Christmas Stars

By Jillian Schmutz

As we go about this busy season,
The gift I offer is the gift of reason.
To see the true light in your life,
Amidst the trouble and the strife.

Christmas is the time of year,
To which that special star does appear.
That star may not be seen by our poor eyes,
But inside each of us it doth surely rise.

To the surface of our minds,
Comes the lights of many kinds.
So let your star light continue to shine,
Remember, each of you are friends of mine!

The light of Christ shall light the way,
And yet the whole price He did pay.
Remember the Lord this Christmas season,
And use Him with your gift of reason.



I wish you all a merry Christmas and I hope you will take these words to heart this special time of year! Thanks for all of the friendships we share, and I hope you have a wonderful year! :)

Rock Climbing

Because we had a day off of school today for "4th Quarter Break", a few of my friends asked me to go rock climbing with them. Kendall Wilkey, Taylor Anderson, and Dylan Cafferty took me for my first time to go rock climbing! We started out small with just a 30 footer and then they convinced me to do a harder one that was at least 40 feet tall! It was a fantastic adventure that lasted all afternoon! Unfortunately I was incredibly sore for softball practice. And I still hurt very badly!!! ha ha my arms hurt so bad I couldn't lift my blanket up... and my legs hurt because I had to run in practice... Oh man, rock climbing takes a lot more work than I thought it would!!! But it was so much fun!!! I truly had a blast!!!

Giving Thanks

This past Thanksgiving gave me a lot to think about. There are so many things we each have to be thankful for. We have friends, family, and just so much for. I'm grateful for so much, like time. We all have the same amount of time, even if we don't necessarily use it wisely. We have enough time to play and to work, to sing and dance, and to learn and sleep.
I am very grateful for my family, especially to get to know the new, wonderful people that are my step-family! I get to learn and grow from these great people, and hopefully help each of them to learn and grow. I'm also glad I got a chance to grow closer to each of my sisters (including Rachel!). I am happy to say that the members of my family are my best friends!
I'm grateful to my friends and for the examples they are to me. They help to stay on the right path in so many ways! They keep me going through the hard times, and help me not go too crazy during the good.
I am glad I have so much time to do the things I want to do, and to do the things I need to do. I know the importance of working hard, and of playing hard.
I'm grateful for beautiful music. I can perform on the piano, and on the alto saxophone. These are blessings to me, and a relaxation tool. Hearing the music makes me relax, and knowing I've done it brings this amazing feeling of pride, and awe. But more about that at a different time :)
And lastly, but certainly not the least important (it may even be the most important) I'm grateful for my daddy. He took the time to teach each of us such important things, like how to work hard. I know I complained a lot, but he was there to keep me going. He continually encourages me to do my best and to get the best possible education. But, with all this, he wants me to make my own decisions and to be able to take care of myself.