Freedom

Since today is election day it wasn’t hard to think of what I am thankful for—it seems like a perfect day to express my love of this blessed country.Agency is an eternal principle, but freedom in this life is not a guarantee. It is hard to think otherwise because I don’t know anything else but freedom. My freedom was bought with a price, many sacrifices made because of the belief that agency is a gift from God. I believe this country was founded on divine purposes and will remain free only if we live by those divine principles. America is a gift from God and He will bless this land if we prove our love for the land and more importantly for our God.

Fall Treats

The temperatures aren’t cooperating with my desire for ALL things Fall, but I am not letting that deter me from cooking and baking my favorite fall foods.

We have already had soup twice. I have baked bread once. And…my thankful items for today I have already made some of my favorite fall treats. Yum!

Pumpkin swirl bread

Apple crisp

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies…with cream cheese frosting.

Okay, there may or may not have been more than one batch of these baked and eaten at this household. But we have shared!

Adult Children

I guess the argument could be made that you are grateful for adult children because that means that they (and you by default) survived long enough to make it into adulthood!

I have had adult children for a few years now, and I am just beginning to appreciate them-what they are teaching me. I have found these lessons difficult, with severe growing pains, so therefore it has taken me longer to get to the point where the pain isn’t overshadowing the good that is happening. In the last few years I have longed for the days when they were young-recalling easier, happier days. But time does not stand still, nor can we go back. By accepting  what is real, I have learned how to recognize the good and let the pain fade away.

I know we started on the journey many years ago, but just in the last couple of years, these two precious souls have taught me to repent, to forgive, and about the atonement. They have taught me through their example to trust, to be happy in spite of (fill in the blank), to work hard, to be honest, to be patient, to turn to the Lord, to trust Him and His plan, to walk in faith, to think out of the box, to accept difficult assignments that you don’t want to do, to make a difference by doing your best, to use agency as it was intended, to accept consequences, to do hard things-especially the hard things the Lord asks you to do, to keep your promises-especially those you make to the Lord, and to not quit ever…like never, ever ever. :) 

I love you with a heart full of love, because you taught me how to do just that.

Thankful for 30+ Years

I am thankful for this man. I am so blessed to be growing old with my best friend. We hoped for that when we were young. I could probably spend the whole month just giving reasons for being thankful for him, but just to keep things from getting too mushy around here, I will just name a few:

• He loves me so completely.
• He works so hard to provide for us-needs and wants.
• He loves the Lord and serves Him.
• He makes me laugh.

And obviously he is a good sport. I took these pictures when he was hard at work on the family room remodel. I walked into the room and here he was, looking like (what I told him) a mad professor. I grabbed the camera and took a picture. Then he looked up and let me take another one—just because he knew it would make me laugh. He is generous like that. And I don’t care what he looks like, as long as he keeps looking at me like that—like I am everything to him.

Blessed Beyond Measure

This says it all for today--

Have I Done Any Good

I have never liked this song better!

Check it out…

If you don’t want to watch the making of part, skip to the 3 minute mark

Thankful Month

I think it is important to count your blessings all the time. However, I don’t do it all the time, not formally, consciously, forming a list. I think for the most part I have an attitude of gratitude, but as with all things I can always do better. I know that counting my blessings when I feel the least like counting my blessings always changes my attitude for the better. When things are stressful around here and it seems like all I can see are negative things around me, if I start to think about my blessings, I start to feel hope. Some days it is hard to make myself stop the negative narration and think of the blessings, but I always realize that is when I need the change it will make in my heart the most.

First on my list this time is my knowledge of a Father in Heaven and His divine plan. Knowing that He has a plan for all of His children, a plan for me, gives me hope and purpose. It is simple for children to understand and yet holds such profound truths. As my knowledge grows, its meaning grows. It puts this life in perspective and a reason to keep trying to be my best self—to become. My knowledge of His plan shows me where to turn for help, how to fix my mistakes and gives deeper meaning to the principles Jesus taught and deepens my desire to choose the right.

drawing  from here