Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Quick Christmas Pick

First of all, I would like to publicly thank my sister, Heidi, for giving me sixty free minutes of cell-phone therapy last night while I was shuttling kids to piano lessons. She patiently gave up an hour of her day to listen as I prattled on about my problems, administered some driver's seat discipline and placed my order at the Wendy's Drive-Thru. Sisters and cell phones have saved my sanity on more than one occasion.

Second, I would like to thank her for sharing this book with me last Christmas.

If you haven't read it yet, click here and get a copy. Or come to my house and borrow it. You can read it with your family in less time than it takes to watch Charlie Brown's Christmas special and you will enjoy it a whole lot more. Sweet, simple, but not too sappy.

The last page includes this thought by Henry Van Dyke:

Are you willing...

To stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children;

To remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old;

To stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;

To bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;

To trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;

To make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feeling, with the gate open?

Are you willing to do these things for a day?

Then you can keep Christmas...

After, all Christmas-living is the best kind of Christmas-giving.

p.s. My mom wrote the sweetest Christmas post here...how blessed I am to have a family who continues to teach me the real meaning of the season.

16 comments:

Hillary said...

Sister therapy is the best ever! Your mom is so sweet. I love the simple sweet memories she has. What a treasure!

the wrath of khandrea said...

does your sister hire out?

thanks for a great post to remind me to keep my focus.

Clair said...

I'm always up for a book recommendation-- thanks!

wenderful said...

Thanks. I'm going to see if I can find it right now.

kara jayne said...

just ordered the book and now i'm off to call my sister!!!

Annemarie said...

I've been searching for a good Christmas read...thank you!
I'm off to Barnes & Noble. I just received my LAST pkg from Amazon!

Jenibelle said...

I would like to become an honorary Halvorson, is there an application?

As always, a wonderful, thoughtful post.

Travelin'Oma said...

You're great at all those things, but buoying up your elderly mother is one of your greatest abilities!

Linsey said...

I miss conversations like that! I need an I-Phone!

martha corinna said...

Oh, I love that "Christmas living is the best kind of Christmas giving". Thank you for this.

Rochelleht said...

Loveliness. Pure loveliness.

Lauren in GA said...

I am sold! I want that book.

Yes! My sister has listened to me give homework instructions, have to pause to add ingredients to dinner or help someone get their pants up in the bathroom. She has listened to my problems all the while, too. I agree...sister therapy is priceless.

queenieweenie said...

I love Christmas books!

I LOVE sisters and cell phones too (lucky me I have three...sisters, not cell phones).

I got your beautiful Christmas card today! LOVE IT.

Robin said...

THanks for the recommendation. I really liked that poem and think I need to get that book.

Anonymous said...

Those thoughts, your Mom's and Mr. Van Dyke are so nice! Puts us where we need to be! I am fortunate to have 4 sisters, so if I don't get enough therapy from one, there are 3 more!

Emy5 said...

You are lucky to have a great sister and a great mom. Now I am going to have to check out that book.

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