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"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime." -Laura Ingalls Wilder

"At Christmas play and make good cheer,

For Christmas comes but once a year."

-Thomas Tusser

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." -Norman Vincent Peale

Merry Christmas!

"Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light." -Albert Schweitzer

Christmas is, in many ways, the most wonderful time of the year. Opportunities to reconnect with family, to relax and reflect, and to refocus on the key aspects of faith are hard to come by these days. However, this week allows us the time to do just that: focus on the present.

There is another kind of "present" that I have been thinking about. Walking through the malls and stores, I feel a bit overwhelmed by the auspicious displays. I have so many gift choices that I get a little bit of shopper's paralysis: I am so afraid of making a poor or expensive choice in a gift that I end up walking out empty handed. Ironically, when my family members open the gifts that I finally decided to choose for them on Christmas morning, they always seem to love them. It confirms what I know in my heart, that it truly is the thought that counts.

This season can, at times, put our minds into consumer mode. In order to snap out of that mindset, I believe we need to slow down, count our blessings, and think about how we can bless others. For what things are you thankful? How can you make another person's day brighter? In my experience, if we keep those questions in mind we will find the perfect present for others . . . even if the physical gift is not perfect.

This year, in order to put this idea into practice, my wife and I decided to donate to charities on behalf of our friends and family members, rather than giving physical gifts to them. These charitable gifts give us the unique chance to thank our loved ones, as well as support causes that they would like to see improve in the world. We have not distributed any of the gifts, but I will let you know what they think!

From all of us here at Simple Truths, thank you for supporting our mission of inspiration, motivation, and encouragement. We have been blessed by your comments, emails, and other communications to us. Here is a little movie from us to thank you this season.

How can you bless others this week?

"You can never conquer the mountain. You can only conquer yourself." -James Whittaker

"Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was." -Dag Hammarskjold

"Carve a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Chinese Proverb

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way."-Dr. Seuss

What Mountain are you conquering in your life? How will you find success this year?

"For it matters not, how much we own,

the cars...the house...the cash.

What matters is how we live and love

and how we spend our dash."

-Linda Ellis, The Dash

How have you been inspired today?

I was reading through our newest title, The Simple Truths of Life. I was surprised to come upon chapters about worry, disappointment, regret and other similar topics. I thought, "That doesn't sound very inspirational at all!" When I read the chapter, though, I understood how important it is to look at negative events in a positive light. I don't know about you, but there are only so many times that I can think to myself, "the glass is half full"... sometimes I need someone to show me other ways of being optimistic. Here is a chapter full of quotes that I found particularly insightful titled, "A Simple Truth about... Disappointment."

"I've learned that it's easier to cope with closure or rejection when you recognize each asa simple detour guiding you in a new direction." -Linda Ellis "Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments." -Joseph Addison "The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way." -Robert Kiyosaki "Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it." -Eliza Tabor "If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment." -Henry David Thoreau "Disappointment is often the salt of life." -Theodore W. Parker "Was yesterday a disappointment? I am sorry. But this is another day. The earth has turned around since yesterday. Face the New Day with good cheer!" -Henry F. Henrichs

What are some difficulties that you have experienced in life? How did you make the most of them?