A Passing Thought

Well, just when I was thinking...yikes!  did I really put my creed out there?  Terry was right!  Who does that?  Then Chelle sent a note and I took fresh courage!  This blog isn't about anything except my thoughts, feelings, challenges, and life in general.  My creed, that I love by the way!, are little reminders to me of what works for me in dealing with life's situations.  How I want to handle them.  Things to remind me that I want to grow and develop in all areas of my life.

A new year!  Isn't this when we all evaluate and renew anew for the new year?  My creed has nothing to do with my goals.  Now my goals, some I've had on my list for so long that I can easily say ditto 1, ditto 2 etc.  etc.  One goal I really want to accomplish is listening to the Spirit and then actually doing what I feel prompted to do.  Each time.  I'm usually working on this so it's not the first time around but I'm really wanting to focus in 2012 on carrying things out.  I want the enhanced HD experience of hearing and doing as prompted by the Holy Ghost.  Listening and following subtle prompts will lead to greater direction.  of that I'm sure.

So we go into Cascade Eye Care to get Terry glasses (yes, he had cataract surgery and yes, he still needs glasses and yes, that is not what he wanted.  At all.)  He forgets his hearing aids so I'm his ears.  The lady asks me to go over to a podium and sign in.  His name is 3rd on the list of 20 lines.  We sit in the waiting room.  Talking.  And then we start reading.

The clear soft thought pops into my mind...they crossed his name off the list. 
I ignore it and keep on reading.
then it starts to bother me and I tell Terry...I think they crossed your name off the list.
He- They said they'd call my name. They'll call.

It's a large office with lots of people and workers scurrying all over.  Of course they'll call him!  Silly me.  Back to reading.  I can't shake the thought that they have crossed his name off the list already.

Me- I really think they crossed your name off the list.  I'm going to check.
He smiles at me and sort of nods his head like...I don't think so.

A worker stands at the podium and I look at the list, with a hot pink marker line drawn through Terry's name, and ask quietly ask- what does that mean?  She explains the ones marked out are the patients we've seen.  I point to #3 on the list and then point to Terry and tell her that he's still waiting.

She says ...Oh! Terry we will see you now. 

Terry asks me, in passing-  What happened?
Me- They had crossed your name off the list.
We look at each other.  He smiles and nods his head like... That beats all doesn't it?

I'm thinking to myself.  I've got to pickup quicker on this sort of thing.  If something isn't illegal or immoral or won't bring harm to anyone, including me, then I need to stop fiddling around and get up and take action.  Move.  Do.  Thoughts unbidden that seem out of left field, quiet and soft but definite and clear, need me to stop second guessing and just take action.  I sat there while names #1-15 got crossed off!  Vacillating...shall I check? or shall I not check?  Telling Terry.  Then Asking Terry...shall I go see if your name is crossed off?  Yes?  No?

The reminder thought came to me as this has happened before.  When something comes to me then I don't really need to take a poll of everyone in the room or in range of my voice or even speak softly to Terry about it.  I need to go and do.  Get up and go.  Move.  Not question.  Heed.  Hearken.

This was not a life and death situation.  This was something that would have saved us a lot of time and would have been lovely to just quickly go in, get the frames picked etc., and leave.  It was a nicety type of a gift.  a thoughtful gift.  yes, I do consider it a gift.  Not necessary by any means but just a loving gesture that I toyed with.

A few days later, I was working on an assignment from the Stake RSP.  Secretarial things like....take 9 Ward conferences, held in 5 buildings, find out when their Ward Conferences are, find out what time their SS and RS are, and then figure out a schedule to visit each one along with sandwiching a monthly Stake RSP meeting in each month from Jan.-Mar. at these visits, and figure out which ones we will also go to Sac. meeting AND make it on any Sunday except their Ward Conf. Sunday. oh, and remember lunch.  I blanched.  Yikes!

Then the Stake RSP took pity on me and gave me what the previous Sec. had done last year.  A little difficult to follow but I plugged away at it and finally came up with the first draft for the Stake RSP.  Oh, I forgot to mention one little thing very early on in my puzzling over all these times etc.  A very quiet, clear sentence ran through my head....You better check the meeting times.   Did I listen?  Well, yes, I sure did.  I heard it distinctly.  Did I check the meeting times?  NO!  I reasoned in my little spacey airhead...there are plenty of buildings now so probably no one changes times.  Things are fine.  It's okay.

Were things okay?  NO!  I had to redo the entire thing!!  The Stake RSP sent me a list, a fine line detailed list of all the High Council Ward assignments and told me to check over that for the new meeting times.  I gasped at the task.  Later I went to work on it again.  But second time around when I was pondering the task and heading back to the attachment, I very distinctly heard in a very soft quiet way...read to the end.  The end?  wasn't I on the last page?  checking it over very carefully I discovered there were 9 pages and on the 9th page, seemingly unrelated,  was every bit of info I needed in a lovely chart with Ward name, Building used and times listed for Sac., SS, RS.   Ah, bliss.

When I was baptized I was given the most wonderful gift in the world.  The Gift of the Holy Ghost.  I really want His presence more in my life.  I want more personal revelation.  I want to be led more by the Spirit.  I want to experience that gift to the fullest.  Well, it looks like the evidence shows that I have quite a ways to go but I'm making great effort to listen and act on the whisperings of that still small voice.

Creed updated for 2012

Happy New Year!!! 2012!!!

I've thought about my Creed for a few weeks, mulling over and deciding if I want to make any changes.  I decided I don't want to drop anything.  I did take the numbers off as one is no more important to me than any other. And I did add the first three listings as new ideals for my personal life.  This is not a goal list or a to do list or a New Years Resolution type thing.  This is not a list of Gospel acts of obedience.

George Albert Smith wrote a creed for himself and ages ago when I heard about that fact-I wanted one too. So I wrote one.  A New Year makes a good time to review and revise.  I'm sure George Albert Smith left his as is each year but I check mine over.   

This is just a list of truths that I want to live by.  It's my way of handling my life and it's many situations. Character traits that I want ingrained in me. 

My sweet husband just said, with a sound of disbelief in his voice...

You aren't going to put that on your blog are you?....

Yes. I am.   

He said...Really?!  what kind of person puts that personal stuff on their blog?...

I said...Me.  

I share myself as I write and this is something that I'm trying to incorporate into my soul.  These are good words that help me to deal with many life complexities.  So welcome to a peek into my private thoughts and desires as I share...
 
My Personal Creed

Express...Thankfulness & Gratitude

Be generous 

Nothing changes if nothing changes 

Refuse to be offended

Trust but verify  (thanks, President Reagan, for that one!)

Forgive everyone everything

Even the thinnest of pancakes has 2 sides

Let go and let God  (isn't thanks due to AA on this one?)

Don't want more for people than they want for themselves

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.
         (thank you...Thomas Jefferson)

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and 
   expecting different results.  (thank you...Albert Einstein)

 Love unconditionally

 Pray unceasingly

 Keep all confidences

************************
  (previous blog about creed)
http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/12/creed-checking-time.html

Some favored posts of the year.....

 The last Friday of 2011!  The end of my first blogging attempts.  I've loved it and am learning and look forward to 2012.  Before 2011 goes to the archive slot, I decided to share a few blogs that people enjoyed and talked to me about.

There were others but in essence of time I chose the following ones that deal with a variety from Pantyhose to Dogs at Sacrament meeting to All having a dream at one point in life to a Modern Day Miracle to 3 Mom's dealing with challenges with such grace to a HP social.  Enjoy!

Thanks so much for being a reader.  It means the world to me!!

love to you from me!


Nancy
________________________________________________________________

 http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/11/proclamation-on-pantyhose-part-1.html
 http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/11/proclamation-on-pantyhose-part-2.html

Well, well, well....would you look at this!  Leave it to the Royals!!  This off the wire.....

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge and her sister, Pippa, are fans of the nude pantyhose! Thanks to the sisters, sales of the hosiery have spiked nearly 85 percent in England, The Telegraph reports. Buckingham Palace enforces a strict dress code for women—they must wear stockings and closed-toed shoes, and royals like Queen Elizabeth, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie all slip them on when they’re out. The look is also practical, as pantyhose provide extra warmth on chilly nights and a layer of protection against the sun.
_________________________________________________________________________________

 http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/05/speaking-of-westminster-dogs.htm

5/25/11  Speaking of Westminster Dogs  The story of the dog hopping on the sacrament table during the Sacrament hymn was matched or overtaken by this story from Maurine W.   Thanks, Maurine!  I LOVE this!!!

Okay...I'm just going to write it down, I can't wait any longer to tell you the other story. Yes, Bob and I were in attendance when the dog bounced up to the podium and the Bishop as shocked as anyone took a minute to jump up and retrieve him from the sacrament table. That afternoon I called my daughter, Marie, and told her the story. She said, "Oh, Mom, I have one better than that". A few months ago a woman visitor had her seeing eye dog with her. They came in and sat on a back row, she at the end of the row, and the dog sat down beside her in the isle. Well at the intermediate song a member of their ward was singing a solo when the dog decided to sing with her. It set up a howl that shocked everyone, especially the lady with the dog. She said that the lady kept singing, but she was so embarrassed and of course so was the lady with the dog. But, she said it was so hilarious that everyone else had a hard time to not laugh out loud....keeping a straight face was almost impossible. I had to agree, that one trumped our experience here. Before that I had never heard of a dog coming to church and performing as those two did.

Nancy....have a good day. It looks like a beautiful one!!!
________________________________________________________________


http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/06/spot-of-beauty.html

6/16/11  A Spot of Beauty.  I'd had these thoughts in my mind for a long time.  I moved past thinking and actually sharing via a post because of a comment made by a man. Said totally in his innocence, not having had a lot of life experience and truly believing what he said.  It was just a brief sentence and it pierced my heart..."this is a place you want to take your kids as a teaching tool and show them what happens to a person when they don't get an education."  Inside I was so emotional.  Who knows what the education factor was?  Who knows what's happened on his mortal trek?  It was devastating to me.  I lacked courage to tell him how that impacted me and why.  So I tell you!  Fat lot of good that does!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/05/english-grammar.html
________________________________________________________________________

 http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/11/pan-of-ham.html
___________________________________________________________________

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/12/in-her-heart-part-1.html

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/12/in-their-hearts-part-2.html
 _______________________________________________________________

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/08/pride-to-be-proud-of.html

Creed checking time!!!

This time of year, this wonderful season, seems like such a time of celebration, and then a time self-evaluation, and a new commitment to living better and being better in many ways.  

I'm glad that we are studying about George Albert Smith this year.  I love his teachings.  He is the President that wrote a personal creed and inspired me to write my own.  

This is a time to check it over and add one new thing.  He kept his to 11 and I tried to keep mine to that length.  I will post my new/revised or stay-as-is creed on December 31st.  I have been thinking of what I want to add this year.  This is the time I take care of all these things that my Mother might label, highfalutin' ideas, but if President Smith had a creed then I want one also!  and you?

In May I posted 3 times about creeds.  Check them out below and maybe you will want to make a creed also. Anything that guides you and you want to be a part of you or maybe it is a part of you now and you want it to stay and grow stronger.  Write it down!  Let me know if you did one!!  5 days to work on it! 

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/05/creed.html

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/05/prophet-with-creedand-name-is-drumroll.html

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-top-11-list.html
  

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow....artificial tree or real tree?  your preference?

What a great meeting!!!!

The entire month of December built up to that 25th day.  And what a day it was!!  Going to Church on Christmas day, the day, is just fantastic.  Our building was jammed with visiting families filling pews with the regular attenders.  All were celebrating being together and then attending Church and seeing old friends.  I think we had angels with us as our music was just heavenly.  The YW sang and there was a flute solo also, the Primary sang, the organist used the stop (or whatever) for bells and it was wonderful, 2 pianists accompanied the violinist, a Christmas story was shared & a Christmas talk.  We all sang parts and sang from our hearts.  It was a celebratory time.  I wished it could have gone on and on.

Lydia and Johnathan, two of the violinists 4 children, came and sat with us and we felt like grandparents.  We were so glad for that.  I looked around and my entire being just felt cozy, warm, loved and filled with testimony.  I had tears that just kept surfacing.  I saw Becka, looking all like the Mia-Maid she now is and loved her, and her grandparents for raising her.  Families gathered for Sarah's Tuesday wedding.  Heidi home for awhile.  Mike back from his traveling.  Myra Faye with enough health to come to Sacrament.  Ken.  Maurine. Jerry.  All with health issues that we pray for amongst others.  And Kathryn, Lee, and Noma that weren't able to be with us, I missed them.  Nan making the effort to come across the building to hug me and wish me a Merry Christmas.  And Tammy. Paula.
Seeing Timote/meeting his wife.  Seeing Mark/his wife from a distance.  MaryLynne, Emma, Shannon, Crystal, Joan, Tish, Sharon, Julianna.   Heather.  Cheryl. Tamera.  Betsy.  Joyce and Joyce (and her daughters!).  Chelle.  Abby. Okay!  I better stop as I now realize that I could name everyone in the Ward that touched my life Sunday because they all did, simply by being at Church.  Every single person...man, woman, child...member or visitor...my life was blessed by their presence.  Singing with them and sharing that sacred hour of feeling the Spirit was a choice blessing.

My life was blessed because every single person that came to Church showed me the commitment of their testimony....Just by being there.  leaving the presents.  dealing with the children.  thinking of the meal. getting everyone dressed.  rehearsing songs. Arriving on time and being happy, friendly and loving.  Oh, yes.  I had tears.

Great feelings of love, welled up, when we talked to our children and heard their happiness and realized that no one sat around and moped.  Each made the day joyous and were happy.  Sharing a feast with our son and enjoying each other's company and being grateful that he could join us, with his ever present icepack making it possible. Just another line on the happiness list!

What a fantastic 25 days!  The baking, the sharing, the decorations, children enjoying looking at them, carols sung to us, treats by the platefuls, the programs (including our sardine packed attendance at the Ward Christmas Party), lots of watching Hallmark channel Christmas shows plus the greatness of BYUTV on the Spoken Word, watching 5 different Nutcrackers-from around the world on TV plus attending one at the Capitol Theatre, lunching with friends, visiting with friends, Christmas music like the Messiah and the DVD with Sissell that was featured with the Choir in 2007.  We love to watch different versions of A Christmas Carol and saw 3 this year.  TV is a wonderful treasure!!  So all of that plus more was nestled in amongst regular life and it was memorable.  and already I look forward to next year!!  and will do similar things again.

Christmas is all about love, don't you think?  The love we have for the Savior, the love of the Gospel, the love of our families, our friends, and loving our turn on earth.

This season was topped off by a single act of love after Church.  We had scooted home, changed clothes, started finishing up dishes for our meal and there was a knock on the door.  To my surprise it was Mindi!  She said it wouldn't be Christmas if she didn't get a hug.  To think that she took the time to come over and express her love just grabbed my heart.  She always calls me Sister S., as I was her Seminary teacher, when she was a freshman in high school.  There is something so special in the way she addresses me. I feel mother hen and she my chick!  We have had a long consistent involvement for these many years and she is as precious to me today, as she was when I met her that 9th grade year.  Unfailingly on Sunday she will find me and give me a hug.  This was such a sweet gift as she left her family to come see me.  

We are in the right place when we attend Church on Sunday and the 25th just really ended December and all the Sundays for 2011 in a most special way!!

In the CHRISTMAS mood!!!

These two clips are sure to be of interest!!  Enjoy both!!!


http://lds.org/church/news/tabernacle-choir-christmas-concert?lang=eng   (finale only)

http://lds.org/church/news/a-backstage-look-at-the-tabernacle-choir-christmas-concerts?lang=eng

The Christmas Orange

 What a fun time we had with the BookClub members that were able to break free and go to lunch this week.  One gifted us with a book and bookmark, another with homemade candy and those sorts of thoughtful appreciated gifts.  Tamera gave each of us one of those chocolate "oranges".  segments that separate and are so good.  Along with it she had printed the following story.  What a great gift and what a great story.  Enjoy!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Jake was a resident of an orphan’s home, one of ten children supported by what contributions the home could secure on a continuous struggle.  There was very little to eat.  It was seldom very warm in the wintertime because fuel was expensive.  But at Christmas there always seemed to be a little more to eat and the home seemed a little warmer, and it was time for more than the usual enjoyment.  But more than this, there was the orange.  At Christmas each child received an orange.  The only time of the year that such a rare item was provided, and it was coveted by each child like no other thing they ever possessed.  They would save it for several days, admiring it, feeling it, loving it, and contemplating the moment when they would eat it.  Many children would wait until New Year’s Day or later.  Often it would start to dry out and shrivel before they would eat it, in order to extend their pleasure as long as they could. 

This Christmas day, Jake had offended the rules of the home in some manner and his punishment was the loss of the orange.  After a year of waiting for this most desired of all rewards, it was to be denied.  Pleading was of no avail.  Although the offense was rather minor, it still was an infraction of such rules that must govern.  Jake spent Christmas day empty and alone.  It even seemed the other children didn’t want to associate with a person who didn’t have an orange.

Night time arrived and was worst of all.  Jake could not sleep.  There was no love in the world.  There was no forgiving.  And certainly there could be no God that would permit a contrite little soul to suffer so much by himself.  Silently he sobbed for the future of mankind, and the world perhaps, but mostly because he didn’t have an orange like the other kids. 

Then suddenly a hand was placed on Jake’s shoulder which startled him for a moment.  An object was quickly shoved into his hand. The donor disappeared into the dark of the room, leaving Jake with what he did not immediately identify as an orange.  Not a regular orange, but one fabricated from segments of 9 other oranges.  Nine other highly prized oranges that would of necessity be eaten this day instead of several days hence.