So Much to Be Thankful For

It is Thanksgiving morning. About 5:30 this morning I woke up, and couldn't get back to sleep. I felt like I needed to write this morning, and count my blessings. I have been really focused inward lately, and have not counted my blessings. We had an apostle of the Lord come and teach us in September, and he told us that we needed to look outward instead of focusing inward. That thought just kept coming to me this morning, and I felt like I needed to do this before I get going on my day.It is easy to dwell on negative things, and it takes more effort to consider the positive things in your life. My mother loved Thanksgiving--and I need to take her attitude and be glad for this day where you can think of all the ways you've been blessed.

So here I go--listing my blessings. This is more for me than for anyone else who might happen to read this, because I need to be more grateful. First of all, I am thankful for my health. Two years ago I didn't even know if I could go to Thanksgiving dinner because I was feeling so poorly. I laid on the couch at my sister-in-law's house, and couldn't eat anything, but that day I was glad that I could just be with my loved ones. I have been so blessed with my health, and can do just about everything I want to--and sometimes I forget what a blessing that is. I have amazing sisters, who care so much about me. They are constantly in touch with me, and even when I don't reach out to them, they reach out to me. What a gift they are to me--each and every day of my life. I am thankful to have a wonderful husband, who also cares deeply about me--and who puts up with my ups and downs, and still loves me in spite of myself. He is very patient with me, and tries to understand me, even when I act like an emotional woman, which I am. I am thankful too that right now he is feeling pretty well--which in an ongoing challenge for him. I am thankful for the way he has always provided for our family, and also saved for our future. He is so good to our children, and they love and respect him very much. I am thankful for my children. As with every family, we have our ups and downs--we don't always get along, but there is an underlying caring that runs deep. I am thankful that my children seem to genuinely love each other, and enjoy being together and being friends. I am thankful for 3 cute little grandsons, who call me "Grandma Weez" and who make me laugh just because they're cute and active little boys. This Thanksgiving my daughter, Kelsey, is home from BYU, and she is so thoughtful and caring. What a blessing she is in my life--she cares so much about people, and tries so hard to show that. She just really touches my heart. I am thankful to live in my beautiful home. I love it, and I am so grateful that I have such a nice place to live. I am thankful I can do things like sew and quilt because those things bring me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction. (plus they are lots of fun to do!!) I am thankful I have the means to make beautiful things, and the time to do it. I am thankful to work in the Church--to have the opportunity right now to work with the children's organization, the Primary. Sometimes I feel quite inadequate in that responsibility, but it gives me the chance to serve, and it makes me look outward...which I need to do. Anything that makes me get out of thinking just about ME helps me to focus outward and to be more caring towards others and their
needs. I am thankful for this time of year--fall and winter are a wonderful time here in Arizona--it's the time of year which makes up for all the super hot days of summer. I am thankful for good neighbors--I love the neighbors on our street and how they look out for each other and truly care. We are blessed to live in such a nice place. I also have many friends who truly care--who listen to me when I need a listening ear, and who care and are sensitive to my feelings. There is nothing better than true friends--and they can be in your family as well as outside of your family. I have many more blessings, and I guess I could make this a super long entry, but if you've stuck with me this long, you probably don't want to hear anymore. Like I said at the beginning, this was an exercise more for me than for anyone else--to help me remember many of the ways I'm blessed and to think more of those and less of the ways maybe my life is lacking. I need to be thankful to my Father in Heaven for all that He does for me...and to reflect on those things so much more. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!











needs.needs.

So very disappointed

This is a hard day for me--last night was a hard night. I am very sad, and have shed some tears. So many of the things I value and hold dear were espoused by Governor Mitt Romney, and I had so hoped that he could somehow miraculously win for president. It wasn't because he was Mormon that I was such an advocate, although he IS a good member of our church--holds to its ideals, believes in family, and has been dedicatd to living the prinicples of Jesus Christ. It is because he had the courage to stand up for family and the ideals our country was based on. He believes in America, and doesn't apologize for things we have done--he is proud to be an American. He believes in the inspired beginnings of our country, and the principles that are espoused in our constitution. He is willing to stand alone, and not just sway with the pressures of society to accept and advocate "alternative lifestyles," just so that he can be popular with the voice of the people. He is willing to stand as a witness of Christ at all times, and in all things and in all places. I was so touched by his concession speech--there was nothing of malice in it. I prayed sincerely in the past weeks for the American peoples' hearts to be touched with what really matters. But I know they have exercised their right to vote, and I am thankful we can do that. But I am proud to say that I was for Mitt Romney and for all he stood for. I wish we could have the opportunity to have him work for some of the ideals he advocated. I, like him, really need to pray for our leaders and hope that America can do better in the next 4 years and follow a better path. With all my heart I pray that God will truly bless America, this land that I love.

News in November

That title is a little bit misleading, since I really don't have much news in November. Tomorrow is Election Day, and I have to say I'm pretty nervous about what is going to happen...but I guess we'll survive, whoever wins...hopefully!! :) I have this wonderful friend at Church--she's one of the first people I see every Sunday, and she is a beautiful and very classy woman. She reads my blog--I don't think there are many that still do!! And she got on me yesterday for not having written for so long...and it has been OVER a month! So she was right to give me a hard time, so I'll try to come up with something to say...since she still is one of my "fans!!" Things are finally cooling down in Arizona--well, that's kind of a lie, since it's supposed to be in the low 90's this week. It has been said that we have two seasons here--hot and hotter! Probably truer than any of us would like to admit. I read an article today talking about how the temperatures are going to stay hot longer--that is not a fun prediction. I love fall here--although we don't have fall leaves or anything like that, our mornings and evenings get cooler...and that is SUCH a welcome relief! My son, Brady is into "fantasy basketball." For any of you who have known anyone who does that, it is pretty crazy...and kind of addicting. (especially if you're involved in multiple teams like he is). He gets into different things, and does them wholeheartedly until the next "passion" comes along. My daughter, Kelsey, who is up at BYU, has really been doing some fun things with her photography. She is hoping to get into the program there at school, but even if she doesn't, she is starting to take lots of pictures...and loves doing that and editing them. Her card calls it "Priceless Photography" and we thinks she does great! I think you can check her out on Facebook, but since I'm Facebook illiterate, I might not be the one to tell you that with any degree of authority!! I have been doing quite a bit of sewing and quilting. That is what I love to do--it is so fun, and so great to have something tangible that you can show that you have accomplished something.. I have been making Halloween table runners, and they are way cute. Of course, they take too much time, but I still really enjoy doing them. I am working in our Church's children's organization now, called the Primary. I love it--I love working with the children, and helping their leaders. I love the music of the Primary--nothing can touch your heart like hearing children sing those precious songs that teach them about Heavenly Father. It is a privilege to work with them, and I am thankful for this opportunity. It keeps me very busy, and is probably good becuase it helps to keep me out of trouble!! It is November, so it is the time to express thanks. We had a wonderful lesson in Church yesterday on being grateful...and it is always good to try to "count your blessings," and think of the many ways your life is blesed. Lately I've read about a couple of different people who had esophageal cancer, like I did, and have not survived. I don't think I realized what a horrible cancer it is and how blessed I was to have lived through it. I need to express thanks more often for that and for so many other things I've been blessed with. Our teacher gave us this quote, "Thank you God for blessing me much more than I deserve." I am blessed to know the power of prayer in my life, that I have a Father in Heaven, who cares about me as a person, and who will listen when I talk to Him. I am thankful that He had a son, Jesus Christ, who died for me, and who took upon Himself all my sins and weaknesses and problems because He loves me too. So, at this time of year, I'm going to try harder to express thanks more often and with more sincerity. Have a great day!