A Christmas greeting from a special issue of the Cleverly Newsletter published for the first time at Bountiful, Utah, in December 1977, and sent to both family members and friends. We had just moved to Bountiful the month before, and our fourth child and second son had been born the previous summer.
Christmas is a time of fond memories—the crisp bit of the winter air, the silent drifting of powdery snowflakes, the smell of spruce and wintergreen, the crackle of the pine log burning in the fireplace, the magic aromas drifting from the kitchen, the soft glow of twinkling little lights on the Christmas tree, the enchantment and wonder reflected in the eyes of the children, the love of friends and family, the memory of Him whose birthday it is.
The mosaic of Christmas memories is colorful and many-faceted, providing a kaleidoscope of varied treasures for each person as he thinks back on Christmases past. We are thankful for our Christmas memories and want you to know that we remember their source—for, as the ancient prophet wrote, "all things which are good cometh of Christ" (Moroni 7:24).
The Lord has been very good to us this year. As you can see, this Christmas greeting comes partially as a birth announcement, partially as an announcement of our new address, and partially as our way of saying we love and appreciate you to so many who in different ways have touched our lives and made them just a little better. You will find in these brief pages mention of much that is new—our new home, our new baby, our new Church callings, our new this and that. But there is nothing new about the Christmas message, except that is everlastingly new and fresh and relevant to all men at all times everywhere:
"For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
". . . Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:10-11, 14).
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).
These scriptures are an indication of what Christmas is all about. And that is why we love the holiday season—because we can more openly rejoice in Christ and preach of Him as the Fount of all our blessings, the Source of all that is good, the Giver of every blessing—including family and friends and home and freedom and all we hold dear.
We know that He lives. We know it. And we rejoice in this knowledge revealed to us from heaven. Our Christmas wish is that you too may know and, knowing, do all that He requires that you may have happiness and joy during the New Year and everlastingly thereafter.
A merry, merry Christmas with all our love,
Dean, Claudia, and the children (Michael Adam, Becca, Rachael, and Talmage)
Showing posts with label God's love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's love. Show all posts
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
6. A Christmas Greeting
Christmas is a family time. And this issue of the newsletter tries to portay that—all the way from a message from Grandma on her eightieth birthday to a commemoration of Dad and Mom's fortieth wedding anniversary to an announcement of the newest arrival in the family, Bobbie Lynn.
Christmas is also a time of thankfulness. We are grateful to all of you for your wonderful support of the newsletter. Your response has been just great. Specifically we thank Kay, who has helped out on the postage. And we thank both Ray and Aunt Berniece, who have contributed money to help pay printing costs. The price to publish the newsletter has nearly tripled since we started a year and a half ago, so every penny is very much appreciated.
Finally, Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. And we hope that stands out most important of all. We rejoice in the marvelous testimony we share with all of you, for we know that God lives. He is actually our Father—a loving, kind Father—patient with us in our weakness. He loved us enough to give us the greatest gift that has ever been given: the life of His Son. May we take time to remember that during this joyous Christmas season.
Christmas is also a time of thankfulness. We are grateful to all of you for your wonderful support of the newsletter. Your response has been just great. Specifically we thank Kay, who has helped out on the postage. And we thank both Ray and Aunt Berniece, who have contributed money to help pay printing costs. The price to publish the newsletter has nearly tripled since we started a year and a half ago, so every penny is very much appreciated.
Finally, Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. And we hope that stands out most important of all. We rejoice in the marvelous testimony we share with all of you, for we know that God lives. He is actually our Father—a loving, kind Father—patient with us in our weakness. He loved us enough to give us the greatest gift that has ever been given: the life of His Son. May we take time to remember that during this joyous Christmas season.
3. Lessons from Our Children
A final thought written by Claudia in the March 1974 Cleverly Newsletter. Michael at the time was five or six months old.
Elder Boyd K. Packer once said the only significant lessons he has learned in life have been taught by his children. I too find Michael Adam is one of my best teachers. I would like to share something I've learned from him just over the past two or three weeks.
A couple of weeks ago he learned how to roll over from his stomach to his back. To watch him struggle though just tore my heart out. He wasn't sure what he was doing—it was all so new to him—and sometimes he would get so frustrated at his struggles. I wanted so much to pick him up myself and turn him over—to save all that trouble and heartache—but I knew I couldn't. The struggles made him strong, and he couldn't learn if I did it for him.
It occurred to me one day while I was watching him try that our earth life is but a type and shadow of eternity, a testing ground, and that parents have a very similar relationship to their children as our Heavenly Father has to us. With all this in mind, it came to me that the Lord watches over us too and sees our struggles. But like parents here on earth He sometimes has to just let us struggle so we can learn more effectively through our experience and grow stronger.
"Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7).
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee over all thy foes" (D&C 121:7-8).
How well the Lord has said it. And realizing my own love for Michael Adam, I now have a deeper understanding of the Lord's love for us and of why He gives us trials and tribulations. I am very grateful for these things and for a loving Father who would care to give us these learning experiences that we might grow.
Elder Boyd K. Packer once said the only significant lessons he has learned in life have been taught by his children. I too find Michael Adam is one of my best teachers. I would like to share something I've learned from him just over the past two or three weeks.
A couple of weeks ago he learned how to roll over from his stomach to his back. To watch him struggle though just tore my heart out. He wasn't sure what he was doing—it was all so new to him—and sometimes he would get so frustrated at his struggles. I wanted so much to pick him up myself and turn him over—to save all that trouble and heartache—but I knew I couldn't. The struggles made him strong, and he couldn't learn if I did it for him.
It occurred to me one day while I was watching him try that our earth life is but a type and shadow of eternity, a testing ground, and that parents have a very similar relationship to their children as our Heavenly Father has to us. With all this in mind, it came to me that the Lord watches over us too and sees our struggles. But like parents here on earth He sometimes has to just let us struggle so we can learn more effectively through our experience and grow stronger.
"Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7).
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee over all thy foes" (D&C 121:7-8).
How well the Lord has said it. And realizing my own love for Michael Adam, I now have a deeper understanding of the Lord's love for us and of why He gives us trials and tribulations. I am very grateful for these things and for a loving Father who would care to give us these learning experiences that we might grow.
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