The Spirit of the Season!

Christmas music has been going around in my head since last December. A thousand songs have been listened to and music has been previewed. By July, a theme had developed in my mind and ideas for this year's Christmas concert were in full-blown porportions. Sunday night at the Kamas Stake Center, "The Spirit of the Season" was presented to hundreds of Kamas Valley community members!
Take seventy choir members, 2 piano players, 6 violins, 2 violas, 1 cello, 2 timpani drums, snare drums, 1 tuba, 1 French horn, 3 flutes, 1 trombone, 2 trumpets, chimes, bells, glockenspiel, 1 oboe, a bass guitar; 2 choir directors, 1 music arranger, a nativity display, decorations to fit the whole chapel area, poinsettias to fill the front of the chapel,a dozen French village milkmaids and bell ringers, 4 soloists, willing hearts and hands, and a love for our dear Savior, Jesus Christ, whose sacred birth we celebrate -- and you have the event that took place Sunday evening, December 14th.
What a wonderful, wonderful evening! The choir presented 6 different songs: 1)The Spirit of the Season (with falling snow and all); 2)Christmas Bells (a medley of Ding Dong Merrily on High, I Heard the Bells and Carol of the Bells); 3)Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella (with 12 French village milkmaids with torches dancing in the aisles); 4)Is There Rooom (with such a wonderful ethereal ambience that you felt enveloped in the warmth and love of the stable that was present that night so long ago); 5)Carols of the Night (a medley of O Holy Night and Silent Night); and 6)O Come All Ye Faithful (huge, huge orchestration and ending with the French milkmaids with handbells ringing in the aisles along with the orchestration).
Bishop Rodney Maxfield and I led the choir with Darlene Clegg and Melissa Evans at the piano and organ. Brad Flinders arranged the orchestration for the songs and worked with the orchestra prior to coming together with the choir. My dear Billie Jo worked with the French milkmaids, both with their dance and the handbells. Georgia Bates and Trudy Bisel directed the Creche--the nativity displays, and Debbie Mollus arranged for a live nativity with Primary childred acting the roles of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wisemen. Melanie Mitchell decorated the chapel until it looked just like the conference center! Bill Miles filled the chapel with poinsettias that had been generously donated by Nadine Gilmore and Hy and Deb Saunders and himself. The physical facilities could not have been more wonderful or beautiful to be the home of the concert presented to honor Jesus the Christ, Wonderful, Counselor, the Prince of Peace!
No matter how chaotic life has been, the peace that filled our hearts through this beautiful program calmed souls and made hearts happy. What a wonderful, beautiful opportunity to each one of us who were lucky enough to participate. Thank you, thank you to everyone involved in any way at all! Thank you--to my beautiful children for your love and support and for all your physical work to make it all happen. Thank you to my Dad for letting me sew and make a mess at his house for two straight weeks and tell him my ideas and for worrying about me throughout the process. Thank you, for a wonderful Father in Heaven, who knows us and our needs and helps us and gives us the time, talent, and energy to accomplish tasks. A quiet, heart-felt thanks to my Mom, who always encouraged me and told me I was capable of such things. And thanks, last--but definitely not least--to my wonderful husband, who helps me, supports me, and encourages me in so many ways. And thanks also to anyone who might read this and have been present that night to support this beautiful effort in any way!
The true spirit of the season is, of course, our Savior and the gift only He could give. As each of us buy gifts to give to others as a representation of our love, may we feel that in a small way, we are giving of ourselves as well. Merry Christmas and may we each find room in our hearts for our Redeemer.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays. There is truly so much to be thankful for and it's just a day when we can cook dinner, eat ourselves into oblivion and visit -- not alot of pressure -- truly a day just to reflect and be thankful. This first picture is not Thanksgiving day, but I am truly thankful for all the people in this picture.
It was the "off" year, meaning you take a year off of being with the McNeil's. The kids all went to their in-laws homes and I went with my Bisel family. We did have dinner together on Sunday after church and it was wonderful to be able to have all my kids here except our baby girl! Our kids really do enjoy being together. The cousins all LOVE playing with each other, so it turns out nice!
It was a very different Thanksgiving without my Mom, but we didn't dwell on the fact that we miss her so. Dad asked us to meet at the cemetery before dinner--the sun was shining and it felt warm. He asked us to sing a song, so we sang "Because I Have Been Given Much" and then had family prayer. We then went to the church for dinner. There were only around 30 of us--Vicki and Terry stayed in St. George, Bonnie and Tom stayed home in Blythe, and Georgia and Bob had dinner with their family. Most of the cousins also went to their in-laws, so it was a small gathering. We enjoyed a wonderful day -- as one of the kids said, "Good food, good company." I truly am thankful for all I have -- for my family, for the gospel of our dear Savior, and for eternal families. Now on to CHRISTMAS!!!