Day 57 - Happiest Time of the Year.

Day 57 - A picture of your favorite holiday.

I think Katie and I would both have to agree that Christmas is our favorite holiday and favorite time of the year at that. A day to remember our Savior, Jesus Christ. A day to commemorate His birth. We would also both have to agree that the best part of Christmas is giving. The feeling that you get when you're helping another person by giving, whoever or whatever it may be, is overwhelming. When you give of yourself without expecting anything in return, you expand in your ability to love. A pure love. The kind of love that comes from Christ. In our society, most people believe that if you give, then you have less. But really, when you give, you always receive. Givers are happier people. Do you remember the feeling of happiness you experienced the last time you gave something to someone else? Maybe it was your service. Maybe even just a small act of kindness. We are more important than we sometimes realize. We can make a difference.

A woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry and the woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman. 

"I've been thinking" he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I will give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

One love. One people. Practice random kindness.