Christmas Blessings

You know what I really love about Christmas?  The Feminist Mormon Housewives Christmas Blessing tradition.  It's the third year!  You write three blessings or wishes or uplifting messages on different cards and send them in to someone who rearranges them and sends three back to you.  And you know what?  I think it's real.  Can I share my testimony about this?  It's kind of a weird thing to have a testimony about, but here it goes.

"In 2013 my wish for you is that you will take a chance."
"I wish you hope--hope for your dreams and your loved ones, and hope for a better kinder world."
"The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year.  It is that we should have a new soul.  Wishing you the changes you hope for in 2013!"

"I bless you to find time for a hobby that will enrich your life and give you energy."
"Dear sister, may you find family in friends and fill your heart and life with interesting people.  May you love more and worry less."
"Dear friend, I hope that you can have the courage to live authentically, that you can show empathy to those who need you and be given empathy when you need it."
"Dear sister--a blessing for you--joy in 2014 as every day surprises (new things or old) find you and make you smile.  Daily you come closer to accepting--'I am that I might have joy.'  And so it is."

I have these notes up on my wall.  There messages find me just when I need them.  That last one, "daily you come closer to accepting 'I am that I might have joy',"  that's the I carry in my heart.  Isn't that what this life is about?  Literally.  "And men are that they might have joy."  I AM that I might have joy.  Find joy in life and hold to it and accept it and recognize that you deserve it.  Our Heavenly Parents want us to be happy.  Why punish ourselves by telling ourselves that we do not deserve joy?  We all do bad things, but we are not bad people and we deserve happiness.  Accept it and own it.

This year I've worked hard to find the courage to live authentically.  To have joy.  And to continue to create a family out of friends, filling my life with interesting people.  I'm learning to love more.  Somehow these women wrote these notes sitting in cars or at desks at work or school or during a difficult Sacrament meeting.  And part of their souls went into these messages and maybe they wrote them because they also needed these messages.  But somehow they found me and they've buoyed me up over the last bit and I can't wait to get new ones this year.  I need the strength I get from this sisterhood, and I encourage you, whoever you are, to participate in this project.  Send messages of love to your sisters who will struggle at some point this year.  And allow their words to comfort and strengthen you this year.

Project Instructions Here.

And lastly, enjoy this gem of cuteness: