We could have gone on for several more months on the topic of reverence in our meetinghouses, and if my mailbox is any indication, that's exactly what Meridian readers want to do. However, the time has come for us to pose another question. If we don't pose it now, it's going to be too late.

However, for those of you who are still distressed because people around you aren't as reverent as you'd hope they'd be — or for those who suspect people are annoyed with you because you aren't as quiet as they are, I wanted to end this thread with a little story that shows you that there's hope for everyone:

One winter day, I thought back to an experience from my boyhood. I was just eleven. Our Primary president, Melissa, was an older and loving gray-haired lady. One day at Primary, Melissa asked me to stay behind and visit with her. There the two of us sat in the otherwise-empty chapel. She placed her arm around my shoulder and began to cry.

Surprised, I asked her why she was crying. She replied, “I don't seem to be able to encourage the [boys] to be reverent during the opening exercises of Primary. Would you be willing to help me, Tommy?” I promised Melissa that I would.

Strangely to me, but not to Melissa, that ended any problem of reverence in that Primary. She had gone to the source of the problem — me.

As you may have guessed, “Tommy” was none other than the 11-year-old Thomas S. Monson. (This story came from a conference talk from October, 1987.) I find the words comforting, and also instructive. Next time we're tempted to give a stern look to someone who isn't being reverent — or next time we castigate ourselves for incurring the wrath of someone else — we may want to remember that story and realize that even people who make occasional lapses of judgment can soar to great heights.

Now for this week's shiny new topic, which was sent in from a reader in Maryland :

I guess you know that Christmas is coming. Usually by this time I've got the whole Christmas season under control, with my shopping done and everything ready for a joyous holiday season.

Although I usually start my Christmas shopping in January, I put it off this year. Then Murphy's Law kicked in. Just as I was getting ready to pull out the Christmas list, I lost my job. After several months, I am still unemployed.

My situation isn't desperate because we still have my husband's income to pay the bills. But my income is what paid for the “frills,” such as Christmas presents for our family members and friends and people in the ward.

I don't care much about getting presents for myself, because I have all I need. But one of the joys of my life is giving Christmas presents to others. Now I have friends and family members — including a wonderful husband — who deserve to be showered with the best this world has to offer, and I have no means to do any showering.

If any of your readers can come up with ideas for Christmas on a shoestring, please let me know. I can do with ideas or recipes or patterns or anything that will allow me to give treasured gifts without spending a whole lot of money.

I know Christmas is a spiritual time and we shouldn't have to spend a lot of money to make it a joyous occasion, so you don't need to convert me. I just need some ideas to make it happen by December 25th.

Broke in Baltimore

There you have it, readers. Broke in Baltimore has a legitimate quandary, and some big needs.

If you have any ideas that will help Broke put together a Christmas for her family and friends, please send them along. Because she specifically asked for recipes or patterns or plans, you can send them in just this once if you've got some good ones.

Please come up with some good suggestions. Otherwise I'm going to have to pull out my recipe for chocolate-covered bacon, which I saw on the Food Network, and which I've been threatening to make for our health-conscious friends in the ward.

Send your suggestions to meridianmagazine@aol.com. Put something in the subject line to tell me your letter isn't spam. We'll publish the first responses next Monday. A nd when you write, be sure to include your full name, city and state or province. (If you'd rather be semi-anonymous, sign your name as “A Reader from Michigan ,” or “Sandy from Timbuktu .” The important thing is that we hear from you.)

Until next time — Kathy

Each day comes bearing its own gifts.  Untie the ribbons.

Ruth Ann Schabacker