Finding JOY

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Where do you find JOY during this Christmas season? 

I'm going to admit right now that I have had a harder time this year finding that special feeling because of a very busy schedule.  My days are packed with meetings and violin lessons to teach plus a home to take care of and all that comes with trying to create a meaningful and special Christmas.  I find myself so caught up in what has to be done that I forget to stop and feel why it should be done and my reason for doing it.  Then there is trying to decide if it even needs to be on my list.  Even though the busyness is always going to be there I have found that in order to find JOY in what I am doing I need to make sure the task is meaningful and from my heart. 

I found JOY this year:

• the moment we began to play the Hallelujah chorus for a large sing-a-long audience and could hear the JOY coming from every voice.
• after creating my list of things to make for gifts and imagining their reaction.
• dropping off cookies to neighbors and friends.
• seeing the Young Women I love open up their Christmas gifts and love what had been made for them.
• spending an entire weekend with my family just playing in the water.
• dancing in the kitchen with my kiddos to their favorite Christmas tunes.
• making Santa cookies and caramels with my husband.
• decorating our tree and seeing it sparkle.
• finding Payton stuffing our stockings with love notes and secret messages.
• standing next to my husband and my sister while we caroled to our neighbors.
• sewing up over 300 stockings  for those in need in a small room filled with women who love to serve.
• any time I sit in front of my fireplace and stop to think about what's really important.
• playing my violin in church.
• listening to our prophet speak.
• cooking for people I love.
• having guests stay in our home and seeing them be amazing with our kids.
• creating a Christmas card with my dad and seeing him work his magic.
• seeing a family who is hurting be uplifted by voices who love and pray for them.
• "White Christmas"
• finishing something for a new special member of the family.
• making plans to see family.
• shopping for our kids
• seeing magic happen every time a Ho Ho Ho fills the air.
• smelling a Christmas candle and wearing cozy socks while working on a gift.
• knowing what I believe and why we go through this craziness to make things so special.
• being still and seeing JOY just appear from everywhere.

What brings you JOY this time of year?