We say, "Merry Christmas!!"

Don't ever be afraid to say, "Merry Christmas!" It is a true blessing to have the gospel in our lives, and an honor to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

No matter your circumstance (this single mom is really struggling this Christmas), we must always remember what our Lord and Savior has done for us, and how lucky we are to be able to worship in our own way.

I pray that the Lord will bless you and yours this joyous season in remembering the wondrous birth of Him who sacrificed all for us.

Many blessings to you,

SIZ

Single parents in the church

Here's a question for you all: Does your ward treat single parents (moms in particular) differently than two-parent households?

Old friends, painful memories

I reconnected with an old friend through classmates.com - it had been quite a few years since we had talked. She and I had parted under....disappointing circumstances. The story goes like this: this dear friend (I'll call her S) had gone to school far away and came back pregnant. Being a member of the church, she knew what the consequences of her actions were, and decided to give the child up for adoption. I completely supported her whatever her decision. When she came home for a brief visit, she stopped by my house and swore me to secrecy. No one was to know. I agreed and promised I would not say anything because it was not my news to tell. However, a mutual friend (who used to be my very best friend) was at my home when S came for the visit. This mutual friend was shocked and also swore he would not say a word. Unfortunately, this mutual friend couldn't keep his mouth shut and spread the word around the entire stake, adding to S' humiliation. And, of course, this mutual friend told S that he said nothing, so she blamed it all on me, telling me the friendship was over. This situation bothered me for a very, very long time as I knew that it wasn't me who did the gossiping. Nevertheless, she did not believe me, so I had to just let it go. So, it was just a bit surprising and shocking when S contacted me and asked me to email her, which I did. Painful memories re-emerged, but I didn't speak of the incident, as it is better left in the past. This is something that I am sure many of us go through at one time or another and it is just so sad...we should be lifting each other up, trusting each other, instead of letting go of precious friendships that can carry us through our sometimes precarious lives. A very interesting experience it was, and a blessing to reconnect with an old friend.

http://mormon-blogs.com/

Hey ya'll, this is a great site to find all of your favorite blogs that relate to the church!

Family

On the Ferry, Pocahontas, going over the James River to Jamestown!

SPRING BREAK!

Everything has a new beginning in the spring.
We educators desperately need a spring vacation to reboot ourselves and get ready for the last stretch to June. I'm thrilled to have this time with my children and friends, and the opportunity to go to Busch Gardens!! (We've suffered from withdrawal)
Spring is also a wonderful time to reboot our spiritual lives and get ready for General Conference, for the opportunity to listen to the Prophet.
How blessed are we, really? It's a good question to reflect upon, and to remember the great things in life we enjoy, the best being our knowledge of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Being a single sister in the Church is not easy, especially when one has to deal with small-minded people (as in any church), however, our relationship with the Savior is the most important thing, and it is up to us to elevate ourselves above all of the nonsense that man and woman can say to us to bring us down.

So, be happy, be blessed and be successful in all you do. Even when you don't feel like you're doing enough, you probably are, and the Lord will bless YOU for your efforts.

As always,
SIZ

Happy New Year!!

I am so grateful for a new beginning. This past year has been one of many challenges, but also one of many blessings. My family were blessed to go to General Conference in April, which was just amazing, and a much needed spiritual uplift.

We are looking forward to more experiences and adventures for 2008 - I will be receiving my Master's Degree in May, and we're traveling up to Ohio for a family reunion in July. So, excitement awaits!

May our Heavenly Father truly bless you this coming year.

Cheers,

SIZ