I hope that all of you had a happy Thanksgiving. It's a time for family gatherings, but also a time for thinking of all we have to be thankful for, no matter what our present circumstances are.
With Christmas coming soon, I hope we will enjoy sharing and giving, but that we will also ponder what Christmas is all about--the birth of the Christ child and the beginning of the life that would ultimately provide each of us with resurrection and atonement. And that life would provide us with countless teachings and examples to guide us in living our own lives. May we remember with gratitude all that Jesus Christ has done for us.
Politics and economics have been the focus of our news cycles and will continue to be so. It is a good time to read and reflect on the Consitution and the Declaration of Independence. The Federalist Papers also warrant some attention to remind us of the intentions of our Founding Fathers and the direction that America needs to be going in. This country was founded with God in mind and with the idea of developing the gifts He has given us--freedom, liberty, property rights, life, and many others. Let us not throw it all away.
As far as economics is concerned, our prophets have counseled us for years to get out of debt, stay out of debt, make the most of what we have, and save for the future. Let us follow the prophets and, through them, the Lord. No matter how well we are doing, we can always do a little better. Let us not forget to share with those less fortunate, and let us remember that it is important that charity be freely given by individuals and not coerced by the government.
I have concerns about how secular this country and the world have gotten. We should remind ourselves of God and His teachings. Let us not call evil good and good evil. Let us love one another, yet not condone sin. It has become unpopular to say that we need to love the sinner and hate the sin, but that is exactly what we should do. It is God's appoval that we seek, not the world's.
I have touched on only a few things, but I hope that we will reconsider our lives and think carefully about the direction we are traveling through this life. May God bless us all to do the right things. And may we always be full of gratitude for all that God has blessed us with.
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