If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right...

“If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.” -an Elder in Armenia

Alex’s missionary emails are a highlight of my week. I love his enthusiasm and love for the people of Armenia.

In yesterday’s email he shared a quote from another missionary headed home who told the other Elders that “if you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.”

Obviously he meant this relative to working in the mission field but it held meaning for me as I read the missionary’s advice. I’ve been in the throes of the Christmas dash. I’m rushing around trying to finish up things that need to happen before the 25th. And I have not been having fun. Even worse, my family gets the brunt of my moodiness when I start to panic.

Usually my sour moods (due to stress) even get to me, which helps me turn them around (once they get to the point that even I don’t want to be around me). Yesterday the quote in Alex’s email was an instant reminder that I should be having fun. And if I’m not, then I’d better change something. Nobody wants to be around a Grinch during the holidays!

I happen to like Dr. Seuss (a lot) and I also like word clouds so coming across a wordle from the Grinch book was perfect. I’m feeling more inspired already! Today I’m planning on having more fun and less panic trying to finish up the Christmas prep!

A Prayer for a Child...

"From here on earth,

From my small place

I ask of You

Way out in space:

Please tell all men

In every land

What you and I

Both understand...

Please tell all men

That Peace is Good.

That's all

That need be understood.

In every world

In Your great sky.

(We understand.

Both You and I.)

-Dr. Seuss

The December 23, 1955 issue of Collier's Magazine devoted a full-color page to this poem titled A Prayer for a Child. It is the only published piece where Dr. Seuss broke his self-imposed rule that his work not have religious connotations. Dr. Seuss generally tried to insure his writing would appeal to children of all different faiths.

Advertisers offered Dr. Seuss a large payment for the right to use this verse in a holiday message and when Dr. Seuss declined the offer they increased the amount. Which he still refused.

His agent pointed out that this verse consisted of less than 100 words and if Dr. Seuss accepted the deal he would go into the Guinness Book of Records as the writer paid the most money per word.

Dr. Seuss responded that he would "rather be in the Guinness Book of Records as the writer who refused to be paid the most money per word!" Gotta love Dr. Seuss!

A Spirit of Contention....

"A man lives by believing something: not by debating and arguing about many things." -Thomas Carlyle

I love President Hinckley's book "Standing For Something." I have so much admiration for positive people who believe in things. Conversely, I get frustrated with people who live in a spirit of contention and spend their efforts knocking down others.

There is so much vitriol that gets tossed around with politics and religion lately. You just wish people could be more respectful generally and not denigrate one another for difference of opinion on so many issues. I think extremists on either end of a spectrum who are belligerent and contentious can be terribly annoying!

This all ties in nicely with one of our scripture mastery verses this year. Found in 3rd Nephi 11:29, Christ admonishes the Nephites: "For verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another."

And, of course, the great illustration comes from none other than my favorite Doctor....Ted Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss!

"I Meant What I Said, and I Said What I Meant!"

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one-hundred percent!" -Horton, from Dr. Seuss, Horton Hatches the Egg

Thinking about Spencer Bryan's proud commitment to his swim team took me back further than just Andie's swim team years. My Mom made me memorize Horton's famous "commitment" phrase - probably before I could even read!

Horton was a huge childhood hero to me! When Lazy Mayzie cons Horton into tending her egg, he is stays on that nest through rain, thunder, summer, winter, and endless taunting! Horton diligently maintains that post!

It's a classic tale of perseverence! Horton puts up with ridicule, loneliness and all kinds of miserable conditions! Fortunately, for Horton, it ends well!

But, in real life, sometimes we don't readily see the Hortons getting the rewards. Sometimes it feels like the lazy Mayzie birds have all the fun! But appearances can be deceiving! Because Horton can always be proud of who he is and in the long run, self respect goes a long way! It's an intrinsic reward that can't be measured!

Making commitments to good things is good! Sticking it out when the going gets tough is admirable! Besides a faithful elephant I've seen countless real life examples of people who stay committed to high standards! They are the enduring heroes we can always count on; the steadfast!

In a fickle world where people abandon values on a whim, I applaud the faithful Hortons!

The Art of Eating Popovers!

In 1977, Ted Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss - and in our family circle as one of Mom's Heroes!) was awarded an honorary degree at Lake Forest College. The college president and trustees were unsure whether he would give any speech at all, so when Dr. Seuss shared the poem below it was a complete surprise!

And great advice to everyone! Who wouldn't love to say that Dr. Seuss was their commencement speaker... dispensing his pithy wisdom!

My Uncle Terwilliger on the Art of Eating Popovers

My uncle ordered popovers

from the restaurant's bill of fare.

And, when they were served,

he regarded them...with a penetrating stare...

Then he spoke great Words of Wisdom

as he sat there on that chair:

"To eat these things," said my uncle,

you must exercise great care.

You may swallow down what's solid...

BUT...you must spit out the air!"

And...as you partake of the world's bill of fare,

that's darned good advice to follow.

Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.

And be careful what you swallow!

Finding our Heart on Mount Crumpit!

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" should be mandatory reading for Anthropology 101! What a classic commentary of man's emotions! First, when the Grinch hates Christmas (since his heart was 2 sizes too small) his desire is simply to sabotage the happiness for others!

After collecting the presents, tinsel, trees, ribbons and bows, the Grinch loads it all 3000 feet up to the top of Mount Crumpit (...to dump it!). But, when he stops to listen to the Who's wails when they learn that Christmas is not coming that year he hears singing! The Grinch realizes that he hasn't stopped Christmas from coming at all! Ha! - ...can't get revenge after all!

"And what happened then...?

Well...in Who-ville they say

That the Grinch's small heart

Grew three sizes that day!"

So, atop Mount Crumpit it appears that the Grinch's heart went from 2 sizes too small to growing 3 sizes (which leaves him with a swelling heart - 1 size larger than normal/average!) I love the times/moments in my life when my heart feels enlarged (emotionally not literally)!

I have a tendency to get caught up in the hustle, rush, and crazy parts of the holiday season and often need to stop myself, ...pause... and listen for the sounds of the Who's!

After a wild week of the typical commercial aspects of Christmas: shopping malls with crowded parking lots, cookie exchanges, etc., I think my Mount Crumpit moment finally came on Sunday! The Christmas program at church reopened my heart to the good, the wonder, and the delight of the season! Back to the simplicity of honoring the birth of the baby Jesus!

"Every Who Down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot...

But the Grinch, who lived just North of Who-ville

Did NOT!"

So, if I catch myself ever not liking Christmas (getting a little "Grinch," "Scrooge," or "Bah, Humbug," about the holidays), I just need to seek out the places that speak to the heart!

Book Love!

"Book Love," Trollope called it. "It will make your hours pleasant to you as long as you live."

Reading has brought me great pleasure through the years! I have eclectic tastes (I guess in many things but especially books) and I'm always up for suggestions of new titles and authors to discover.

President Lincoln said: "My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read." I agree with Lincoln's sentiment and furthermore some of my best friends even happen to BE books!