Kiddos visit

How I love these 3!!  3 out of 5 are here!

I'll be back posting soon.

My guys look a little tired and then there is my smiley-face girl.  David on left (long awaited 3rd son.  4th child)  Jeanee in middle (rose amongst the thorns.  3rd child.  only daughter!)  Kipper on right (precious first born.  #1 of 5)  Each of them is totally unique and each has their own special place reserved just for them in my heart.  I am so blessed.  As siblings...they make it work!  All of those different drumbeats going on and they somehow or other make music that ebbs and flows and blends.

Gratitude for a great day!

Today was a day that seemed unusual to me.  Again...I was not at Church.  4 weeks in a row.  In all of my years of membership, I've never done that!  A month of Sundays that just streamed by.  I'm surprised at how isolated I feel.  Uninformed.  Excluded.  Unknowing. Left out.  Did I reach out?  No.  I thought about the importance to our spiritual health and Church activity, is our regular attendance.

I gave this scripture a lot of thought...

Moroni 6:
4... they were numbered among the people of the ^bchurch of Christ; and their ^cnames were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually ^dwatchful unto prayer, ^erelying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.

5 And the ^achurch did meet together ^boft, to ^cfast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

6 And they did ^ameet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in ^bremembrance of the Lord Jesus.

So enough about missing Church!  Terry is feeling somewhat better.  I'm feeling good.  so life is moving ahead.

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful!  David and his family came.  I protested that we were not prepared for anything or anyone- infirmary here!- and he reassured me that he was bringing the fixin's and cooking and they wanted to be with us.  And so they came.  And it was wonderful!  

They did some finishing up for winter prep...gutters and final raking and cutting back some things and ended up loading the truck with stuff for the dump.  Plus scrubbing and cleaning a couple of things!  My kiddos are hard workers.  So thankful for that fact.

As promised he delivered on a grand dinner.  We enjoyed each other and played games and watched some TV and visited.  Kiddos spent time on art projects with their Uncle.  Plus our Grandson and his family came by.  

I think it was at that time that I felt so happy and content and glad they had pushed their way into coming, by refusing to listen to me, telling them to stay home!  It was that feeling of gratitude for family and for love and for my own life and all that is in it.  Such a feeling of bliss. Peaceful.

Dave has taken his family to Seattle to fly home and he will come back tomorrow and pick up his sister at midnight from her long flight from Florida.  She will stay for a week!  I look forward to her visit plus it makes me happy that 3 of my children will get to see each other. 

I've been so excited about getting our tree up so Gracie and I did it!  Friday we enjoyed every minute.  Plus we hung the big wreath.  Now I want to put the garlands out front and find the Nativities and get them out.  All of the festive things make me think of the Savior.  The Light of the World.  The reason for the season.  The source of Peace for all of us.

Pictures?  not a one.  sorry. 

I'm looking forward to December.  Actually I'm looking forward to tomorrow!  

It is Written

seeking happiness?  I tried and tried to link the New York times assortment of articles  here  I did forward it to family but was unable to share it here.  Basically...we know...mankind is that he might have joy.  Isn't joy a step up from happiness?  something to think about.

I hope your Thanksgiving is marvelous and you are happy and thankful to the max.

I'm thankful for each of you readers!

My life is rather hectic at this point and scary at times like those roller coaster rides that appear to be unsteady and ready to plunge off the tracks.  In spite of all this...way inside I feel this peace.  Peace never means to me that everything is going to turn out hunky-dory...peace to me means- the Lord is aware.  He knows what I'm dealing with and He will help me.  I had a real wonderful experience that has lasted for several days of just the feeling that I can get through whatever my life entails and when I think I can't go another step, He will give me a boost.  Sort of like those pioneers that felt someone was pushing their handcart when they could go no further.  They pushed forward with strength beyond their own.

I'm just so thankful for scriptures and that I believe them to be true.  When I read them, I recognize God's Word and His promise.  Again...I'm thankful for the love I have of learning and reading and pondering and praying and how fantastic it is when I am comforted and counseled by the words.

Remember when Christ rebuked Satan and 3 times said...It is written.  Those are sweet words.  When I read the scriptures, that feeling enters my heart- it is written and it is God's promise to me.  It is His truth and it gives me courage.

This last week my scriptures of great courage, my personal it is written word, was found here...

Isaiah 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
and 
Psalm 107:6 Then they ^acried unto the Lord in their ^btrouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

I read vs. 28-31 of Isaiah 40 and I could not read and absorb it enough times. I loved the part that we cannot fathom His understanding and power.  We can hope for and anticipate and our strength will be renewed.  The feelings I had and the comfort and belief in the absolutes of these verses lack the passion I felt when I write them but it was there.  It is still there.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and enjoy these wonderful verses!  read the footnotes also.

It is Written....

Isaiah 40
28 ¶ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the ^aeverlasting God, the Lord, the ^bCreator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no ^csearchingof his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that ^await upon the Lord shall ^brenew their^cstrength; they shall mount up with wings as ^deagles; they shall ^erun, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Cough Medicine

Good morning to you from me.  As noted from my lack of posts- my life has been super hectic of late.  Isn't that how it is for all of us and especially, if we let it get out of control, this time of year?  So many things to be thankful for and to many to individually list but like cream, things do rise to the top, and make the list!

Right now, this minute, I'm thankful for details in instructions accompanying Rx!!  Silly?  Certainly sounds so!  Here is the story.

So Terry is struggling with all of his health issues, which have accelerated downward (is that a possibility to use those two words together?  Maybe plummet would be more apropos?).  Challenges abound.  In the meantime, plopped on top of all this... I end up with bronchitis.  Again.  Just like last March!  Go to Dr. and end up with Rx.  Again.  One of which is cough syrup.  Again.

And there is where the fine print on Rx connection comes in.  Cough medicine.  Rx cough medicine.  Not just OTC.  Strong and powerful stuff.  When my cough would get crazy...I'd take a spoonful.  As directed...right?  No.  Actually that was wrong.

Maybe this post should be about the blessings of the Holy Ghost and how even in our belief of our rightness, He can point out our wrongness.

I was sitting and hacking and was horrified when I heard myself wheeze.  Oh, no!  It's back!!  I sat there thinking and wondering what to do.  Into my mind popped the thought...Cough Medicine.  Read the directions. 

Really? Okay. 

Retrieving the new bottle of Rx, I read... take 10ml every 4 hours. What?!  (Don't judge me for not being the sharpest knife in the drawer)  I had never thought of regular doses being a part of the regime.  I just thought it was as needed.  I then found the paper with all of the disclaimers and side effects and realized how it would work in conjunction with the other two Rx...loosen and clear etc. etc.

It set my mind to wondering. My mind...my little mind that vainly thinks it pretty much knows it all...at times is actually pretty ignorant...sometimes. The wondering???....how many other things, including Gospel things, do I miss the mark, wonder why, and yet not check the details, for my course direction?  How many times do I do what I know is the best/correct way but if I really regrouped, reread the directions, I'd find I was sincere but off just enough, to foul up the very thing I wanted to accomplish?

Filled with thanks...

This is the time of year that everyone starts counting their blessings and mentioning things they are thankful for.  Comes to mind at once...Family and Friends and Home and on and on.  Today I'm thankful for something else.  Something other than the familiar list we each recall at this beautiful time of year.

Today I realized that I'm thankful for the things I've read and learned and studied and thought and pondered about the gospel, from the doctrinal viewpoint.  I'm thankful for the hours and years of opportunities to teach Gospel centered lessons because it increased my learning.  I've had this unreachable itch, practically since I joined the Church, to learn from authoritative sources.  Manual sources-- Manuals I have trusted in preparing lessons...Seminary and Institute and Gospel Doctrine and Gospel Principles and Temple Preparation and Relief society and Young Women.

Added to that, mentioned in all of the above manuals, are the Scriptures that I believe and embrace and read and love....The Holy Bible (King James version) ...The Book of Mormon...General Conference talks...the Hymnal...Doctrine and Covenants...The Articles of Faith.

In the Book of Mormon we are told to let these Scriptures be for our profit and learning.  That brings me to why I feel filled with thanks.

These last couple of weeks have been tough for me.  Terry has suffered and when one you love suffers, you can't help but absorb that in ways deep inside.  I wasn't feeling real swift myself and felt it was probably the stress and just the challenges of my life right now.  I really didn't feel like studying except for reading one chapter in the Book of Mormon.

I prayed and pleaded for direction and some relief and sat down and just relaxed and closed my eyes and allowed my thoughts to just wander.  It made me feel filled with thanks as scriptures and hymns, and connected thoughts of comfort, just slowly and lovingly meandered through my musings.  It was like refreshing reassuring cool water. 

I remember driving on a Sunday with my parents, as a girl, traveling on Turnagain Arm's winding road and my Daddy stopping the car and we all got out and drank ice cold water that seemed to gush from the rocky mountain side.  I remember them telling Dixie and I- this is the real thing. it doesn't get better than this!  I remember him cupping his hands and pouring it in his mouth the best that he could and making the most satisfying Ahhhhh and slapping the water off his hands on the sides of his legs. 

I thought of never taking water for granted even to this time, after years of Alaska living and hand hauling drinking water many times. 

Of course I thought of the Savior.  The Living Water.  Yes.  All of these jumbled precious thoughts just cocooned me and even though nothing had changed outwardly, inwardly I was so soothed.  That was when it hit me that I was glad I had things in my head, from my love of gospel learning, that the Holy Ghost could draw and bring those needed specific learnings to my mind.  I became filled with thanks.

Eventually solutions did surface over a short few days.  Terry's Rx started to work.  Our son figured out how to help lessen the pain when it kicked up.  I found out I have bronchitis and so I'm now 2 days into Rx.  So things have lightened up.  Somewhat.

I still relish that experience happening with such specificity and I am filled with thanks.  Thanks- for prayers being answered...& things learned and studied in the past, being brought to my mind, to help me when I most needed reminding of the power of the Gospel but was to tired and overwhelmed for any serious study. 

My heart is thankful and I truly am filled.

Blooming Geraniums

I have tried and tried to post pictures and I'm going to just go ahead without them.  I wanted to show you my two hanging geranium plants that are on the porch.  The leaves are still green and the flowers still a beautiful bright red.  There they are- defying the odds of cold November weather, long deprived of water, boldly hanging on, against the back drop of the brilliant fall colors, of the weeping birch, shedding it's leaves.  It is glorious!  I want to be like my magnificent plants.  Stalwart in the midst of challenges...maintaining who I am, the best I can, and enduring to the end...knowing eventually, despite the odds of desiring to survive, I too will fade and fall.

The other picture I wanted to share is the bag I dumped on the table, in trying to pick out the one Rx for my sweetie, that had to be searched for- in the heap of pharmaceuticals unceremoniously dumped after hours at the ER- as they tried to help him get on top of unrelenting pain.  Pain that causes him to cry out as it intermittently strikes without warning, like an electric shock.  that is how neuralgia delivers it's blows.  Usually others suffer in their jaws.  The unrelenting stabs nearly driving one insane.  His hits at random wherever it chooses.  This time though it pounded on his knee and then moved up further on his thigh.  You get the picture.  Unrelenting.  Without mercy.  He apologizes in between moans and yelps.  I reassure him and soothe him and I suffer exhaustion along with him.

Without him knowing, and out of sight, I remove my reassuring mask (after telling him I am just fine and he need not say he is sorry) put on some classical instrumental music or hymns, and tears silently stream, and a lot of stress is released.

Yesterday I cried all the way through a sublime music centered funeral and was comforted, and re-strengthened testimony wise, by all that was spoken and sung.

I read the scriptures.  I read Conference talks.  I read things on LDS.org about new changes coming.  I pray.  I think about the Savior.  I think about the Gospel.  I think about my testimony.  I think about faith.  I think about my beautiful Patriarchal blessing.  I think about the power of the Priesthood and in my mind's eye, that place of sacred memories...I think about this fine, honorable man, my love, that has used that power for good on so many occasions.  My life has been so richly blessed by his gift.  I talk with him about him needing a blessing.

His friend, Bob, is called.  A friend that he is very comfortable with. A friend that can withstand any outburst, of the sound, of nearly constant pain. A man seasoned in years and belief and understanding, of the power of the power, he has at his disposal.  Terry is comforted and reminded that a new Rx plan is in place and in time it will work.  Relief from the pain is mentioned and promised rest.  Sweetness of Spirit permeates the room.

A wonderful bit of rest ensues before pain resumes a couple of hours later.  It has lessened though and as he says it's tolerable.  The sweetness of taking the edge off of pain!!  Bliss! We talk about the ER Dr. and how he wants to help and he has a plan and we are embracing it.  It will take awhile to get the Rx in his system and working but we are game for several more challenging days, with such a bright light at the end of this dark tunnel.

We talk about how fortunate we are and how much worse so many others have it and so many never have the promise, the hope, of possibly a new approach, with a new Rx will help.  We have hope.

Psalms 30:5 ....weeping may endure for a night, but ^bjoy cometh in the morning.

What a promise!

Life is not for the faint of heart.  With the gospel and looking to the Savior...we can all survive and make it.  Here's to all of us pilgrims on the path of life...soldier on!!

Fight on my men!

I am hurt, but I am not slain;

I'll lay me down and bleed awhile,

and then I'll rise to fight again.
                                                                                                            by Sir Andrew Barton

I'm on my feet again.  and you?