Monday, December 12, 2011

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

I love Christmas time. Mostly because I love the music. My favorite Christmas song varies from year to year and this year it's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." I think about the lyrics and feel a sense of peace and gratitude. My favorite lines are those concerning our Savior coming to free us from Satan's power and might. I feel free, and I feel alive, and I feel so submersed in God's love that Love is the only thing that seems to flow out of me lately.

I was contemplating the direction my life has taken since leaving my parent's home and venturing on my own and my thought was, what did I ask for from my Father that lead me to the lessons and experiences that I have since experienced? And I remembered of a time when I asked to learn to love like He loves.

I have a long way to go still. But I know that any of the pain that I ever felt and ever will feel is so that I will know how to comfort and love those that feel pain. Just as the joy I have ever and will ever feel is so I know how to celebrate with those who rejoice.

Our experiences aren't so different that we can't understand each other's lives. We aren't meant to pretend that everything is ok. If we are hurting, it's ok to reach out and ask for comfort. We've all experienced pain and loss. It doesn't mean you're weak or crazy for feeling things and for feeling things deeply.

We're never alone. And that is a huge tiding of comfort and joy.