HAPPY SUNDAY!  

 Some ideas for this week to Light the World ~

 Monday -  Who needs your light today? Take a moment to reflect on a time when someone was a light to you.  Share on social media with #LightTheWorld!

Tuesday -  More than 2,000 years ago, God sent us the true Light of the World. Watch and share the story.

  

Wednesday - Who needs your light today? Leave a treat on a neighbor's doorstep.

Thursday - Share your light by donating to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, food banks, homeless shelters, etc. 

Friday - Who is on your mind today? Send them a note of gratitude.  Invite them to go on a walk, or to share fun stories over breakfast. 

Saturday - Who needs your light today?  When you are kind, your brain's reward center lights up as if you were the recipient rather than the giver!

Read these facts from a study on kindness to learn more -

Kindness increases _

Energy - "About half of participants in one study reported that they feel stronger and more energetic after helping others, many who reported feeling calmer and less depressed with increased feelings of self-worth (Christine Carter, UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science Center)

Happiness - A 2010 Harvard Business School survey of happiness in 136 countries found that people who are altruistic, in this case, people who were generous financially, such as with charitable donations, were happiest overall.

Serotonin - Like most medical antidepressants, kindness stimulates the production of serotonin. This feel-good chemical heals your wounds, calms you down, and makes you happy.

Kindness decreases_

Pain - Engaging in acts of kindness produces endorphins, the brain's natural painkiller!

Stress: Perpetually kind people have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) and age more slowly than the average population.

Anxiety - A group of highly anxious individuals performed at least six acts of kindness a week. After one month, there was a significant increase in positive moods and relationship satisfaction, and a decrease in social avoidance in socially anxious individuals (University of British Columbia Study).

("Kindness Health Facts "https//222.dartsmouth.edu/wellness/emotional/rakhealthfacts.pdf).

 

 

This past week has been a busy one for us.  We did a lot of work downstairs, moving books, cleaning out closets, and taking linens off the beds.  Actually, Dad did the majority of the work while I was finishing up my last assignments for my class.  We had missionaries for dinner on Thursday, and that was a great motivator to finally get the ornaments on the Christmas Tree and all of the outside lights plugged in.  A couple of weeks ago, I tried to change the sunflowers on the front porch with poinsettias, but the sunflowers were frozen, and I couldn't get them out of the pot.  However, we've had such nice weather this week that by Thursday, I was able to make the switch, and now the house looks more "Christmasy".  (That info was for Kim, who always teases me about my fake flowers😁 )

CHRISTMAS IN OKINAWA

I was thinking this week about favorite Christmases, and I don't think I could whittle it down to just one because I have so many fond memories of places where we spent Christmas and family members we were with.   

When we arrived in Okinawa the first time, it was so close to Christmas, and there were no Christmas trees available, so we used a soft sculpture one that Shannon had made for us. The following year, Christmas trees were sold on base in late November.  Only so many were shipped over, so I remember taking the kids and standing in line until they opened the gates, and then we joined the rest of the military on Okinawa, trying to snag the most perfect tree.  The problem was that the trees had spent weeks on a ship bound for Okinawa, and so by the time we got one, it was already a little bit on the dry side.  The goal became to keep it from looking like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree until at least the day after Christmas.  Sometimes we were successful, but sometimes not 😁

CHRISTMAS IN PROVO

Max is now officially dating Amelia!  So happy for the fun adventures they are sharing. Last night they went to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert at the Concert Center.

Amelia just recently returned from serving a mission in Washington State. 

CHRISTMAS IN IOWA

  I can hardly believe all of the snow Kate and Jonathan have had. These photos are actually directly in front of their home.  It looks like Sayre is having a great time, though 😀

AND THANK YOU, KATE AND JONATHAN, FOR THE GREAT SUNDAY SELFIE!

   My wish this week is that everyone will have a stress-free week (as much as possible), and take time to enjoy and contemplate on the good things that happen every day 

❤❤❤