understand where in my heart that my Christmas poem came from this year. Michael McClean wrote a song as part of the Forgotten Carols called, "Arise and Shine Forth", It is the song about standing for something. Well, I was listening to it the other day and I guess all that loneliness I have felt lately came to a head and I lost it! But with that emotional breakdown I really listened to the message of that song from wence came this poem:

The Light Of His Love
Written by Janalea Jeppson 12/2008

The world is filled
With sadness it seems
And hope is so lost
In the crushing of dreams.

There are those fighting wars
So fierce and so mean
And a hate for each other
That I've never seen

But Christmas is here
And I feel no magic
My heart’s full and heavy
Of all that’s so tragic.

I want to so badly
Move passed all the mess
And find the hope of a child
And the faith of the blessed

I’m heavy with sadness
That I can’t control
The heart ache and pain
That burdens my soul.

But I put up a tree
Adorn it with lights
And lay holy figures
To honor the night

When a King came to love
In a world filled with sin
Bringing hope to our hearts
As we follow Him.

As I look at the babe
‘Neath my tree where He lay
“I wish you could come here,”
I hear myself say.

To hold me and hug me
And comfort my pain
And put the magic in Christmas
I must feel again.


Somehow in the stillness
A whisper does say ,
“My daughter, I’m here
And I hear as you pray,”

“I know you can’t see me
But, I hold you so tight
In the arms of my love
Just seek ye my light.”

“I came for a reason,
To show you the way …
Like the star that shown bright
That first Christmas day.”

“And the light that I brought
Can now shine within you,
Just stand up for truth …
I’m counting on you!”

So, I solemnly promise
that I will stand true
for all that is righteous
Like He asked me too.

Watch out!! He's Old and a Crazy Driver!

My first activity as a ward activity Chairman has been completed! And I lived to tell about it! Many thanks for all those who made it work! I sang a crazy song to my Bishop ...I will post it now:

Bishop got ran over by a reindeer, walking home from church on Christmas Eve. You can say there’s no such thing as Santa, but just ask Sweet Melissa, she believes.


He’d been holding many meetings, and she begged him not to go. But he forgot his Franklin Planner and he stumbled out the door into the snow. When they found him Christmas morning at the scene of the attack, there were hoof prints on his forehead and incriminating “Clause” marks on his back.


He had met with My committee, so that’s where Claus will place the blame. So if Jana goes to jail, you’ll know that sweet old Santa had me framed! My poor mom is in a frenzy, hiring lawyers left and right … she needs to convince a jury that I was home with her on Christmas night!



It’s not Christmas with out Bishop. The ward does not know what to do. Brother Park and Brother Mullin’s are compelling the high priests to stage a coup. President Bigelow’s in his office, his clerk is making calls. He’ll interview the worthy members, to find a good replacement for us all.
.


The Bishop’s family’s in a tailspin. Sister Jones is at a loss. She is flying to the North Pole so she can take a swing at Santa Claus! I’ve warned all my friends and neighbors, better watch out for yourselves they should never give a license to a man who drives a sleigh and plays with elves!

There ya go!

HO! HO! HO!

It's Christmas! Yea! I have been wondering if I should post the words of the funny song I wrote....psych! not yet! Instead I will post a Christmas poem I wrote!

The Gift
 Jana Jeppson 2007

The desert hills were quiet
Outside of Bethlehem.
The night had fallen gently
All across the land.

A brilliant star shown in the sky
To mark the destiny
Of all who chose to follow it,
The Christ Child they would see.

His palace was a stable,
His throne a manger, crude.
Yes, His first bed was just a box
Meant for donkey food.

But yet the joy was evident,
A sweet peace filled the air.
For Christ the King was born to all
In the lowly stable there!

The prophets wise had long foretold
The coming of this King.
They preached of all His glory
And the love that He would bring!

His life would be a gift to us,
The Son Of God above,
Would suffer and then die for us
Showing perfect love!

Now when I walk upon life’s path’s,
And it’s dark and I can’t see,
I feel His gentle beckoning,
“My child, come follow me!
For I will take you by the hand
And guide your journey home.
With me, my child, I promise you,
You’ll never be alone.

Glory, hallelujah!
I praise his holy name!
For since His love has
filled my heart,
I’ve never been the same!

Are you strong enough to stand up?

An old friend of mine lives in California and has a teenage son ... I think he's 18 and a freshman at a community college in his town. I am not going to give his name or location because of what he just experienced ... he's a little "gun-shy" of me telling this story and I promised to keep him anonymous.

He was sitting in a popular hangout sandwich shop/coffee house studying for an upcoming test when two LDS missionaries entered the establishment. The moment they entered, the tone of the atmosphere changed and suddenly the missionaries were being taunted and ridiculed because of their faith. The young man I speak of is an active member of the church and planning on a mission ... (he'll be 19 in the summer). I quote him now:

" I have never experience hate before ... I have never been persecuted for the sake of righteousness ... I have never known the kind of fear that the tormented missionaries were faced with. I sat there thinking I should say something to stop the ridicule and persecution. I didn't. I just sat there. Two guys proceeded in ridiculing the missionaries concerning the churches involvement with proposition 8. I don't get it ...a country that's founded on freedom of speech and democracy and this is happening before my eyes...I thought I stood for something, but when my character was tested, I hid my faith from the tormentors. Two guys had blocked the door and the missionaries stood motionless. One , had tears in his eyes, but he never backed down or shied away. I was shaking inside thinking that the elders were going to get hurt ... the only thing I did for them was say a silent prayer on their behalf. Someone ... I think it was the store manager threatened to call the police and so the tormentors backed off and allowed the missionaries to leave. Life resumed in the shop as though nothing had happened, but something had happened ... to me. I didn't stand up for the missionaries ... I was afraid, so no-one in that sandwich shop knew what I stood for. In a few months I will be one of those missionaries ... I need to be strong enough to stand. all that day I thought of what happened there ... I love the Lord ...I want to be steadfast and immovable .. , I want to be strong enough to stand up! I thought of all the scripture stories I had ever known ... I thought of Daniel in the Lion's den...I thought of Nephi ... I thought of Joseph Smith ... I have some work to do but I am determined! My cousin is fighting in Iraq and can face a mortal enemy without flinching! I admire him ... I need to face the ultimate destroyer with the same bravery! He can't take my faith from me, unless I allow it!!"

My friend told me her son was visibly shaken ... not by the acts of the tormentors , but by his reaction to them. I thought of a song a friend of mine, James Marsden wrote some years ago and I share some of the lyric now ...

"All eyes are watching
to see what you'll do.
Will you shun the ways
of the world
in a moment of truth?
The trumpets are sounding,
the drums start to roll,
the tempter is waging
a war for your soul ...
and victory is promised
to those who will fight to the end!

Let's stand up and take each other's hands,
stand up ... with His power we can ...
stand up ... determined to win in the battle at hand
together we stand!"


Dear readers, this is what becoming steadfast and immovable means ... it means being strong enough to stand for truth and righteousness, unyielding, unbending and OUT LOUD!

And to my frind's son ... I have no doubt that you are becoming strong enough to stand! I hear the urgency in the words you wrote me so I could share this story!