#GIVETHANKS

At the invitation of our church leader, who we revere as a prophet, I'm posting a few things I'm grateful for right now:

a husband who loves me; five wonderful children, all healthy and gainfully employed; one official in-law, and two un-official; two sweet grandchildren; health; prosperity; plenty to keep me busy; and much to look forward to.

What are you grateful for these days?

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

#givethanks

Wednesday's Wisdom

Parental Paydays

Rebecca, over at her blog called Renaissance, shared some delight pictures of her baby smiling.

I commented that it looked like a parental payday to me.

What is a parental payday? Well it's what TopDad and I call those infrequent moments when what a child says or does makes us feel that our efforts to raise that child have paid off, been worth it, been successful.

Most jobs offer money and other tangible benefits that come at usually regular intervals. Working as a parent can often seem like a thankless, benefit-less, exhausting effort. But then those little moments happen, like a baby smiling, or a teen doing a task without being asked, or a young adult expressing genuine gratitude, and it's a parental payday!

It reminds me to be a better child to my Heavenly Parent, smiling and being cheerful, doing things without being commanded (or nagged), and expressing real gratitude for the multitude of miracles and blessings I receive daily.

End of Month

Many bloggers are sharing their Christmas gift creations and I wish I could join the crowd. However, those I'm making gifts for read my blog and I want some things to be a surprise on Christmas day. How about I share all my creations after Christmas? Perhaps it will give you some ideas to work on for next year. Or for birthdays, or weddings, or something.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with three of our children home. We had invited a family from church but weather prevented them from coming to our house so after we ate dinner, TopDad and I packed up food and took it to them. We had a nice visit in their home.  (No photos, I'm so lame!)

Today is a "snow day", hence no school. I am attempting to clear off my desk. Why is paperwork my bugaboo? I have mail, lists, notes, letters, quotes, catalogs, books, charts, and who knows what else, cluttering my desk. I've read many, MANY books on decluttering, handling paperwork, home offices, etc. But I still haven't found a system to accommodate my needs and wants. I will persevere though and keep trying. We fail only when we give up and quit.

May I say that I really appreciate the many bloggers who open up their hearts and homes online. I feel like I have some very special friends. I'd love to get together with all of you. I also appreciate my readers and would love for you to leave a comment or two, even if it's just Hello! I hope my efforts, however lame and pathetic, brighten your day.

God bless all of you!!

The prettiest pear!

Over There

I'm putting up my (sort of) annual Count Your Blessings posts over there on my other blog.

Thanks for stopping by; I'm planning to be back in business in the new year.

Literacy and Tithing

Day Twenty-five of Count Your Blessings 2013

Today I'm grateful for the gift of literacy. My parents are both readers, especially my mother. She read to me before bed many nights until I was about twelve. She didn't "do voices" but she had an interesting voice and good inflection. I went to college, completing about two years worth of work, but I consider myself an educated person because of all the reading I've done. My favorite section in the library is non-fiction! There are so many interesting subjects to learn about.

The second thing I'm grateful for (I keep missing days!) is the law of tithing. This is another gift from my parents. They taught by example and words that obeying the law of tithing brings blessings, just like it says in Malachi: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10) I've seen those blessings in the life of my parents, among my family and friends, and in my own life. It takes faith to pay tithing FIRST, then the Lord blesses us, not the other way around.

NaNoWriMo

Day Twenty of Count Your Blessings - 2013

Noble introduced me to the NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth or NaNoWriMo in 2009. TopDad and JET had already moved to Iowa and it was just me and our other four children wrapping up things in Utah. She cajoled and wheedled and I gave in. I wrote a novel (that I'm still working on) and had a lot of fun doing it. The next year I attempted it again, but didn't win (making it to a 50,000 word count is considered winning) and hadn't participated again. November is just too busy a month for me being right before December and Christmas. But Noble did it again (cajoled and wheedled) and I'm again feverishly writing when ever I have some time. Last night she arranged a "Write-In" over Skype. We simply sat together and wrote in 25 minute bursts with five to ten minute breaks to relax and chat. I had a blast!! And I got 4,000 words written in the three hours we did it.

Thank You Noble aka Te Ah Rheum in Korea.

The other thing I'm thankful for today (I need two things because I missed yesterday) is the beauty of the night sky. For the past few days the night sky has been clear and the Evening Star is just gorgeous and then the full moon rising over the bare trees is another beauty to behold. Moonlight and star shine! Hey, maybe that can be the title of my next novel. Or should it Moonshine and Starlight?

16, 17, 18

Day Eighteen of Count Your Blessings - 2013

Three more things I'm grateful for:

16 - Restaurants! TopDad is so kind when I'm exhausted, he takes me out to eat. I'm so grateful for the convenience of someone else fixing food and cleaning up. Especially after I've spent the day fixing food for a church function and then cleaning up afterward.

17 - Hand me down/up/over clothes; someone elses cast-offs have been some of my favorite clothes. And my favorite price is Free!

18 - Korean Pop music, which is the BEST to walk/run to; my treadmill time is so much more pleasant with KPop blaring to help me keep up the pace. Thanks, Noble! Saranghae (Korean for I love you!)

Baking

Day Fifteen of Count Your Blessings 2013

Ummmm, can you smell it? Bread baking in the oven. Heavenly!

I'm so grateful to have an oven! The house smells so good these days, what with bread, muffins, cakes, cookies, and such. It feeds both the body and the soul.

Small Cars

Day Twelve of Count Your Blessings 2013

Today I'm really grateful for my small car. Clearing snow and frost off the windshield is no problem, I can reach the whole thing! I'll leave the clearing of the huge Suburban window to Dr. Hair, who at almost 6'2" can reach it.

Technology

Day Eight of Count Your Blessings 2013

I think I said it two years ago, but the miracles of technology continue to amaze me. Last night we "Skyped" with Noble in Korea. It is awesome to both hear and see her through the computer. How does that work? I don't know and I don't need to know. I'm just grateful it does work.

Now I'm Embarrassed

I guess I wrote my other post only in my mind. I was sure I had posted about this being November and I'd do the whole Count Your Blessings thing again. Oops!

Two years ago I did a month long series of gratitude posts. I enjoyed it and it was a good exercise for me to remember and record all the things I’m grateful for. I missed last year but have decided to do it again this year, even though I’m getting a late start.

So, having missed the first four days of November, I’ll come up with four things I’m grateful for:

1. I’m grateful for the health and strength I have. I have no chronic illnesses or conditions. I've been in the hospital only twice (I don’t count having babies as that’s not a disease!) once at age 5 or 6 to get my tonsils out, and again in 2005 to have an ovary removed. So pretty healthy here. I've never broken a bone, or had to have stitches (other than for the removal of a mole). I have had Influenza twice, the first time in 2008 I was in bed for a whole week and my family was scared I would die. The second time was the next year and I was in bed only three days, and then not again. (I think I've built up an immunity. I've never had a flu shot either.) So I count my blessings health-wise.

2. I’m really grateful for my five physical senses. I love hearing the sound of my family’s voices; beautiful music and singing; birds, the wind in the trees, water as in rivers, streams and waves of the ocean. I get great joy from seeing beautiful things like sunrises and sunsets, autumn leaves, spring flowers, majestic mountains, gorgeous lakes; I love to see my family and friends (and am so grateful for technology to do so); I find pleasure in smelling and tasting good food (sometimes too much), like bread and cheese, fresh summer fruits, thick soup on a frosty night. And I love to touch things, like smooth baby skin, silky fabrics, satiny flower petals, rough tree bark and boulders; I like the feel of beach sand running through my fingers, and kneading bread, and holding my husband’s work roughened hand. To me these senses are gifts from God to experience his goodness and tender mercies.

3. Technology is a huge blessing. With our adult children so far away physically I rely on technology to stay close emotionally. Skyping with them is so fun! Email, Facebook, blogs, IM’s, and cell phones keep up connected. We have so many blessing from God to help preserve families.

4. My own car! Again. We've been a one car family for a long time, about five years, I think. We finally got a cheap, economical, little car for me. TopDad drives a school provided car for work (he commutes between two schools), and Dr. Hair and Dandylion use the family car to get to school and work. Oh, it’s wonderful to have some freedom again, and driving a 5 speed manual is fun! (For those interested, it’s a 1999 Ford Escort, 2 door, 5 speed, red.)

Heat

Day Five of Count Your Blessings

I heard the heater kick on this morning and felt go grateful for automatic heaters and programmable thermostats. You know how much I love studying history, but I don't know that I'd want to live history. The father or mother has to get up in the cold and stoke the fire and feed it and wait for things to warm up. I think I truly would hibernate if I had to do that!

Winter is closing in.

Surprise!

Day Thirty of Count Your Blessings

Last night I was on our bed reading when Topdad came into the bedroom bearing a gift. I melted into tears!
I love surprises, especially when they are so thoughtful and wonderful! Thank you, Topdad.

Isn't it lovely? I think I'm getting in the Christmas spirit!
Speaking of which, throughout the month of December I'll be sharing how I put Christ back into Christmas.

Oops - I missed a day

Day Twenty-eight and Twenty-nine of Count Your Blessings

Well, I missed a day for no reason other than I was tired. Bad excuse. I've been wracking my brain too, but am in a fog and can't come up with something wonderful that I'm thankful for that I haven't already expressed. So how about a bunch of little things.

I'm thankful for:
a husband's warm body in bed with me on cold nights
an eighteen year old son's hug and "I love you Mom."
a fifteen year old son who holds my hand while shopping
a thirteen year old son who cuddles up to me on the couch
a faithful missionary son
a daughter who's my best friend

I enjoy:
sunsets and moonrises
rain and rainbows
flannel sheets and wool blankets
Mormon Tabernacle Choir music and Korean Boy Bands
plaid skirts and corduroy slacks
fruit pies and fudge brownies (homemade from scratch, of course)
whole wheat bread toast and peppermint tea
cheese - almost any kind
fresh summer fruit
movies that make me laugh and cry
good books
letters in the mail
dressing up
being remembered and recognized
making new friends
speaking in church
teaching
laughing with my children
traveling to new places (or old ones for that matter)
a clean house
sunshine through clean windows
unexpected gifts
museums and art galleries
live symphony concerts
mastering a skill
learning new things
a brisk walk
a leisurely stroll (hand in hand with a loved one is even better)
family history research
old photographs (whether I know the people or not)
fresh flowers
dark chocolate
linen napkins
handkerchiefs

These are a few of my favorite things. . .

Cloudy With a Chance of . . .

Day Twenty-six of Count Your Blessings

I'm so thankful for the good weather forecasting (well as good as it can be, nothing's perfect) we have today. I wanted to drive north to Carroll this afternoon for a few errands and I was able to check the weather forecast and see that no snow was expected, only strong winds.

This is a blessing earlier residents of these parts just didn't have; and while it is possible to tell the weather by signs around us, those satellite images and radar tracking are a heap more accurate and timely.

How was your weather today? What about tomorrow?

Pajama Party Game Night

Day Twenty-five of Count Your Blessings

Did you know you can establish a family tradition any time you want? We've had a number of "traditions" over the years. Some have lasted a long time, others weren't so popular. The current one we're trying is a Friday night Pajama Party Game Night. I felt we were watching too many movies and not interacting enough, so a couple weeks ago I invited everyone to a Pajama Party Game Night.  After dinner and then kitchen clean up we changed into our favorite jammies and pull out a bunch of games. Each person got to choose a game from the pile to play in turn. We had simple refreshments and snacks during the evening.

Dandylion getting a Yahtzee!

At the end of the first party Dr. Hair went to bed chanting "Fun night; fun, fun night; we had a fun, fun night." He was so HAPPY! I found that my simple efforts were worth it for my 15 year old to go to bed that night so happy. Tonight was our third party and it was just as fun. I think this is a tradition to keep.

I'm grateful for family traditions and making happy memories with my children.

A round of "Presto-Chango"

Playing "Warriors from the Book of Mormon"

P.S. One month from today is Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Day Twenty-four of Count Your Blessings

Today I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so thankful for the scriptures and the many people through the ages who sacrificed their time, talents and even their lives to prepare, preserve and translate the scriptures so that I can read God's word today in my native language. I am eternally grateful for a living prophet to lead and guide us.

I'm truly grateful for my family, past, present and future.

I'm grateful for Patriots, past, present and future.

I'm grateful for the wonderful abundance I enjoy in this land of liberty. I'm grateful for those who daily work to preserve the liberty of this great nation.

May your day be full of blessings.

Do you have a library card?

Day Twenty-three of Count Your Blessings

Before I met my husband I went out a couple of times with another guy, who upon seeing my floor to ceiling bookcase asked incredulously, "Have you read all those?" And when I answered "All, but a couple of them that I'm still working on," said something to the effect of "What a waste of time." I didn't go out with him again. When TopDad saw that same bookcase he said "Wow, you like to read too!" I married him.

Sometime last year, or was it the year before? anyway, Noble introduced me to a really fun book from a pile she'd gotten at the library and then decided she wasn't interested in.  By Hester Browne, it's called The Little Lady Agency. There are two sequels and two other completely separate novels by Hester. She is a delightful British author and her character Melissa/Honey is one of my favorites.

Feeling down this week because of the vile, overcast weather, I pulled The Little Lady Agency off the shelf and read it for the umpteenth time.  It never fails to please and lift my spirits. I highly recommend it, as well as all of Hester's other books.

I love to read! We as a family have more books than I can count. It's like a small library, built up over many years of homeschooling and to feed our love of reading.

Today I'm thankful for all the authors whose talent is so much greater than mine in putting down on paper great stories, as well as fantastic non-fiction information and education in a really accessible way.

What Makes A Friend?

Day Twenty-two of Count Your Blessings

Today I'm grateful for friends. I've heard from two of my favorites this week.

My idea of a friend is someone who is rarely too busy to let me come over to bend her ear for an hour and feels comfortable enough to stop in at my house to do the same.  She invites me for lunch or shopping at the drop of a hat, and is willing and ready to go when I invite her.  Then when one of us moves away she writes, calls, and emails regularly in answer to my regular letters, calls and emails.  She shares her griefs and joys and then allows me to cry on her shoulder in turn and is delighted to share in my good news. She gives good advice, encourages me, helps me see my faults, shares recipes and then expects and accepts the same from me.

I've lived in nine different places since getting married.  You'd think I'd have tons of friends, but what I have are many acquaintances, just a small handful of great friends! And one of those I raised along the way. (Saranghae, Ah Reum.)

 Since entering the world of blogging I've encountered some absolutely wonderful people about whom I think "I wish we were neighbors so we could be friends!"  There's got to be a word to describe this new kind of relationship.  In the meantime, I'm so glad to have met so many terrific and talented folks.

What Do You Want for Christmas, Mom?

Day Twenty-one of Count Your Blessings

My children used to get very frustrated with me when they'd ask that question.  My answer was always the same, "A clean house and obedient children." 

Today as I was cleaning up the mess from our busy, but relaxed Sabbath I got all teary eyed as I realized that my wish had come true.  Well, not the clean house part, but the obedient children part. No rebels in the bunch; our adult children are all productive, contributing members of society, as well as in the church; our two younger sons are busy with school, work and improving their talents.  We have good relationships and enjoy being together.  We look forward to reunions with those who are away from home presently.

With a grateful heart I say thank you to my Heavenly Father for sending me such great children.