Christmas/Becoming a Little Child

Merry Christmas, here are a few highlights of our Christmas Eve and Christmas . . .

Making Cookies Christmas Eve

Daddy diligently making sausage balls

Waiting to come down the stairs Christmas Morning. We are so excited!!

Michael would not get off his car all morning. He kept grunting at anyone near him in hopes that they would push him around the room.

Samantha got an art easel, she also got 3 rainbow looms, we are going to have quite the collection of bracelets at our house.

John Derek got a new bike and didn't want to stop riding. As soon as the sun was up he was off.

Elizabeth and her new phone. She now feels that she is the coolest thing out there. Which she is!!!

Maddie and her pink kitchen with a washing machine. She took all of her gifts and stuffed them in all the shelves.

So I have been trying to understand the scripture in Matthew 18:5-- “And 
whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." 

As well as Mosiah 3:19--"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

When your child has thrown a tantrum, made a mess of your kitchen, and won't be potty trained because of their sure stubbornness, it is hard to see why the Lord would ask us to become like little children. I read 2 stories, from the January 2014 Ensign, that helped me better understand what Heavenly Father is getting at.

Can He See Me?
The first was about a little boy who wanted to know if his Heavenly Father could see Him. He listened to his mother's faith and trusted that without question. He knew that his Heavenly Father loved him . . . all based on his faith in his mother's testimony--That is so like how our Father wants us to be. To trust Him, to have faith in Him and believe just because He said it. To not need justification as to why I should go help that person that the spirit is prompting me to help. To not need a confirmation that the Lord is the one talking to me when I am propted to get out of my comfort zone. To have faith that it is the Lord instructing me and asking for my help and obeying without hesitation.

Hello Little Lamb

The second was about a little boy waking up in the airport surrounded by strangers and loud noises only to be immidatly calmed by his mother, knowing she was there put him at ease and he went back to sleep.--If only we could do that.  To know that in the midst of our trials that the Lord is there, to trust Him, and to know that He will take care of us and that we will let Him.  Too many times I am questioning why I am in the "airport," why I have to go through this and not just focusing on my Heavenly Father and letting Him do what is best for me and what will bring me the most happiness.  

WE ARE EXPECTING BABY #5

Yes, you read it correctly. The Thornton Family is expecting a new baby in Dec. 2012. We are very excited. Today we made the announcement to our 4 children and I am sure that each of you heard their screams of excitement. Maddison immediately told us that it was going to be a boy but then after a few minutes decided that we need one boy and one girl. John Derek would like the baby to be a boy so that he can have a brother. Samantha would like the baby to sleep in her room. Elizabeth would like the baby to have brown hair so that more kids in the family would look like her. Then the conversation turned to names. Here are some of their favorites: Elizabeth wants: Sarah, Eva, Evelyn, or Eve, and if it is a boy Phineas or Ferb Samantha wants: Sam or Ammon John Derek wants: Johnny Maddison wants: Cinderella and Johnny So here we go. Taking on a new adventure of 5 children with faith that we are following our Father in Heaven's desires for our family. In this last conference Pres. P

Lessons from Friends/Faith

I had a fun visit with some of our friends yesterday. We talked a lot and I learned a lot. At one point she said that she has to rely on the Savior and the Atonement to make up for the love that she cannot give her children. She loves them but her weaknesses do not always show that and she prays that they will feel loved through the Atonement. I loved that idea. In my life right now I am functioning good but not perfect. I need the Atonement to make up for what I cannot give my children right now. She also talked about how important siblings are. That in China one of the problems with only having one child is that there are no aunts, uncles, or cousins. The family network is gone. How as parents we may not be able to give our children all the love that we would like but they are still getting loved from their siblings. That as children we fought with our siblings but now as adults we are closest to our siblings. This gave me great hope for my children, yes they fight an

Anniversary Day 3/Weaknesses can Become Strengths

We slept in again, oh so nice. We didn't leave the hotel until 11:00. We went to a local pancake place and had a scruptious breakfast. We then went in search of apple orchards as this area is known as Apple Country. We ended up at a place called Grandad's Apples. I was in 7th heaven. We bought a full bushel of apples and then more for making apple sauce. I loved it. We then went to down town Ashville and bought chocolates at the Chocolate Feddish. Mmmmm . . . Then we headed home. It was a wonderful time to be together with my best friend. I am so grateful to my loving Heavenly Father for helping us have such an enjoyable anniversary. We felt truly loved and blessed by Him. We enjoyed our 15th Anniversary and are looking forward to an eternity more. . . Book of Mormon, Ether 12:27 "27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that the

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