Chapter 12, Page 8, Book 19

Somehow, not only at Christmas, but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you 

John Greenleaf Whittier

December 8th - give the gift of time 

The greatest gift you can give to others and yourself is time.  Embrace the gift of time and give it or receive it

Phillip Zimbardo

For me there is no better gift than time spent with my family.  They are a gift that never stops giving.to me.  Time is the perfect gift.  This year my family is giving their time and effort into making this a family Christmas. All of my family will be together in one place to celebrate Christmas

There are times too that  sometimes what a person could really use is a simple as some quality time.  By gifting a few hours of an errand or personal  assistant service, you can give them time to do the tasks an their plate. Each hour gifted is not jus an hour saved from chores , bot an hour gained  for the one thing they want to pursue. which can positively influence their happiness and decrease their stress level. 

Times is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it.  You cn make more money, but you can’t make more time.  When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of you life tht you’ll never get back.  That is why the gratest gift you can give isomeone us your time.  

My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.  Relationships take time and effort, and best way to spell love is T-I-M-E.

Rick Warren

Chapter 12, Page 7, Book 19

God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December

James M. Barrie

December 7th -a December to remember

Make it a December to remember and create new memories to remember in the days ahead. For most of us this is a month that is full of memories of the past and we hold with the customs and traditions of days gone by.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t create some new ones.

First if all,  we need to live each moment in the present.  It’s so easy to get distracted from what is supposed to be the true meaning of the holiday seaso— giving  to others and spending time with those you love.  When you find yourself overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remind yourself to pay attention.  Even the smallest things like a  smile from a festive stranger can symbolize the holiday season. If you take a moment to pay attention to what’s going on all around you, you'll be much more likely to remember it long after the season has passed by;

The nice thing about having a bad memory, you enjoy reruns.

Author Unknown

Take a good look at your holiday traditions. Sticking to the traditions we love is one way to make sure your holiday season will be more memorable.  But we also need to be open to new experiences..  As much as we love adhering to old traditions a surefire way to make this holiday more memorable is to do something you’ve never done before.  Trying something new- regardless of what you

are celebrating is a great way to  make a moment memorable.  When we do the same things over and over we are less likely to remember it.

We need to take time to write our memories down and to take pictures. All we need is an open mind and a little dedication.  Write down the things that mean the most to you and focus on the positive things, so that next year you cn look back and smile at the memories.

When you find a golden memory, savor it.

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

Too many times I’m focused on the to Do list and not the present, but I really like to live in the moment and savor it and this year, I’m planing on having having a December I’ll never forget.

Memories fall like snowflakes on my dreams

The snowflakes toss and tumble each different and yet the the same.

Lisa Schroeder

Chapter 12, Page 6, Book 19

Remember people are the least lovable when they need love the most.

Author Unknown

December 6th - love others

Our job is love others without stoping to inquire whether or not they are worthy.  That is not our business and in fact, it is nobody’s business.  What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will tender both ourselves and  our neighbors worthy.

Thomas Merton.

So true we should never judge others before we decide to love them. Too many people are quick to judge others faults.  They say don’t judge or you will be judged.  If you judge then you cannot love.  Judging others doesn’t not define who they are it defines who you are.  

Outward appearances can be deceiving, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Mother Teresa

Chapter 12, Page 5, Book 19

At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year.

Author Unknown

December 5th - take advantage of the season

Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us.  Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.

Henry Frederic Amiel

Don’t miss a chance this season to take advantage of every day as it comes.  Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day when we take the time to look for it. 

Life is short, there is no replay or rewind so enjoy every moment s it comes.  Opportunities don’t last forever, but the good news is you can take steps to make sure you don’t miss out on something because you limit your options.

Opportunities and risks often go together.  A good attitude will help you succeed when taking a risk.  And it’s important to stay focused

If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,400;and your bank carried over no balance from day to day, but allowed you tp keep whatever cash you could spend, and each evening cancelled out what ever amount you had failed to use during the day, what would you do?  Naturally you'd draw out every dollar.   Actually we do have such a bank and it’s name is time.  Every morning credits your account with 86,400 seconds.  Every night it rules as lost whatever you have failed to invest.

The bank of time carries over no balance from one day to the next and allows no over drafts.  If you fail to use days deposit, the loss is yours.  There is no going back, no drawing against tomorrow.  It is any any wonder Time is is the most valuable thing a man can spend.

Want to keep Christ in Christms?  Feed the hungry, clothes the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted , care for thei ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you you.

Stever Maraboli

Chapter 12, Page 4, Book 19

Christmas is a season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.

Washington Irving

December 4th - have a heart

If you haven’t in charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble

Bob Hope

I don’t believe that Christms comes in a box. Christms is so much more the all the trappings of tinsel regardless of how we choose to celebrate it.  Christmas is the Spirit of Love .  It’s a time to step outside the ordinary and be of good cheer, give some gifts , make some food and spend more time than usual with friends and family.  To take time to sing the carols, decorate a tree, string some lights and appreciate Light is a main them of the season.

It’s a time when we connect with the eternal and devine. If we take Christmas to heart and get past the anxieties in arranging for gifts and parties we’ll discover  the true meaning of Christmas.  The Christmas story captures the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype. That there was no room at the inn is an important part of the story.  It’s believing that the true meaning of Christmas is about possibility in the misdst of the impossible.  The Lord our Savior came on Christmas Day.

Christmas miracles happen all the time Believe in the goodness the world has to offer.  We need to have Christmas in our hearts again.

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.  

Roy L. Smith

Chapter 12, Page 3, Book 19

DDIl#4 and our little Precious One

Christmas is a time of joy,

A time for love and cheer,

A time for making memories,

To last throughout the year.

Author Unknown

December 3rd = share the love

Unless we use Christms as an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it white.

Bing Crosby

Every Christmas tradition we have:  Santa, evergreens, yule logs, stars advents, presents, stockings - all have their own uniques story of how they came to be and where they came from.  Our modern Christmas is a melting pot of cultural references. It’s the reason for the season and Presence over Presents for me.  We all feel happier and kinder this time of year, bu we should feel this way all year.  We should be sharing our love, time, food, help and companionship all year round.  

The fact is there are people that don’t get that migical warm Chistamas I choose.  There are some who carry silent burdens through these weeks.  They are people who are alone, cold, sad, unwell and they are are all around us. Yet there are many ways to share Christmas love, we shouldn’t forget those that need our love.   We could shovel someones driveway, bring them firewood, share our home baking, or buy someone a little table top tree.  Little things that could make a big difference in their lives.

Christmas is a necessity.  There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides our selves.

Eric Sevareid

Chapter 12, Page 1, Book 19

December is the toughest month of the year.  Others are July, January, September, April, November, May March, June, October, August and February.

Mark Twain

December 1st - It’s the Most wonderful time of the year.  

How did it get so late so soon?  Its night before its afternoon.  December is here before it is June.  My goodness how the time has flown.  How did it get so late so soon?

Dr. Seuss

Now that Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday are over, It’s the Christmas season and I’m celebrating it the month of December and more….  It’s the season of love and I’ve got many quotes and verses to share on that subject. Usually I choose love to be the topic of my posts for February, the month of Love.  But this year I’m going to give it another time and place.  

After all Love came down at Christmas

Love came down at Christmas 

Love all lovely, Love Divine;

Love was born at Chritmas

Star and angels gave the sign.

Christina Rossetti  

It’s the month of joy, happiness and love.  It’s the most wonderful time of year and my favorite holiday season   Decorating the tree, eating Christmas dinner with family, exchanging gifts with loved ones, delving in on Christmas cookies, what’s not to love about Christmas.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

Hamilton Wright Mable

There is nothing that brings family together more than Christmas cheer.  Whether your relatives are out of state  or near by, Christmas is the one time we all have to forgo our routines and make this time of year special by making time for the people who mean so much to us.  

Christmas is a wonderful and magical time of year and it’s almost here !

Remember this December,

That love weighs more than gold!

Josephine Dodge Duskam Bacon

Chapter 12, Page 2, Book 19

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.

Peg Bracken

December 2nd - the gift of Love

The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance. 

Brian Tracy

Love is one of those gifts that you give yourself as soon as you give it away.  When you give love, you’ll receive love.  If we didn't have love, life wouldn’t mean as much. Love may not make the world go round, but it makes the ride worthwhile.

When the road looks dark ahead, Love will always find a way to make things better.  It starts with you and ends with you.  If you don’t have love for yourself, you can’t expect to get it from someone else.  

Love imposes no demands.  Love is not interested in holding on to something, or someone it is not jealous, but freely given.. 

Love is always bestowed as a gift—freely, willingly and without expectation.  We don’t love to be loved, we love to love.

Leo Buscaglia