Lead Kindly Light

We are learning to practice the celebration of Hanukkah this year. It is just lovely! The festival of lights. Before you light the candles each of the days you say blessings thanking God, the Lord of the Universe, for commandments and for commanding us to light the candles, and for performing miracles at this time of year. And you are supposed to be with family and friends and eat good food. So we did!

Family: we have had dates and family dinners, slow evenings at home, FaceTimes with our children and grandchildren, and watching Phineas and Ferb--Alan's first episode.

Friends: I heard Brother David Cook's conversion story. He is the shift coordinator at the temple and originally wanted to be a Lutheran minister, but dropped out of training and was baptized at age 19. I had a wonderful visit with Claire and Owen at Meadowbrook Park. I delivered Christmas treats to ministering sisters with Shelley Beatty while I talked to Willa! I zoomed in to Michigan book club and saw several dear friends I love, we went to the SLCC Christmas Brunch, and our ward Christmas party.

Food: Bibibop with Alan, Spin with G and E, BoLings with Alan, and the food at the ward Christmas party was AMAZING Mexican food, mostly because of Cristina Reyes Barker. Also, we made latkes! They were delish.

Our first lighting of the Menorah

And I did a bunch of stuff for my calling again. There was also a blood drive this week. I promoted it, but other people did the actual work and donating. 

All the light really does help. This is a dark time of year and things can become heavy. I highly recommend seeking out and noticing points of light. They are all around us.