Highway directions....

Several of my birthdays have come and gone but there have been many that have just sort of passed by, like flipping a calendar page.  A signature few I've anticipated...50, 60, 65, not 70 but oh, my I've been waiting for 75!  So curious to feel it.  So filled with wondering if it will be any different from yesterday when I was a mere 74.  Yes!  it is different!  To think I've lived 3/4 a century on this earth!!  That I'm only 25 years from being 100 years old!  I marvel at all I've seen...the progression in so many things like all devices... the gospel advances and advanced changes in so many areas in organizing and teaching...to see the flip side of so much good with so much evil abounding and disasters and God being taken out of everything including Christmas.  Mortality is just an amazing incredible journey.

Today on the freeway when I turned at a certain place the normal highway markings turned to small squares--exit only the road print read--you must exit.  then no blocks and just a solid yellow line.  Like a hospital monitor flat-line.  Analogy for life.  Right on the highway!  There comes an exit time.

Exit Lane Living.  My new stage of life.

So I started out going to map out my next 30 years and put the sheen on it at the Temple.  Receive some confirmation along with some revelation as to what I need to do.

I'm so glad that I went!  One thing for sure...I'll go to the Temple on each of my allotted birthdays!  It was bliss!  Loved it!  Great way to start the day and what a wonderful day it has been.

First of all when I got into my Temple bag, I noticed the snow white lace on my packet that had the CR Temple embroidered along with my full name.  I remember being surprised when Myra Faye gifted me with that soon after the Temple was open.  It was so unexpected and I've enjoyed and appreciated it.  Today when I looked at it, I thought to myself...wonder how many times she will suddenly be brought to my mind. Today she certainly was.

I thought of the fact that she was only 4 months older than me and she is gone.  It made me really desire to figure out what is the best thing I can do with my time allotment.

Several things came to mind and I will act on them.  I was concerned as to how was I going to possibly get all the things done that I wanted to do.  As you know I've been trying for 2 years to organize etc and between Terry's stroke, his recovery, residual effects of that, then pneumonia and all sorts of gall bladder stuff that became an ordeal...I just felt myself falling further and further behind as far as I could see.

I'd made a list and knew which way I was headed and I was making headway until the pneumonia/gallbladder episodes.  When I'd made the list of house things, I'd also made a secondary list of things to do when that first list was done.  All sorts of things like organize the green trunk filled with old letters, organize and write about an interview I did with my mother and tell about the pictures we used, organize all photos and label them, and all sorts of stuff like that.

I ended up feeling that my intents were good and yes, the house needed to be sorted etc. but my ladder, so to speak, was propped up against the wrong wall!  I needed to reverse the lists and have the 1st list be 2nd and vice versa.  My energies needed to be spent doing things that others wouldn't know what to do with it.  To do things that only I knew what needed to be done.  IF I sped off the exit lane then someone else could bring a trash can in and a small shovel and just toss everything cluttery but they wouldn't know what those letters were about, or who the people were/the place and time of pictures.  I really like that idea...spend your major time on things that only you can do.  To write.  Do Family Search.  all sorts of things. My tasks!

One other direction...to take my Patriarchal Blessing and see how I am really doing on bringing those blessings into my life.  Compare my progress on that challenge with the last blessing Greg gave me when he was here. 

A really strange idea but nonetheless I will do it, is to allow pictures of me to be taken.  I know.  I know.  but I am not a lover of having my picture taken much less shared in any form BUT I will heed that counsel as it certainly was not my idea!!

I left my list in the car but I'll keep you posted on my new set of projects...starting with the green trunk.  I'm excited.  I really understood the message and embraced it...do those things that only you can do.  I understand.  I will heed.

Then a bit of practicality.  I've always wanted to live to 105 BUT today I felt that is fine to think that would be exciting and interesting to live and see all that will transpire with the Lord surely coming somewhere long before that BUT I was told to focus one year at a time, from birthday to birthday.  So I will!

Truly love the Temple and totally know the Lord will help us and reveal to us personal things to help us along.

Have now propped my ladder against the correct wall.  Switched list A and B.  Ready to go.

In the meantime... What a fantastic birthday I had!!!  Thanks for phone calls, emails, notes on my daughters FB, flowers and candy and cookies and cake and cards and bushels of best wishes and love.  I am so blessed!  xoxoxoxo

Unreal!!!!

Will explain another time!

Really!  How prompt was that nudging accomplished?  Me.  75.  uh-huh.