He Lives--the Savior Lives!

Last night I did the best thing ever to celebrate Easter--I went to the Easter pageant at the Mesa Arizona Temple grounds. It was a great experience. My sweet daughter, Kelsey, who happens to be one of the most thoughtful people I know, went with me. She had already gone this week with her singles ward, but she knew that I didn't want to go alone, so she went with me...just because she is a super nice person. It was SOOO crowded there. we got there about 7:30 (I usually get there a couple of hours early--and the performance starts at 8:00), and we drove around for quite a while, just looking for a parking place. Kelsey finally dropped me off so I could find us some seats, and she parked the car. People sitting next to us, held one of their children on their lap, just so we could have two seats together--pretty nice. The pageant goes through the Savior's life, quite quickly, with script and music. There were several times I wiped tears from my eyes--seeing the love of the Savior for little children portrayed so well, when he was whipped and scourged, when He appears to Mary in the garden, when He suffered so much when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane--so many times my heart was touched by His sacrifices, and the love He demonstrated so many times for us during His life. I am so thankful for the Savior. I know He is the Son of God, that He came to earth so He could show us he way to live. I am thankful that He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross for us so that we could return to live with our Heavenly Father if we will repent of the things we do wrong, and try in all ways, to be like Him. I am thankful for inspiring music and the spoken word when it helps us feel closer to our Heavenly Father and to our Savior. I am so thankful for this time of year--what Christ did for us in unfathomable. I am just so thankful. The last song that all the cast sing is "He Lives--My Savior Lives." That touched my heart so much, and I felt like singing along with all of them--yes, I too, know that my Redeemer lives.

Happy Birthday Eve!

This is the night before my birthday. Not that anyone really will be reading this, so it won't really matter to anyone...but I thought I would write it anyway! A few years ago, I wondered if I would see many more birthdays--it has been an amazing journey to see that Heavenly Father, for whatever reason, still wanted to prolong my life here on earth. There are days that I really wonder why, and other days that I'm very grateful--it's funny how we go through such a variety of emotions. It is awesome how many people write mission statements for their lives--laying out their purpose and goals for life. They have a focus in their life that I seem to be lacking in my own.  I have always been a goal-setter, and tried to set goals at the beginning of each new year. However, like many of you, it is hard to remember what goals you've set, and to actually try to achieve them. Some days I am amazed at my lack of motivation to really get anything done. One time one of the leaders of our church talked about how we use our "discretionary" time. That phrase has stayed with me...and at times, HAUNTED me, because I see so much of my time being wasted. I am not always a very good steward of my time.

In the last couple of weeks I have had family visiting me. My daughter, Katie, and her precious daughter, Brooklyn (my first granddaughter) were here for a week. Katie is an amazing mother. She has always been a very unique person, and certainly marched to the beat of her own drummer...and she is an incredibly relaxed mother. It is fun to watch her mother, and I am very proud of the way she is handling her new responsibilities. She has become a very close friend to me. During her teenage years, I could never have anticipated this happening. She was a challenge, and I know I was a challenge to her. We rarely saw eye to eye, and life was pretty much a roller coaster...and VERY challenging. However, now we love to talk and share thoughts and feelings. I am grateful for her. I am especially grateful that she tries so hard to keep in touch with me. She knows that is important to me, so she really makes an effort since she knows it makes me happy. She cares deeply about every member of our family.

While she was still here, my sister, Kathy, came to visit also. It was great, because it meant that all my girls got to spend time with their aunt. She is very interested in them, and enjoyed being with them very much. We visited a lot, ate out a lot, and just had a good time. She is a gift-giver, and so she always comes with gifts for everyone. She is very thoughtful. She is a huge San Francisco Giants fan, and we took her to a baseball game where the Diamondbacks were playing the Giants. She really was in seventh heaven, and loved being there. She let all her friends in the Bay Area know she was there, by posting pictures and messages on her Facebook page.

Then last weekend was General Conference. It was the BEST. I love it--love the inspiration I feel from my leaders. It is easy to get caught up in the world's ideas and philosophies...but when you listen to Conference, you get the clear call that comes from men who are called of God. It is always such an uplift, and carries me for a long time after it is through. However, I wish I could feel as good always as I do when I'm listening to Conference--it is awesome!