Pepperoni service

My brother-in-law brought a pizza to the hospital for us just after my youngest was born. It was one of the most memorable pizzas I've ever had!
 

Share your talents

This is one of my favorites ever. And it almost stayed a sketchbook!
 

All I need for Christmas

I like the phrase, "pay it backward."
 

Thinking of you

Due to some unusual circumstances, I'm going to be revisiting some of my favorite Light the World cartoons this week. Enjoy!
 

Sketchbook: Feeling Groovy

It's time again for Light the World, one of my favorite Christmas celebrations!

This year, the Light the World team came up with 50 Ways to Let Your Light Shine — 50 ways to love your neighbor.*

Have a great Christmas season, and let your light shine!

*Musical History Note: Many years ago, musician Paul Simon had a chart-topping hit, "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover." Now you know.
 

Sketchbook: Our fellow beings

Once again it’s time for Light the World, and this year we have TWO machines in Oregon. One is in Portland a few miles from the temple, and the other is in Eugene, near the site of the soon-to-be Willamette Valley Temple. 

We had so much fun volunteering at the one in Portland last year! It’s so much fun to see people’s eyes light up as they buy things that support local needs. 
 

Editor’s note: We even got a little help from Godzilla!

Jackpot!

You know how advertisers often say that “everyone is a winner!”? Well, that’s true with Giving Machines — everybody wins!

 

Sketchbook: Trending

There’s always a bright side to everything! 

This is a bit of a throwback (haha) to my mission. Almost 90 percent of the apartments were named Samik (like the sign says), or it least so it seemed like it to me as a young, naïve missionary. The rest were named Hanil. Most people were at least polite, and I never ended up with a face plant in the dirt. 

Today’s Light the World connection is No. 13: Send a funny meme or video to a friend. 

Untangle the World

Because you can't really Light the World until it's untangled!
 

Yea, even hidden treasures

During December, I like to see if I can tie my cartoons in to the suggestions given for Light the World. I think this one can easily fall under suggestion No. 48: Help a loved one clean their home.
 

Sketchbook: Firelight

Chas Addams was one of my favorite cartoonists. He not only had a unique sense of humor, he was a master of subtlety. There are so many jokes hidden within his art! This sketch came about while we were watching Wednesday on Netflix. You might see the influence. 
 

Got a light?

I think this may be true for a lot of us — we bring a lot more light and love to the world than we realize. 
 

Sketchbook: Call someone

Sometimes there's just nobody else you need to talk to!
 

Light the sky, light the world

One of my favorite times of the year is when they roll out the Light the World campaign. It's different this year. Instead of giving a suggestion or a prompt each day, there's a list of 50 ideas of ways to share the light. It will be fun to see how it turns out!
 

Light the World: Jesus is the Light of the World

Merry Christmas!

Light the World: Treats Times Two

The Light the World prompt for today is to make two plates of treats to share with a friend, then have them choose someone with whom to share the other treat plate.

Mmm.

 

Light the World: Gifts from God

Today is a day for reflecting on our gifts from God. That's pretty much everything!

Light the World: Sharing Light

One of my favorite parts of the Nativity is watching what the shepherds do. They made haste to do what the angels told them to do — go and find the babe — and then they "made known abroad" what they had seen and heard.

The Light the World prompt for today is to share an inspirational story from your life in order that others may be uplifted. That's certainly what the shepherds did that night in Bethlehem!
 

Light the World: Together Time

For Light the World today, the suggestion is to gather as many family members as you can online for a virtual hangout. 

For our family, we often get everyone together to play Among Us, since it's easy for the littles and not too difficult for the older people either.

What if you don't have family you can virtually gather with? A perfectly valid option is to go online and do some family history work! What a great way to bring family members together on both sides!
 

Light the World: From Luke 2 to You

 This might be cheating, but I’m reposting from last year’s Light the World. This was so much fun to do!

Today's Light the World prompt suggests that we read a verse of Luke 2 and then pass it off to a friend. I asked a couple of my cartooning buddies to help me tell the story of the Nativity: Summer Bird and Arie Van De Graaff.*

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"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was the governor of Syria.)

"And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child."

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

"And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people; For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them unto heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

"And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."

"And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."

(Luke 2:1-20)

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*As an added bonus, the last panel includes hidden pictures for you to find! Download a printable copy!

Special thanks to Summer and Arie for joining me in this project. They are amazing people!

Second bonus: There's also a video version — take a look!