Christmas ideas....

check this out....here   and   here   and   here     Enjoy!!!!

Changing things around....

Thanksgiving...a wonderful time with Kipper- sharing the day and our meal.  Saying a Happy Thanksgiving to our other children.  Leaving a message for our Grandson and his family.  Thinking of our Grandson on his Mission.  Hoping people welcomed him and he felt the love we are sending his way, through good thoughts and prayers.

Tonight I sit here and realize again that things have changed around here.  You can desire for things to stay the same in life.  Especially when it's been a familiar pattern for what seems a lifetime.  sometimes, most especially, on those celebrations of special events like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

You can even have it in your mind- exactly what needs to be done to accomplish what has been done over and over in the past.  Even if it be decorations or food.

Today I realized that we will not be cooking holiday meals on the day of celebration.  It's just to much.  Terry ran totally out of steam and I created the mess of the century, by using every pot and pan, at least it seemed so, to fill out the meal.  The meal ended up delish but really, it was just to much work.

Does that make me dreadful to say that?  Is that un-American?  have I thrown family traditions under the bus?  do I have a heart of stone?  saying I don't want to cook like that?

Now note...I didn't say I didn't want a meal with it's celebratory familiarity.  I just said it was to much work!  On the day of  the meal  (like someone around here loves to do.  not me.)

So change is in the air.  Now I'm all for change.  change to me means growth.  progress.  For My Hubby?...he doesn't like change.  It's an unpleasant adjustment.  Once he settles in then he is fine and rolls with it. Sometimes though you gotta do what you gotta do. Even if it's a change that feels drastic.  And we need to change some things around here.

We will do all the cooking/prep in advance to where the meal just sort of seems to magically appear!!  Now if I figure that out, then I'll sell the secret!  For a couple of years I've wanted to cook the turkey in advance but my traditionalist wants it cooked day of.  there are lots of things that can be done in advance!  what?  well, I can't rattle off a list but I'm sure there are lots of shortcuts, do-aheads, etc. that will make things smooth, simple and at least appear to be easy because it's not done day of!

Here is what we are looking forward to within the next 4 weeks.  Our Grandson and his family will be here in two weeks and we will celebrate Christmas with them (we are looking forward to having children with us!!)  and then a week or so later, our son and his family will come and we will have another Christmas.

We want the Christmas things up!  We want to get ready for enjoying and celebrating time together.

Depending on what gets done around here, I may blog and then again, I may not.

So I may be sporadic or I may stop.  Not quit.  just stop.  put on the brakes. I know when I follow a blog and they say they are going to do it at such and such a rate...that I don't like it when they suddenly stop posting.

I appreciate you reading my blog.  You are special to me. 

Wish me luck!  better yet...give me energy!!!

What a great Thanksgiving we had!!

Words that warm a Mom's heart.....

This made me so happy to read what Kipper posted....

<Happy Thanksgiving>

My wish for all:

is that wherever you are on your life's journey that you celebrate exactly where you are each and every moment - the good and the bad.

that you stop being so hard on yourself- so judgmental- and be more patient, loving, and compassionate to you.

that you come to know that you deserve the life of your dreams.

that you can let the past be, regardless.

to know that whatever has been done to you, and from that point forward it's YOUR CHOICE to keep it alive or not, to let it enrich or destroy you.

to realize that no one is going to knock down your door and rescue you, and you are the only one who can rescue you. 

to know that so much untapped possibilities are already in you, and are just one thought away, one seed away from creation.

that no matter how bad it is, it doesn't have to be this way.

that you realize--you control your reality--you have been all along--you just forgot.

that you can figure out a way to release it all, everything that doesn't support your dreams, and have the best life possible.

This is my wish for you...

-kts

Time to make things happen!

Running late!!!  Lots to do!!  It's Thanksgiving prep time around here!

Help yourself to some available comfort and promise!

This is for some that are struggling to make it in life.  This beautiful talk by President Monson, described at what he called as "...on of the most inspiring session of any general conference I've attended..."  will hopefully bring the hope mentioned in Joshua 1:5....I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee...  also in vs9...Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, nether be thou dismayed; for the Lord the God is with thee wheresoever thou goest.

There is nothing as comforting or promising or hopeful as when Prophets speak.  A part of President Monsons talk was just so fantastic.  well, all of it was glorious but read this....

When the pathway of life takes a cruel turn, there is the temptation to ask the question “Why me?” At times there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no sunrise to end the night’s darkness. We feel encompassed by the disappointment of shattered dreams and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea, “Is there no balm in Gilead?”¹We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We become impatient for a solution to our problems, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required.

The difficulties which come to us present us with the real test of our ability to endure. A fundamental question remains to be answered by each of us: Shall I falter, or shall I finish? Some do falter as they find themselves unable to rise above their challenges. To finish involves enduring to the very end of life itself.

AND READ THIS...

Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.

This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life. The poet expressed much the same thought in these words:

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees.

The further sky, the greater length.

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow.⁸

Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest....

*******************************************

I get teary with the promise and comfort in this.  I may as well stop or I will have the entire talk printed!

Now this would be good in my 2014 creed...

It's getting close to time to start thinking about reviewing/revamping/renewing my Creed list. 

This is from a leadership book.  Again...no author.  I just wanted the Thomas Huxley quote so neglected to write the source down.  a tidbit of treasure from my mile high stack of notes that I love!

Isn't this profound?

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

He smiled at me with a twinkle in his eye, as if he had been asked this question many times, and replied, without hesitating, "The most important success principle of all was stated by Thomas Huxley many years ago. He said, "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

uh-huh.  needed on my creed list.   It is sort of like my...  if not me -who?  if not now--when?  

Everyone else in the world probably has this mastered but me!  Oh, really, you don't have it down pat either?  Love the company. 

I will really think about it. 

Need a Creed peek idea?  Here you go!
 2011 2012 2013

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

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2012/12/creed-time-is-here.html

http://acandlestick.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-creed-list-for-2013.html

 

Tuesday RS Meeting

There is a gigantic push in the Church for all things family and that includes all phases of finding family members...be they here or on the other side of the veil.  The RS invited all to bring laptops and learn to index.

My husband is a fantastic dedicated indexer.  I bring him ice water, rub his shoulders and give him smooches for a job well done.  You get the picture?  this is one of those "fill in the blank" paragraphs or read between the lines for the entire story.

I have dabbled. dipped my toe in the water.

He is ever vacillating between encouraging and badgering me to join the throng of the obedient.

A lot of times, okay,  most of the time, alright...all of the time--I like to know what the promised blessings are for acts of obedience.  This inspires me...It excites me...It's exhilarating to me....when I know what the outcome will be.  I also know what I'm missing out on if I don't obey.  True- obedience brings forth blessings.

It's all choice, isn't it?

So I recently made a real commitment, to my resident indexer, that I would actually do it.  Often. Just because we are suppose to.  Not even thinking  (the one exception in my life, that I didn't!)....hmmmm.  I wonder if there is a blessing attached to this?

I went to the class because I wanted to support my RSP, wanted to take my friend and wanted to find out, if what the invite said, about being able to index on my tablet was true.  (not true.  well, not yet.)

A wonderful blessing being there.  The brother who introduced the hands-on indexing class, mentioned that there were blessings/promises about doing the indexing work!  I listened and then asked where the source was.  My ears were perked up all the way.  He said it was Elder Bednar.

I'd never heard what he said before.  It took me forever to find it but I did.  It's in things for the youth which I don't usually read.  maybe it was somewhere else.  maybe it filtered through the holes in my head at some previous time.  But I don't remember ever hearing the things printed below.

I'm for sure not a youth but I'm young at heart so I'll claim these blessings for myself!

Remember my continual quest for more association of the Holy Ghost?  well, Elder Bednar said....  

Elder Bednar has testified that family history work is one way to bring that strength and to protect us from the world. He said, “The Spirit of Elijah is the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of Elijah will influence anyone who is involved in this work. That, for a young person in the wickedness of the world in which we live today, is one of the greatest safeguards against the temptations of the adversary. The Spirit of Elijah will not only bless you, it will protect you” (“The Time Is Now,” lds.org/fhy).

“I invite the young people of the Church to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. I encourage you to study, to search out your ancestors, and to prepare yourselves to perform proxy baptisms in the house of the Lord for your kindred dead (see D&C 124:28–36). And I urge you to help other people identify their family histories.

“As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.

“… Any young person can do what I am suggesting, using the modules available at lds.org/familyhistoryyouth.”