The Prince of Peace

Have you felt the healing power of the Savior?

Without Christ . . . There would be no Christmas

Heroines

Count Your Blessings - Final Post

For the last weeks of November I was thinking of all the women who have influenced my life. I came up with quite a list.

Enid W. - My mother who taught me by example to love homemaking and babies
Grandma Fern - My Dad's mother who taught me to love Relief Society
Nana Rose - My Mom's mother who, by her example, showed me faith and commitment; she had fifteen children!
Dorothy B - My older sister who has pioneered and blazed the trail ahead of me and has taught me much about forgiveness
Dorothy F - Who mentored me early on and taught me about being organized in a leadership calling
Margie W - A kindred spirit whose friendship, optimism and humor bless my life
Mary W - A new found kindred spirit and friend who is teaching me more about leadership
Norma D - Her beauty filled home inspired me to keep striving
Joy C - Her loving nature and deep spirituality was a much needed balm to my soul
Susan R - Her generosity, acceptance and love of reading helped me stretch my mind
Mary K - My junior high school choir teacher, encountered again in later life, showed me that we're never too old to develop new talents; when her singing voice gave out she took up painting.
Cindy T - Her example of graciousness is a constant guide
Joyce L - Taught me a lot about the glories of God's creations while we were camping
Carol O - Taught me about treasure hunting at thrift stores
Jana H - A long time friend whose optimism, hope and faith are a shining example to me
Rilla J - Her level of physical fitness in her 80's puts mine to shame
Jane R - Another dear church sister, departed now, who taught me about being a true friend
Noble T - My favorite daughter! Who has taught me to love all things Korean

Who has influenced your life?

Books

Count Your Blessings - Day 18

Today I'm grateful for books and libraries and Abebooks.

I love to read! I have LOTS of books. I love libraries so I don't have to buy every book I want to read. I love Abebooks for when I read a book from the library that I call a keeper and want to buy it.

I just got back from the library with two books:

 A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

 Fifty Acres and a Poodle: A Story of Love, Livestock, and Finding Myself on a Farm  by Jeanne Marie Laskas

Not that I have tons of time to read, but reading is how I relax before going to sleep. It's also how I escape from my boring and/or stressful life, forget the cold outside, and meet new friends.

What are you thankful for today?

'Nuff Said

Count Your Blessings - Days 13 - 17

It's 2:15 PM Monday, the temperature outside is 16 degrees with a real feel of -2.

Here's what I'm thankful for:

This is one area I'm really grateful I don't have to live like a pioneer. (Although, I've camped and backpacked enough that the alternative doesn't completely gross me out.)

Let's see, what else am I grateful for?

Over thirty years of cooking experience! Sunday morning I got up and realized that we had potluck after the meetings. I thought for a moment and got out my crockpot and the ingredients (potatoes, onions, cheese) for scalloped potatoes, prepared it all, started them cooking, then took the whole thing with us and plugged it in at church and when it was time to eat the potatoes were ready and delicious.

Inspiration or personal revelation!  I've been thinking about, pondering, searching scriptures and such to come up with a theme for our Relief Society for 2015. This weekend the idea came to me and it's wonderful. I won't share it just yet, but will the first week of January when I have the bulletin board up and reveal it to the sisters.

Miracles of modern technology! Have I ever said how much I appreciate Skype? Yeah, only a bazillion times. I love being able to see and talk to my daughter in far off Korea. I don't know how it works, there are no wires to connect us, just 1's and 0's streaming off into the air. How do they not get lost? "Oh look, that house looks interesting, let's go there."  "Wow, would you look at that monster wave, do you think we could surf down it?" But no, they all find their way to the precise location they're supposed to. It's a miracle!

People who are smarter and more experienced than me! I'm so glad I don't have to think up everything. I'm so grateful there are others willing to work hard and produce things so I don't have to. Like shoes, pots and pans, cars, electricity, natural gas for furnaces, and such. Then there are those who share their art, music, dance, drama, etc. The world would be a poorer place without them and their hard work.

What are you thankful for today?