Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one.
"Worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye
live in
thanksgiving
daily,
for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." Alma 34:38
Thursday, November 27, 2008
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I enjoy the food. I enjoy the family. I enjoy the thanksgiving. I feel humbled and thankful to God for all my many blessings. We're in Arizona for this special day this year with Bill and Chelsea.
Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one.
"Worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye
live in
thanksgiving
daily,
for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." Alma 34:38
Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one.
"Worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye
live in
thanksgiving
daily,
for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." Alma 34:38
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
What's a Mother to Do?
I'm home today, for a change. The subbing has taken off and I'm working almost daily. I stayed home today because my Janna was sick.
Janna and I last Sunday after church. I'm 5' 7 1/2". It looks like I shrunk. Janna is 5' 10 1/2", but with her "America's Next Top Model" stilettos on, she's a good inch or two over 6 ft.
I want to be home with my children, but in spite of my best efforts, there have been times where subbing has taken me longer than my children's school schedules. Because of different school times there have been a few days where I have arrived 15 minutes to an hour after Janna and Sam get home.
Janna has seen me home her 16 1/2 years. The other day she came home from school wanting to tell me about her day. I wasn't home. She found herself disappointed that I wasn't there and concluded that she didn't like her mother working, but truth be told; how many times have I not been home because I was tending Grandma or at the grocery store or on another errand? What's the diff.? Some how there was one in her mind and she was distressed by the situation. I walked in minutes later to hear about her feelings. Anyway, what's a mother to do?
“I know who I am, and I know what I am supposed to do. The rest just follows.” [I]...will build faith and character in the next generation one family prayer at a time, one scripture study session, one book read aloud, one song, one family meal after another. [I am]...involved in a great work. [I know]...that “children are an heritage of the Lord” and “happy is the [woman] that hath [a] quiver full of them” (Ps. 127:3, 5). [I know]...that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily mothering is far more lasting, far more powerful, far more influential than any earthly position or institution invented by man. [I have]... the vision that, if worthy, [I have the]...potential to be blessed as Rebekah of old to be “the mother of thousands of millions” Gen. 24:60).
Julie B. Beck, “A ‘Mother Heart’,” Ensign, May 2004, 75
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Fall Planting
Puttering in my garden use to be part of my "stay-at-home" routine. Picking and digging was a daily delight, but now subbing has usurped my time; the weeding and other gardening duties have unfortunately been set aside. Consequently, because of neglect, my once therapeutic ritual has loomed into a chore. What needs to be done seems a bit overwhelming, but happily we've had good weather and some special visitors this weekend.
I had some help on Saturday with a fall planting of flowers. It added some color to our front garden that was looking a little drab. I also was a recent recipient of two fun stepping stones that my grandson's, Jeremiah and Joseph, painted at school. Those were gladly placed in strategic honorary spots. The garden still needs more work, but it's looking a lot more perky for the coming Thanksgiving holiday.
Joseph, Sam, and I - digging, planting, and cleaning up.
Another great helper this weekend,
Jeremiah, my grandson.
I'm happy the garden and lawn are looking better, but I'm even more pleased that in working together relationships have grown.
"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, [how colorful my garden was], or the kind of car I drove . . . . but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."
Kathy Davis
I had some help on Saturday with a fall planting of flowers. It added some color to our front garden that was looking a little drab. I also was a recent recipient of two fun stepping stones that my grandson's, Jeremiah and Joseph, painted at school. Those were gladly placed in strategic honorary spots. The garden still needs more work, but it's looking a lot more perky for the coming Thanksgiving holiday.
Joseph, Sam, and I - digging, planting, and cleaning up.
Another great helper this weekend,
Jeremiah, my grandson.
I'm happy the garden and lawn are looking better, but I'm even more pleased that in working together relationships have grown.
"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, [how colorful my garden was], or the kind of car I drove . . . . but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."
Kathy Davis
Saturday, November 15, 2008
TAGGED
I've been tagged by my friend, Danette.
1. I'd prefer not to "work". I miss my freedom and a lot of things that I use to do with my time.
2. I use to walk everyday (40 minutes to an hour). Now I'm riding a recumbent bike (20 minutes a day).
3. Outside of my family, I have two piano students.
4. I'd like to adopt.
5. I've always wished I had taken ballet lessons.
6. I'd like to take more Art classes.
7. "I hope they call me on a mission."
I tag Annie, Paige, Yvonne, Wendy, Chelsea, Cassie, and Michelle!
Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.
Lyrics by Rodgers & Hammerstein
1. I'd prefer not to "work". I miss my freedom and a lot of things that I use to do with my time.
2. I use to walk everyday (40 minutes to an hour). Now I'm riding a recumbent bike (20 minutes a day).
3. Outside of my family, I have two piano students.
4. I'd like to adopt.
5. I've always wished I had taken ballet lessons.
6. I'd like to take more Art classes.
7. "I hope they call me on a mission."
I tag Annie, Paige, Yvonne, Wendy, Chelsea, Cassie, and Michelle!
Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.
Lyrics by Rodgers & Hammerstein
Monday, November 10, 2008
FHE - Let the Blessings FLOW!
"If the Saints obey this counsel [to hold regular family home evenings], we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influence and temptations which beset them." (First Presidency letter, 27 April 1915 - Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose, emphasis added) (Uh.....sign me up!)
We strive to have family home evening every Monday even though some things get in the way of our efforts. Some things happily help our efforts, like the Primary activity Sam attended some weeks ago. Sam came home with a family home evening presentation he made at the activity. We were happy to have him give the lesson tonight.
Sammy's Lesson on GRATITUDEAs a child, I remember my family always tried to have one day a week for a special time together. My dad wasn't always available on Monday nights (the traditional day set aside by the Church for FHE) so we selected different days to accommodate his changing schedule.
FHE had an impact on me. I remember the good feelings I had when we met together. My family certainly wasn't perfect, but I felt the Spirit profoundly as we gathered for a lesson, singing, games, and activities.
I remember years later bearing testimony in a Relief Society meeting of the importance of family home evening. I was a young mother at the time, but very confident in my witness of the blessings that come by faithfully having family home evening. I had experienced it. I oh so knew of it's spiritual significance and strengthening power. After the lesson, a sister approached me. She questioned whether such devotion would bring such great benefits. Her obvious doubts made me reflect on the story from the Old Testment of Naaman, who was "captain of the host of the king of Syria." He went to be healed of leprosy from the prophet Elisha:
"And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."
(2 Kings 5:10-15)
I remember what I felt as a child. A simple weekly gathering has strengthened and blessed me and my family more than I know, then and now. I cannot deny it. I believe in the direction of a prophet of God. Our hearts and homes can easily be blessed like Naaman dipping himself in Jordan's waters. I know if we do it, the blessings will flow.
We strive to have family home evening every Monday even though some things get in the way of our efforts. Some things happily help our efforts, like the Primary activity Sam attended some weeks ago. Sam came home with a family home evening presentation he made at the activity. We were happy to have him give the lesson tonight.
Sammy's Lesson on GRATITUDE
FHE had an impact on me. I remember the good feelings I had when we met together. My family certainly wasn't perfect, but I felt the Spirit profoundly as we gathered for a lesson, singing, games, and activities.
I remember years later bearing testimony in a Relief Society meeting of the importance of family home evening. I was a young mother at the time, but very confident in my witness of the blessings that come by faithfully having family home evening. I had experienced it. I oh so knew of it's spiritual significance and strengthening power. After the lesson, a sister approached me. She questioned whether such devotion would bring such great benefits. Her obvious doubts made me reflect on the story from the Old Testment of Naaman, who was "captain of the host of the king of Syria." He went to be healed of leprosy from the prophet Elisha:
"And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."
(2 Kings 5:10-15)
I remember what I felt as a child. A simple weekly gathering has strengthened and blessed me and my family more than I know, then and now. I cannot deny it. I believe in the direction of a prophet of God. Our hearts and homes can easily be blessed like Naaman dipping himself in Jordan's waters. I know if we do it, the blessings will flow.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
VOTE AMERICA !
“Bad politicians are sent to Washingtonby good people who don't vote.”
PLEASE.......
PLEASE.......
This election I voted absentee ballot for the first time. My ballot went in a week ago. Hooray for the red, white, and blue! Hooray for the U.S. of A.! Hooray for the democracy in which we live. I'm grateful I can vote. I want to make America better!
“We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society. … such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people. …” (D&C 134:1, 3.)