The Best Way to Kill Christmas Cheer

Is singing loud for all to hear. Just kidding. That's the best way to spread Christmas cheer.. No, I discovered the best way to kill Christmas cheer is with one word: Obamacare.

Last night Steve and I went to Home Depot for the THIRD time in the last three nights to get a Christmas tree. (The first two tries they were out of trees...out of trees!) Last night we were in luck and they had just got a new shipment fresh from the tree farm. I was feeling the Christmas spirit real good. Picture me dancing in the Christmas tree aisle, with Avery in my arms, singing along to all the Christmas tunes playing. I was in rare form.

We picked out our perfect tree and  two Home Depot guys tied it to our SUV for us. We were joking around with them and such, when suddenly, not even sure how this happened, one of the employees mentioned Obamacare and how he is signed up for the cheapest plan which is $500 a month, it only covers two visits to the doctor a year, has a $5000 deductible, and no prescription coverage. Total buzzkill.

Steve and I both were pretty introverted on the drive home thinking about what that employee said. And its not like we haven't heard all of the Obamacare issues before last night, but it sounded more real coming from a Home Depot employee than from Bill O'Reilly. It hit home, and it hit hard.
When we got home, I couldn't muster the strength to decorate the tree last night. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry at the thought of our family's future. Our poor tree doesn't even have one strand of lights on it.

This morning I was still struggling to think about anything else but what lies ahead for our family in 2014 and suddenly I remembered a quote from President Monson:
"My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."
In fact, the entire talk, from where that quote comes, is nothing short of amazing and incredibly uplifting. http://www.lds.org/ensign/2009/05/be-of-good-cheer. Read it. Its a good one. I needed to read that talk today.

It is so easy to get caught up in worldly problems, like money, and forget that the plan of salvation has zero to do with politics, grocery bills, insurance, etc. I need to be reminded often what this life is about. I need to have more faith and trust in the Lord that all the things we experience are for our good. If our family struggles financially next year, it will be for our good, and the Lord will not leave us. I know that.

Now...time to tackle that not-so-spirited-Christmas tree.