Out With The Old...

Every year, as December 31st arrives, I find it more and more difficult to believe that another entire year has slipped away from me.  "Have I done any good in the World?"  Have I given my all and tried to think of others instead of just myself?  Have I conquered fears or risen above my short-comings?  I honestly can't say for sure.  But, I know the past 365 days have been full of experiences that have continued to shape me in the winter of my life.

This past year I have experienced new adventures and family time together.  I have experienced times of sadness and moments of deep reflection.  I have spent long days of indecision and stepping forth on new paths. And there were many, many days when I took the opportunity to give thanks to that God who created us and knows our path and leads our footsteps.  He has given me many blessings this past year.

Twenty-thirteen has been a busy, productive, emotional year full of joy, sadness, giddiness, and sometimes falling down that slippery slope and somehow managing to pick myself up and continue on the path.

VACATIONS:  Dean and I have visited Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, family in Washington and spent meaningful days together with Billy and friends in Branson, Missouri.  I made a trip to Utah and Nevada to be with my family there.  Each trip took us away from our comfortable home in Lincoln City, and found us experiencing new adventures in new places.

CONCERTS:  My husband is a generous, giving man and he knows that I love to go to Concerts.  This past year we enjoyed the amazing talents of "10" gifted pianist on stage at the same time with "10 Grands".  Their performance was at the Schnitzer Auditorium in Portland.  It was an amazing show, with amazing music.  For Christmas, Dean gave me Concert tickets to Michael Buble at the Rose Garden in Portland.  We were "up close and personal" with that one and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I didn't want it to end.  We stayed 2 days in Portland and explored parts of the city (on foot) that we had never explored before.  Back in Lincoln City, we went to see an exceptional young man perform on the Chinook Winds stage.  His name is Scotty McCreery who has a magnificent bass voice and has grown into an amazing entertainer.  He is 20-years-old and was a winner a few years ago in one of the TV Talent shows.  Other entertainment we enjoyed was in Branson, Missouri.  There are so many good shows there and we saw many of them.  From the Presleys, to the beauty of Chinese Ballet in "Marco Polo" to the Chinese Acrobats and many others, we were entertained in Branson.

But, my favorite concert of all was when Billy came to town and performed at our Community Center as a solo act.  He and Ingrid entertained us all.  I love to watch the young man my "boy" has become.  His music has matured right along with him.  And every piece is his own.  How he keeps them all in his head, I do not know...and still he creates more.  He also joined Dean and I with our Christmas Concert at the Community Church.  He played 2 difficult accompaniments with the chorus plus one "on the fly" composition of his own.  Somehow, I managed to snag him to also play his cello for my church's Christmas Sacrament Meeting.  He played "Silent Night" with a soloist and a trio of young girls, and then played along with the Choir as we closed with that number.  His gift never ceases to amaze me.

VISITORS:  We don't often get visitors in our home, or even nearby, but we did have some special people stop by even if it was just to say hello.  The Lennis Clark's traveled from Utah to stay in the World Mark in Depoe Bay.  We only got to visit for a very short time.  The Bruce Trent's came from California and stayed a night or two.  Joan has been my friend since we were 3-years-old.  Dean's Dad made a solo trip from Washington and stayed 3 or 4 days.  It was great to have him in our home.  I got a surprise visit from 2 of my nephews--Steve and Mike Davenport-- who were passing through on their motorcycles and popped in to visit with their old "Auntie!"  It was a great visit.  And, for Christmas, Dean's brother, Dave and his wife, Miriam and their son, Zach brought dad back for a Christmas visit.  We had a great time.

THE HAPPY:  When I went to Utah in June and July, I got to stay with my sister, Chrisie, and be with her through some hard days.  Though the days were filled with sadness, they were also filled with joy as I bonded with my little sister and we have become very close.  I visited Debi and JerriAnne and got to see my #6 Great-grandson--Trey Thompson, 1st son of Randi and Travis.  He was born in March.  I also got to visit with my daughter, Heather and her family in Las Vegas, Nevada for a week.  I am always happy when I get to be with my children.  In November, Debi's sweet step-daughter (who I embrace as my own granddaughter) gave birth to a baby boy, Ryder!  What a great name.  In February, my grandson, Scott Messick returned from his Mission in South Korea...and then he married his high school sweetheart in the San Diego Temple in August.  I was not able to attend.

THE SAD:  In April, Dean's beloved mother, Betty Mickelson, passed away after a very long battle with CHF.  Though mom is free of her suffering, she is sorely missed.  Her death was preceded by the death of her sister, Ruth, by just a few short months,  Ruth's husband, Darryl, also passed away just weeks before mom.  Several family members were placed in Hospice Care.  Dean's cousin, Lorraine, gave up her home and moved to a care facility in Gresham, OR.  She has Cancer, and has opted not to treat it.  So, she remains to this day, getting weaker and weaker.  My sister's husband, Bob Kump, began his long battle with the enemy "Death" in May of this year.  I flew out to be with Chrisie while she tried to make sense out of a very sad situation.  He went from surgery in the VA Hospital in SLC to rehab to 3 different care centers and back to the VA for more surgery.  In the end, he was placed on Hospice Care and died on December 15th.  I was with Chrisie only a couple of weeks, but I wish I could have been with her through the entire illness.  My heart reaches out to her with an abundance of love.

Dean changed jobs in September.  It was a leap of faith for him to jump ship at Walgreen's, where he has worked for nearly 6 years and take a part-time position at Walmart in Newport.  It is a bit of a drive for him on the days he works, but the relief of stress and the fulfillment of promises of a better position has paid off in great measure.  He is so much happier there and more relaxed at home.  Thank you, Walmart, for giving me back my husband!

I have been kept busy this year.  Retirement is not for sissy's!  Besides my daily challenges at home, keeping the home picked up and running, I have my two callings at Church which challenge me sometimes.  I have learned that the challenges in my life are the experiences that help me to grow.  I decided to try and return to Tax Preparation by re-taking the H&R Block Tax Preparers course.  It didn't seem to be as easy as when I took it 8 years ago (and it wasn't really easy then!).  I took the Exam on December 20th, and, at this writing, I am awaiting the results.  When I was in SLC, my two daughters (Debi and JerriAnne) and I did the "Walk for the Cure" for the Huntsman Cancer Center.  The Money they raised went to help with Research in Cancer for the Center.  It was a great day and I managed to do a 5K walk without really getting tired.  I think I could have done a 10K!

And so, in only a few more hours, we will say good-bye to 2013 and welcome in the New Year with a little apprehension and a lot of anticipation for new adventures that may lie just around the corner.

RAIN-WIND-FOG....

Cape Foulweather, Oregon

On December 20th I drove to Newport to take my Tax Preparers Exam.  It was a grueling five hour exam that I really did not feel prepared for!  By the time I finished it, my brain was fried and I was really tired.  I got up once or twice, just to walk around and clear my brain and try to relax.  It was during one of the breaks that I looked out the window and watched a rainstorm brewing.

I finished my exam, both exhausted and exhilarated (because it was over), and forged my way home in what turned out to be an awful storm.  On my way home, going over the Cape, I was blinded by the rain, wind and fog that made my path difficult.   (Cape Foul Weather is aptly named because of the terrible storms there that in the early days of Oregon, before lighthouses, many a ship blinded by the storms found themselves on the rocks).  It was very hard for me to see the road, let alone maneuver the bends in it.

As I was driving through this mean storm, my thoughts turned to the storms of my life.  Some days it seems like the "rain" falls so hard on me that I can't see the path ahead.  Sometimes I just have to get a little wet to appreciate what it was like when I was dry.  There are days when I just want to stay indoors and let the storm pass.  

Like the rain, the "fog" obstructs our view and I wonder if I am going to ever get through it.  Try as I may, my brain is clouded up and trying to see through the fog there seems like an impossibility.  Throw the "wind" into the mix and you get sideways rain which obstructs the view even more.  There are days in my life when I cannot see the end of the path...I cannot hold myself upright because of the wind in my face, and the rain drives at me with such a force that I wonder, "What is it all about?"

And then there are the "tests".  We came to this earth to be tested...there is no way to escape it.  I went into my test feeling unprepared this morning and found a calm there because I had included the Lord in my preparation and He was there with me.  So it is with my life's tests.  He never leaves my side, because I invite Him to be a part of my life.  I know that as I go through these storms of my life, there will be a calm at the end.

The Lord sent His Comforter to be with all of us through our storms in life.  He promised that if we would always include Him in our daily activities, He would be there for us.  Today, I think I am even more grateful for His presence in my life to get me through the RAIN, the WIND, the FOG and the TESTS.

A Storm on the Oregon Coast

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..."  (Psalm 23)

One Special Gift for Christmas...

I have a very loving family, and each and every year they present me with surprises that both delight me and make me cry at Christmastime.  Each gift is a treasure that I will forever be grateful for.

But, let me tell you about one special gift that I received this year.

About two weeks ago, my widowed neighbor, who we learned later had been ill for a while, was found dead in her home.  I was devastated...not really because she had died, because I know what death is all about, but because I am her neighbor and hadn't even noticed that she wasn't picking up her mail from the mailbox right in front of our house.  We would meet there on occasion and have a little conversation.  I didn't really know her, but I knew how lonely she was...and I did nothing to resolve that for her.  She had been gone for nearly eight days before her brother found her.  I asked myself, 'What kind of a neighbor am I, that I could not be a better friend.'  Her name was Vickie...that is all I knew about her.

On Christmas day, there came a knock on my front door, and it was my good friend Kay (my Choir accompanist) with a beautiful, blue glass float in her hand.  She handed me this gift and then began to explain.  Her daughter was a friend of Vickie's and would take meals over to her house during her illness.  Apparently, Vickie had this awesome collection of glass floats in her home...more than one hundred...and Kay's daughter knew that Vickie had expressed to her at some point that she wanted to share her floats with someone who would love them as much as she did.  And so, there was my gift!

I WILL love this glass float (which, by the way is a collector's item, as Lincoln City has a glass blowing factory where they are made, and they can be pretty pricey items!  A couple of times each year, there is a committee that gets together and hides these floats on the beach for travelers and locals alike to search out, find and keep.) just as Vickie wanted me to.  I will miss seeing my neighbor walking to the mailbox and I will miss our little chats, but I now have something to remember her by and cherish.

December...A Month of Celebration of Christ's Birth...

Like November, I wanted to take each day in December leading up to Christmas Day and devote it to the real reason for the Season.  In my heart, I love the Christmas Story told and retold, and I never tire of hearing it.  The commercialism of Christmas has taken away, somehow, from our true celebration of our Savior's Birth.  And so, I attempted to bring that back.

"The Man of Galilee, who was born to set us free."

"Christmas is a time to share our gifts, strengthen others, and do our part in the Kingdom of God.  Christmas is also a time to express our love to others and to bear our testimony of the Savior."  (Elder Robert D. Hales, of The Quorum of The Twelve)

Every other year our community gets together and sings Handel's Messiah.  I love these words, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  These words come from Isaiah 9:6 and they remind me who my Savior is and I shall ever be grateful for Him and the preservation of Holy scripture that tells us these things and gives us comfort.

I wrote for several days about the symbols of Christmas...each one with a new meaning that I had never thought of before.  I will write them here, so that I can preserve them.  The symbols of Christmas hold special value that many may be unaware of.

For instance, the color red, the first color of Christmas, represents Christ's blood that He shed for us so every man, woman and child can receive the gift of eternal life.  The Evergreen Tree, the second color of Christmas sustains its color year round representing everlasting life and hope.  Every needle of the evergreen points heavenward, symbolizing man's returning thoughts toward heaven.

The Evergreen Tree

The Star represents the Star of Bethlehem, which was a sign of the Savior's birth giving light to the world.  Light--that is what showed the way and lit up the heavens--and Light is the epitome of our Savior.  The Wreath is a symbol of the never ending eternal nature of love...having no beginning and no end, one continuous round of affection.  May we all generate this kind of love, so unselfishly given by our Savior, and eternally offered by God.

The Wreath

The Holly represents immortality.  The berries represent Christ's blood that was shed and the green leaves represent hope and new life.  Like the evergreen, the holly stays green all year long.  The Bell, the next symbol of Christmas represents guidance and return, reaching out to guide lost sheep back into the fold, signifying that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord.

The Bells

The Candy Cane is shaped like a shepherd's crook which was used to bring back lost lambs and represents the helping hand we should show as we are our brother's keeper.  A good reminder of Service.  The Candle represents the Lord's light upon the world.  Whether or not the world chooses to walk into His light, it is still there.

The Candy Cane

The Christmas Gift is the symbol that reminds me of two things.  The gifts given to the baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men, and the greatest gifts of all which came from God when He gave us His Son, and from Jesus Christ, himself, when he gave His life so we could live.  There is a third gift from God...the gift of the Holy Ghost.  When Christ left us, He left that great Spirit to guide us through troubled times.  And, tied so very carefully around each gift, is The Bow, which represents the brotherhood of man, tied as we should be, all of us together, with the bonds of good will toward one another.  

The Gift and The Bow

The last Christmas symbol is The Angel.  I love to place my Angel on top of my tree after it is all decorated.  The Angel represents the Angels that appeared to the shepherds the night Christ was born, bringing the message of His Birth.  I believe they still attend us in our hours of needs, carefully guiding us in the right direction.  I have had many Angels attending me in my life and I am so grateful for them.

The Christmas Angel

My list of symbols is complete, but I wanted to add one of my own.  It is the symbol of The Christmas Card.  Christmas Cards speak volumes to the receiver who embraces each and every one as a treasure connecting loved ones in distant places, speaking to friends and neighbors who are nearby, and warming the hearts of the senders as they close their eyes and see the faces of those they wish to connect with and relish in the memories of friendship and kinship.

December has been very cold and snowy up to the middle of the month.  Winter is surely upon us.  Though I do not believe our Savior's Birth was in the wintertime, it is the time that the world celebrates the event...and that is OK with me...as long as we DO celebrate His Birth!  My sister, who has been struggling with the illness of her "best friend," her husband Bob Kump, said good-bye to him on the 15th.  His fight to regain his health was in vane.  My heart is there with Chrisie, even though I cannot be.  I am so grateful for the time we spent together in June and July...her time for preparation for the ultimate loss.  His suffering is over, and now he is in the arms of our Savior, where he will learn so many truths and prepare a place for his sweetheart to join him one day.  Though no one likes to think of losing a loved one at this time of the year...as we celebrate the Savior's birth...the thought came to me that it is actually a good time to say good-bye, knowing that Christ paid the ultimate price for us and because of Him, we have everlasting life.

"...Return with me to that sacred first Christmas in Bethlehem to contemplate the birth of our Lord.  He came in the quiet of the night, in the meridian of time.  He who is Immanuel, the stem of Jesse, the Day-spring, the Lord Almighty.  His birth marked the promised visitation of the Creator to the earth, the condescension of God to man.  As Isaiah wrote of the event, 'the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.'"  (Bruce D. Porter, of The Seventy)

Every day, I rejoice in the blessings of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I pray that you, too will reflect on these things and keep "Christ in Christmas."

November...A Month of Thanks Giving...

For the entire month of November, each and every day, I posted something that I am thankful for.  In the beginning, I thought it was a daunting task, but by the end of the month I found I still had much to say and post.  Here are most of the things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my life.  I am so very grateful that I have the privilege to be here on this amazingly beautiful earth and participate in the acts of daily living.  I love enveloping myself in the beauty of a sunrise and at the end of the day watching the sun dip into the sea (as it were) and disappear.  "There is Beauty All Around!"

I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and the knowledge that I have of Him.  I am grateful that he hears and answers prayers and sends the Holy Spirit to guide me, when I am not too distracted to listen.  I am grateful for His Son, Jesus Christ, who fulfilled His mission by coming to the Earth as a baby, grew to a man, and taught us truths that are written in the Holy Bible.  I am grateful that He did not shrink from His calling to suffer a terrible death on the cross, and on the third day, He conquered death and rose to give us ever lasting life.

I am grateful for the gift of family.  I am grateful for the ancestors who went before me and for their sacrifices to come to this land.  I am grateful that they found the Gospel of Jesus Christ and followed their hearts through many difficulties to get to the great Salt Lake Valley.  I am grateful for my grandparents and my parents, who taught me to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and look toward the Temple, just at they did in 1956.  I am grateful for my husband Gerry, who gave me a good life and five amazing children to love and learn from.  I am grateful for Dean, who rose up to the challenge twice to accept me for who I am and the children that came with me.  I am grateful for my children, who now number six plus one step-son.  Each one has blessed my life in ways that I cannot fathom.  I am grateful for the 14 Grandchildren (7girls and 7 boys) who have sprung up from the Henderson Clan; and I am grateful for the 5 (3 boys and 2 girls) who came into my life by way of marriage to two of my daughters (Debi and Heather).  I am grateful for the 5 Great Grandchildren (3 boys and 2 girls) who have come through the Henderson line; and I am grateful for the 2 (a girl and a boy) who have joined us through Debi's marriage to Bryan.  There is one more Great on the way in the spring--another boy!

I am grateful for my brother and two sisters.  They bring joy into my soul just knowing we are kin.  I am grateful for my mother and dad for giving me the gift of siblings.  And I am so grateful for my nieces and nephews who bring a great deal of joy to their families.

I am grateful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I have a very strong Testimony of the truthfulness of its restoration and all of its principles.  I am grateful for a Prophet who leads us today, and for all of the Prophets we have been blessed with from the beginning.  I am Grateful for the boy, Joseph Smith, who had the courage to ask Heavenly Father to lead him to the right church.  I am grateful for his fortitude to restore, lead and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am grateful for Temples that dot our world.  Each one is a special gift to the Saints and to their communities.  I am grateful that I am able to participate in Temple ordinances and do my part for those who have gone on before me--waiting anxiously for the work to be done for them.

I am grateful for the gift of music in my life.  I am grateful to parents who gave me piano lessons so I could be exposed to beautiful music.  I am grateful for the music that was always in our home when I was growing up.  I am grateful for the gift of voice so I can lift up my voice in singing praises to the Lord.  I am grateful for the music that is ever-present in my home.  I am grateful for Dean and his gift of playing the piano and the trumpet.  I am grateful for the gift that has been passed on to my children.  They all love music.  I am grateful for Billy, who has made his life's work the sharing of his musical creations with the world; and I am grateful that he is able to do so.  I am grateful for guardian angels who watch over Billy as he travels so many miles on the road each year; and for watching over all of my children in their travels and daily activities.

I am grateful for the gift of healing.  Twice in my life, I have felt the hand of the Lord in the healing processes of the surgical procedures I have had to undergo.  I am grateful for the restoration of eyesight after battling with the prospect of blindness.  I am grateful for the surgeons who were present to perform such miraculous surgeries.  I am grateful for the blessings of the Priesthood which helped me through a difficult brain surgery and took away the threat of taking away my life.  I am grateful for my own faith that assists in these times of need.

I am grateful to be able to live in this country, blessed above all other nations of the earth.  I am grateful for the freedoms that we have, earned with the blood of many faithful soldiers who fought so diligently to preserve it and bring it to the rest of the world.  Some of them gave their lives in the process; some of them lost limbs or suffered severe wounds; others came home heroes and set examples of what a brave American should be.  I am grateful for our founding fathers, who gathered together to form this great nation, who drafted two nearly perfect documents, "The Declaration of Independence" and "The Constitution" to put together this Republic.

I am grateful for the gift of travel that has allowed me to travel all over the United States and some of Europe, New Zealand, Canada, and Mexico.  I am grateful for the five states that I have called "home" at one time or another.  Each state has its own unique beauty...whether it is mountains, plains, desert, west coast, or rainy country.  I have experienced all of these, and each one has enriched my life.

I am grateful that I have been able to participate in the Educational process.  I am grateful for the Colleges and Universities I have attended and for the corresponding degrees that I have received.  I am grateful for a long career in Nursing and for all of the baby steps along the way that got me there.  I am grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing me with the gift of a desire for learning.  Life has been one of my greatest teachers and I am grateful for it.  Adversity has also been a great teacher.  Each time I conquer a trial, I come up stronger and more aware of life around me.

I am thankful for the Seasons and for the blessings that each and every one of them brings to the earth.  What a perfect plan!  Spring--the season of new birth when the earth wakes up from its long winter's nap; Summer--a season of growing beauty as flowers and trees mature and grow; Fall--a season for slowing down and watching the earth get ready for its long rest.  I love the colors of fall!  Winter--a time to rest from the long year of work.  I love the fresh falling snow on the earth, making everything so beautifully white.

I am grateful for friends who enrich my life, helping to mold me into who I am today.  Each one has brought new insight to me and teaches me that I am not alone.  I am sure there are many, many other things I could list here that I am thankful for, but suffice it to say that, if it is in my life, I am thankful for it.  Thank you, God, for everything!