The End of Another Year -- 2016...

What can I say?  I find it hard to believe another month has slipped through my fingers...let alone a whole year!  Where did it go?  Why can't we seem to hold on to every precious moment and savor it and treasure it before it is suddenly gone?

Actually, as I search through the cobwebs of my memory, I do find some moments hat were savored and treasured.  Follow me down the little path known as the year 2016.

It began simply enough...after a wonderful New Year's Eve party in Lincoln City with the Lincoln Pops Band playing wonderful music from the past and eating and dancing with friends.  Twenty-sixteen began the moment the clock finished striking twelve-midnight.

January found me doing some research on the condition of my eyes.  I have Macular Degeneration that is quickly proceeding to the wet stage.  My vision is important to me and it grieves me to think that I might lose even 1% of my eyesight, let alone nearly all of it!  My Opthalmaoogist, Dr. Hayes, informed me that there are shots that I can take routinely over the coming year that can stop the progression.  It is not a cure, but a deterrent to further loss of vision.  I prayed hard about this procedure and decided to go ahead and get the shots.

February didn't have too many moments to treasure.  We got our Taxes done and found that we owed $3,000.00!  That was not a happy moment, but it was better than last year...I guess that is one way to look at it.  Needless to say, Dean was not a happy man.  So, we needed a get-away to calm some nerves and give us a break from the routine.  We went to see Dad for a few days in Washington.  He is always a good relief from the doldrums of every day life and he gave us a few moments to treasure.

March...ah, March!  On the 24th, my daughter, Kim, flew me to Orange County to go spend a week with her...for her Birthday celebration on the 26th.  It was one of those trips that I wish I could take every month...to each of my children's...and there were just so many, many moments to savor and treasure.  Thank you, Kim, for being such a thoughtful and loving daughter.

April didn't have very many moments that I can recall.  Dean is playing his trumpet in a coastal orchestra and they put on two concerts.  I went to one of them and enjoyed the music a great deal.  These are Dean's moments to treasure!  He loves to play his trumpet whenever he gets the opportunity.

May was the month that wee waited for for an entire year!  We planned a trip to San Antonio, Texas to see what there was to see there.  Dean had the River Walk on his list...and Church with Max Lucado!  And I had the Alamo on my list.  Neither one of us was disappointed.  It was a wonderful trip!  We walked everywhere we went...and my feet paid the price for so much walking...in sandals!  We loved the River Walk; we were moved by the sermon Max Lucado gave in his church; we visited the old Mexican village; we toured the old flour mill and some of the original houses in the area; we toured several cathedrals; and we visited the World's Fair grounds still there from so very long ago.  All in all, it was a memorable trip and will live in our memories for a great while.

At the end of our trip, we took a short detour home through Las Vegas and St. George.  I had to carry on as the family representative and hold a memorial for my beloved little sister, Patricia, who passed away last December.  There was a great turnout of family who told their stories and memories of Patti.  Chrisie sang a beautiful song, "Wind Beneath My Wings," while she accompanied herself on the guitar with a grandson, Trace, who was also there to playmharmony on his guitar.  I loved it.

The last night before we flew home, we just ran around Las Vegas!  It was crazy to watch all those very interesting people!  We went up for a ride on the giant ferris wheel, patterned after the one in London!  Ah, memories.

June found us moving... again!  Weren't we moving just last June?  Yes, we were.  The house we were living in had a very steep set of stairs that I was finding more and more difficult to maneuver every day.  So, we searched for a one level home and found one just one block away!  It was an interesting and memorable move!  And, I hope we never have to do it again!  But, then, I say that every time.  And I know that we will at some point in the distant future...and I am hiring a moving company!

July was a distress filled month.  I had a misunderstanding with my only sister, and I have lost her.  I have never in my life felt such excruciating pain.  Not even when Patti died.  It took me weeks to finally resolve myself to the idea that  this life is difficult, people make choices and it is but a brief moment in our "full life's span."  Everything will work out in the end.  Father in Heaven will take charge and make everything right in the end.  I will look forward to that day.

August,.,.not a very exciting month!  September...w got to go to Redmond for a visit with Billy and Alicia and the girls.  Love that little family.  Billy really did good finding that girl.  What started out "iffy," tuned out to be an enormous blessing for everyone!

October...no memories made this month!  November..ah!  Thanksgiving.  I have so much to be thankful for this year,  I have received about 6 shots into my left eye for the AMD and can testify it has saved what vision I have left.  It isn't the best, but it is good enough that I can still drive.  Also thankful for Dr. Prinz, who is helping me conquer my foot pain (Plantar Fasciitis).  It has been with me since May and could be with me another year or so.  But, at least, it is better and easier to walk...as long as I support my foot!  My list of things to be thankful for is a mile long, but just suffice it to say, I am thankful for my life...the whole of it!  The ups and downs; the ins and outs; the good days and the bad days; well, just the whole of it!

December...this brings me to this month, and oh, what a month it has been.  On the 6th, we flew to Salt Lake City to enjoy a masterful performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for their Christmas Concert in the Conference Center. Debi was abler to snag us some amazing seats and the four of us (Dean and I, JerriAnne and Debi) all had an amazing night of it.  That was near the top of my Bucket List, and will live in my memory for a very long time!  Dean also wanted to hear the Organ play in the Tabernacle, so we caught a Saturday afternoon concert.  He was mesmerized!  A memory to savor for him!

When we flew home (actually to Seattle), we picked up Dad to bring him to our house for a while.  We wanted to keep him here till Christmas, but he wouldn't hear of it.  So, I drove him home the week before Christmas and drove back home by myself.  I had to make a little side trip to Portland to see another Eye specialist who would advise me on my lazy eye.  He prescribed a prism lens for my right eye and no surgery!  I was glad to hear that.  Actually, the prism lens works miracles for me.  Science is wonderful.

Dean and I had a quiet Christmas alone this year.  Talked to nearly all of our kids and shared a burnt Lasagna!  (Dean was a trooper and ate it anyway!)  I am failing in the cooking department these days!

That pretty much brings me to tonight.  Dean and I have no plans, but it is always a joy to reminisce over the past year and give thanks for the many blessings that have come our way.  He isn't feeling very well the past few days, so we are just staying in and will watch the ball drop on Time's Square and wish each other a Happy New Year!

God bless all of His children...wherever they may be this night.  I pray for peace to come to the earth in the coming year.  We have a new President (forgot to mention that) and we shall see where he takes us.

                                          HAPPY NEW YEAR!            

A Very Thankful Day...

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, and our celebration was wonderful, surrounded by our Ward Family and friends.  I took Candied Yams, a combination of how my mom used to make them and how Dean's mom made them.  They were delicious and a huge hit.  I mashed the yams with butter and browbn sugar, poured them into a baking dish and covered them with brown sugsar and a nice layer of the little marshmallows.  I put them in the oven @ 350 degrees and baked only until the tops of the marshmallows were golden brown.

I also took some homemade Cranberry Sauce...always a favorite at Mickelson, Henderson and Davenport Thanksgiving meals.  The rest of the meal was supplied by other Ward members.  There was everything from Turkey, Dressing, Gravy, Yams, Green Bran Casserole, a delicious Corn dish made like Potato Au Gratin, a variety of Salads, Rolls and delicious Pies.  It was a feast of food and a feast of friendship.

It is hard to believe that another Thanksgiving has come and goner.  Last year at this time, we were enjoying the Holiday with Eliot and Tamiya in Colorado Springs and "The Lion King," Broadway style in Denver!  Next Year?  Who knows where we will celebrate.

Now, with 29 days lefdt until Christmas, we will focus on the Celebration oif a miraculous birth and LOVE!

Happy Holidays!

Thanks-giving...

How is it that we can live in "the best of times" and at the same time live in "the worst of times?"  As my daughter, Kim, reminded me recently, "our day has been prophesied."  The Prophets of old saw our day and they saw tumultuous times everywhere in the world.

But, they also gave us a key and a promise.
``````````````The key is that we follow the Prophets, spend every single day reading and pondering the scriptures, keeping the commandments and basically, living righteous lives.
`````````````The promise is that we will be blessed to be able to get through these troubled times and return home to our Heavenly Father, which is the ultimate goal of our journey through life.

I have a strong testimony of the truthfulness of these things and how grateful I am today for my parents who taught me "to question with boldness" and take my questions to the Lord, who will answer them and give me peace in my life.

I was pondering the other day remembering another tumultuous time in my life.  I was but a small child, age 2, when WWII threatened to come to our shores.  The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor!   It was December 7, 1941. As the war with Japan wore on, their reconnaissance and fighter planes flew over the entire west coast of the United States.

We lived in Santa Monica, California, and I remember black-outs and planes flying overhead and huddling in our living room with nothing but a candle for light.  The sound of the planes scared me, but I had a loving mother, just like a mother hen, who took her children under her wings, comforted us and told us to pray.  When we prayed, we received comfort.

My dad was an Air Raid Warden and when the sirens sounded, he donned his hard hat and kissed his family goodbye and went out the front door into the darkness.  I was scared for him!  He was our strength and our protector...and he was protecting us by monitoring the streets and skies and doing his job.

My parents were the salt of the earth.  They were my examples that I patterned my life after.  Families are the core unit of this country and we need to protect our families at all costs.  I would give my life for my family.  As I walk the path at the end of the road, I have a lot of time to look back and this memory was just one of many that I don't want to forget.  My stories, though personal to me, need to be passed on to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  I love you all so very much.

Give thanks this coming Thanksgiving Day for family!

Thanks-giving...

How is it that we can live in "the best of times" and at the same time live in "the worst of times?"  As my daughter, Kim, reminded me recently, "our day has been prophesied."  The Prophets of old saw our day and they saw tumultuous times everywhere in the world.

But, they also gave us a key and a promise.
``````````````The key is that we follow the Prophets, spend every single day reading and pondering the scriptures, keeping the commandments and basically, living righteous lives.
`````````````The promise is that we will be blessed to be able to get through these troubled times and return home to our Heavenly Father, which is the ultimate goal of our journey through life.

I have a strong testimony of the truthfulness of these things and how grateful I am today for my parents who taught me "to question with boldness" and take my questions to the Lord, who will answer them and give me peace in my life.

I was pondering the other day remembering another tumultuous time in my life.  I was but a small child, age 2, when WWII threatened to come to our shores.  The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor!   It was December 7, 1941. As the war with Japan wore on, their reconnaissance and fighter planes flew over the entire west coast of the United States.

We lived in Santa Monica, California, and I remember black-outs and planes flying overhead and huddling in our living room with nothing but a candle for light.  The sound of the planes scared me, but I had a loving mother, just like a mother hen, who took her children under her wings, comforted us and told us to pray.  When we prayed, we received comfort.

My dad was an Air Raid Warden and when the sirens sounded, he donned his hard hat and kissed his family goodbye and went out the front door.  I was scared for him!  He was our strength and our protector...and he was protecting us by monitoring the streets and skies and doing his job.

My parents were the salt of the earth.  They were my examples that I patterned my life after.  Families are the core unit of this country and we need to protect our families at all costs.  I would give my life for my family.  As I walk the path at the end of the road, I have a lot of time to look back and this memory was just one of many that I don't want to forget.  My stories, though personal to me, need to be passed on to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  I love you all so very much.

Give thanks this coming Thanksgiving day for family!

The Gospel of Love...

I am writing these words because of what is happening all across America and even the world since our election of 2016.

Acts 1:8  "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

Jesus Christ, the ambassador of peace, the one who preached LOVE in His Gospel, commanded His Disciples to first, "...receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you..." and second, "...ye shall be witnesses...unto the t uttermost parts of the earth."  His was truly a Gospel of Love.

The Disciples (Apostles) carried out their mission, and the world repaid them with death, and Paul was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos.  The world, for the most part, was not ready to receive this Gospel.  Today, we send emissaries (missionaries) of Christ to all the world, and still some are not ready to hear.

For more than 2,000 years, the Gospel of Love has been taught in nearly every corner of the world, and still there are those who choose hate over love.  Why?  Not because they are influenced by others (though there are those who also preach the Gopel of Hate), but by that power who made it his mission to thwart the mission of Jesus Christ.  His name was Lucifer in the Heavens, before the world was, and he has taken upon himself the name of Satan to rule in this world.

It is a battle that began in Heaven and will continue until that great and powerful Day of the Lord when Jesus Christ returns to usher in a New Millennium.  Most will cry, "At last!"  But still some will cry, "No-o-o-o!"

Though we are not officially called upon to preach to the world Christ's Gospel of Love, we can certainly be examples to others.  But be prepared for opposition, "for there must needs be opposition in all things."  Receive it graciously, with Love, and with compassion.

I belong to a Church that believes in supporting our elected officials, whether it be Local, State or Federal.  We recently held an extremely controversial election, with heated discussions coming from both sides of the aisle.  We believe in the rights of the citizens to have their opinions and beliefs, but we do not encourage Hate speech or demonstrations.

Our Twelfth Article of Faith states: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."  In other words, we believe in accepting the peoples choices, even though we disagree.  We believe in praying before an election (my own belief, anyway) and accepting the outcome as God's will for the people.  He is the only one who is all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-powerful.  We will learn from this election process, just as we have learned from ALL of the selected Authorities in the past.

I agree that there is corruption in the "Kingdom," from the top ,trickling all the way down to the bottom.  This is Satan's work and we must be vigilant in crying, "fight him!"  History is full of examples of wicked "Kingdoms" and the people have always managed to figure out how to rid themselves of their oppression.  From the Bible to European history to American to the history of any country on the face of the earth, the cycle has repeated itself over and over again.  But, what have we learned?  Nothing, except that there is a cycle...perhaps this time, we can handle it differently.  I don't think we will.

We can try.  Paul tried, Noah tried, Moses tried, Jesus tried, George Washington tried.  Do you know why "Jesus wept? " It wasn't for Himself, but for His people.  He knew there would be millions, perhaps billions of people who would not get His Gospel of Love.

Today's world is proof that there are those who oppose the message, but there are more who accept it.  Whose side are you on?

What If...

I have this picture on my screen and I smile every morning as I open my computer and this picture smiles back at me.  This morning, as I looked at the smile on Jesus' face, the thought came to me...what if Joseph had fled to another country when he learned of Mary's condition?  What if Mary, given her circumstances in a time when a single, pregnant woman would be stoned and banned, decided to go away somewhere dark and find someone willing to abort her child?  Where would mankind be today?  History would have been changed. forever

What if that little one you are about to abort, the "nothing but tissue" lies others have told you, was destined to be the greatest leader to ever live upon the face of the earth?  What if he or she was destined to be the next  greatest Musician, Poet, Artist, Architect, Philosopher, Teacher, bringer of Peace or Leader of the Free World, or yes, even a Prophet?  I can only imagine what our Country would be like without a George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,  Abraham Lincoln, Edison, Ford, General Eisenhower, and the list goes on and on and on.  I can only imagine!

The giver of Life made our first parents great promises and a helpful warning...that life in the world would not always be easy.  He gave them the Garden of Eden so they would "remember home."  And then he gave them their proving ground.

Please, those of you who seek to throw precious life away, seek for the "easy path," or think "your lot is hard," raise up your eyes to the Heavens and rejoice for the Angels are watching.

I woke up this morning and it was raining, but still the birds were singing.  I knew the sun was shining somewhere, because there was light in the sky.  My home was warm and full of love because we have been given so much within a world that chooses darkness.  Today, my brain still works...though there are signs that it is slowing down.  My eyes still see, though not as clearly as they used to.  My ears still hear, though dimly.  I am still able to walk across a space without stumbling into a chair or walking into a wall, though my limbs are showing signs of the effects of age.  And I am so grateful that my fingers can still find the correct letters on a keyboard...a memory track set in place when I was but a young teen.  And the thoughts in my head can be transferred through complicated brainwaves to the tips of my fingers.

God is SO good!  Please stop your disrespect of Him.  Give Him the honor and love that He gives to you each and every day.  Together, we can make a beautiful world again.

Here's Hoping "America Can Be Great Again"...

The election is over...the votes have been counted, and we have a new President Elect!  I must say, this has been the craziest 18 months I can ever remember and I can honestly say I am SO glad it is over.  This is the second Presidential Election that I "sat out" on.  I just could not wrap my head around either candidate.  I am not a Democrat, so it was "Never Hillary" for me (and for many other reasons, as well.)  But, being Democrat was not the key issue with Secretary Clinton!  I voted for JFK, way back when, and he was a Democrat.

The hardest choice for me was Mr. Trump.  He just didn't seem sincere enough for me.  But, he did step up to the Bar and looked and sounded very much like a President last night when he accepted the country's vote of confidence.  I will continue to pray for him.  I will continue to pray he will do the things he has promised to do and make Americans proud of him and make our Country great again. I pray we will be able to see the "Shining City on a Hill" return and with respect. We have far to go.

Let us make our Country a Model of Christian Charity.  Turn in your Bibles to Matt 5:14 and read what Jesus had to say about the shining city.

God bless America...we have far to go.  And President Elect Trump, many Americans will be watching you.

So Much To Do About Nothing,..,.

 

 

 

We have an election coming up in our Country for the President of the United States, and I must say in my lifetime (and I have voted since the age of 21...some 14 times!)  There have been good candidates and there have been some not-so-good candidates.  There have been some candidates who seemed to have been made for these times...and they were; and there have been candidates that should never have held the office in the first place.

Makes one sit back and ponder what the fuss is all about.  The people will go to the polls and the people will choose their next President.  In my lifetime,  have not seen the country so divided as to who will be their choice.  The prideful and the rich will vote in troves for Sir Donald Trump, while the middle and lower class...those who like their free goodies and don't want to lose them will most likely vote for thr Queen, herself, Hillary Clinton.  The vote is pretty well divided nearly 40:40:20%.  (The 20% are the rest of us who just aren't willing to "settle" for the lesser of two evils...however, if we don't...she will get the vote!

So, here am I, I says to myself, I'm in a conundrum!  Da*^ if I do and Da*^ if I don't.  And so I look at history...not just our history but world history and even Biblical and Scriptural history.  When a King or ruler in Biblical times followed the Commandments of God and was fair to the people, and when the people in turn were of the same mindset, everything went well.

However, there have come along from time to time some Kings and Rulers whose only objective was the throne and power and the people were made subservient.  Their religion was squashed and they paid their allegiance to the King.  They were in Slavery, so to speak.

World History has repeated the pattern as well.  Henry the VIII of England; Napoleon of France; Caesar of Rome; Hitler of Germany; and the many Communist regimes around the world.  I wish I was an Historian, I could have been far more knowledgeable here, but you get the picture.

What we are heading for is what we have bought, paid for and wrapped in a perfect package for all the world to see.  Somewhere, some 100 or so years ago, we started a Progressive ball rolling that has been picking up momentum from day one and no one has stopped it.  Why do the people want Hillary for President?  Because she represents everything they have been spoonfed from diapers on up...Progressivism is the wave of the future and they are told it is good.  And these new Millenials have bought it hook line and sinker because they have been careully taught in their schools and Universities across the country.

And why do the rest of them want Donald Trump?  Well, it's because he is just a cardboard copy of Ms.Clinton...only he's taller, better looking, funnier at times, and still a Progressive.  They are the same.   Only, because he is a Billionaire who promises big things, he is different.

And so, we have a choice.  We choose a crooked Progressive, a foul-mouthed Billionaire, or one of the other Independents running on their own tickets (which screws things up royally in the end.)  Vote for Trump and pray...Vote for Hillary and she is a shoe-in...don't vote, they say that is a vote for Hillary, bur I don't know...maybe yes, maybe no.

 

 

My philosophy...Pray for Inspiration; Vote your Conscience; Pray that whoever is selected to be our President for the next four years will not run our country over the cliff.  Be Prepared for the worst; Stand Strong in the coming Storms; and never, never give up hope as long as you can still see the sun rise every morning and set every night.

 

 

I Am A Child of God...

From the time of my childhood, fair play has played a huge part of my life.  It wasn't until I was in my teens that I learned that there are a few folks out there who don't play fair.  And, I am ashamed to admit, I sometimes followed their example.  I know that I have been guilty of hurting feelings from time to time because I just didn't put the breaks on m,y mouth and I said whatever came into my head.  Sometimes, I just wanted to get even!  I am not proud of my actions.  I am not pleased with the young woman that I became.

And then, I met Jesus.  He turned my life around.  How did I meet him, you ask?  Through reading Scriptures.  I have read the Bible through once, and studied it over the years in classes taught by inspired instructors.  I found Jesus in the Scriptures.

I have also read The Book of Mormon...probably 20 times over my lifetime and alsi studied it with instructors who edified what I found there.  And what did I find?  I found Jesus.

Jesus saved my life.  He saved my soul.  The more I read, the more I found the amazing reality of His Atonement.  He went through all of that agony not only for me, but He suffered all of your pains as well.

Why am I writing about this today?  Because I have had two experiences recently which have brought the teachings of the Scriptures and more importantly, of Jesus Christ to the forefront.  Someone very near and dear to me is suffering very deeply with the choice of going through a very severe repentance process.  I told this friend of my own experience nearly 50 years ago when I walked that very same path.  No!  It is not easy.  It wasn't meant to be easy.  But what I learned from my experience was that it is better to go through the pain and suffering of deep, brokenhearted repentance now than have to go through far worse pains in the hereafter, risking your eternal reward.

My son called me this morning and was distraught with events in his new little family that are causing him great concern.  With Dean on the phone, we all talked and tried to come to some fair conclusions.  While on the phone, Billy confided in us of a dream he had last night which involved Jesus Christ as our Savior, the long, straight and narrow path, the iron rod and the filthy pit of fire and brimstone beside the path.  He said he saw a devil-like (even Hitler-like) figure rise out os the pit spewing fire from his eye.  He said it was Donald Trump and he feared for the fate of our country if he should become President!

I reminded him to keep his focus on the goal at the end of that path...the Tree of Life (God's Love) and eternal life.  This life is but a moment and our focus must be always on our goal.  I love my son and am so proud of him remembering his teachings from Seminary.  He, too, has read his Scriptures.  And I love his beautiful wife and her two beautiful daughters.  They are teaching me that even though we don't share the same faith, we share some of the same beliefs and goals.

This has been both an amazing day and a day of prayer.  May the Good Lord keep these great souls closely enfolded within His arms.  Lead them upon the right paths and bring them home to Him.

How very grateful I am for the teachings of my youth and for those who ingrained those messages into my very core.

Whole...In Spite of Our Holes...

Holes!  When I close my eyes, as I am doing right now, I picture a variety of holes that I am acquainted with!  I picture that great hole in the street, called a "sink hole," where a bus just fell into.  Honest...it was on the news a few days ago!  Those holes are to be avoided!  I think of holes in the desert which I have been told are homes to various desert inhabitants...even snakes.  I do not examine these holes, because I do not like snakes.

There are teeny-tiny holes in the sand on our beach made by the little sand crabs that evade us by escaping into their holes.  There are holes in Swiss Cheese that I am told are supposed to be there due to the process of aging.  I have seen holes in my mother's bread which occurred either in the raising process or the baking process...I forget which.

Though I have never seen a "black hole" (see the above photo), I have enough faith in Science and the process of discovery that I believe they are there.  A few years ago, I had to have brain surgery to remove a rather large head bleed and now I have 2 extra holes in my head.  One is about the size of a  quarter and the other one about the size of a pencil's circumference.  Apparently, I did need "another hole in my head!"  I am also sporting a few more holes in my skin as the result of Skin Cancer surgeries.  That is the result of my love of the sun in good old Sunny Southern Californiaa where I grew up.

Throughout my life, through the process of experience, I have acquired some holes in my very existence.  There are holes in my heart from the losses of some of the most important people in my life; and there are holes in my Spiritual Path because of some of my life's choices.

I remember two very vivid things that happened to me as a child.  One was the umpteenth time I tripped and fell, scraping my hands until they stung so bad, tearing a hole in my jeans and creating a huge cavern in my knee.  Like the many other times I had stumbled and fallen, I ran home to the comfort of the only person I knew who could calm me down and fix the hurts...my Mother.  I knew I could count on her to "fix things!"  She always did!  Like the time I stepped on a nail which was still attached to a board.  It went clear through my foot!  I pulled my foot off the nail and the board, limped home, sporting a hole clean through my foot and there was my mother ready to soak my foot in Epsom Salts and bandage the wound.  She was there for my knee, as well.  She washed my hands and scrubbed my knee (I objected loudly!)  Mom always dressed our wounds with something called "Oil 'O Sol," which I swear smelled much like the Melaleuca Oik that I use today!  Hmmm.

I had to tell about my mother's role in healing my wounds, because I think it is a metaphor for how I have managed to heal the other holes in my life.  Those that injure the heart, soul, spirit and psyche, need a higher power to help heal them.  I was having a conversation with my daughter, Heather, the other day and she made a comment that started my wheels turning and thus the inspiration for this writing.  I had said to her: "I have a couple of holes in my life that I wish had never happened..."  Her reply to me (and I have her permission to quote her) was this: "We all have holes mama!...I think it's what we do in spite of those holes, that makes us whole."  Wow!  Whole, in spite of our holes.

My relationship with my mother was important.  My faith in her led to my healthy relationship with my Heavenly Father and Huis Son, Jesus Christ.  Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are promised wholeness...our holes will disappear...when we display Godly sorrow and repent.  I am so grateful for that cleansing process in my life.

Life is Learning the Art of Balance...

We all have days when we feel like we are balancing on a tightrope.  I know I do.  Everything exists within that narrow margin of balance.  When you were a tiny baby, you had to learn to balance your head...else it would "fall off your shoulders!"  All through babyhood, there were many skills you would learn that revolved around balance.  Walking, climbing, learning to keep your peas on your spoon were some of the hardest ones to learn.  Oh my, no...I take that back...learning to ride a bike, stand up on ice skates, ski downhill, or turn that flawless pirouette were my hardest!

Lately, I have been confronted with some very interesting balancing acts.  When I first got married, oh so many years ago, I learned to balance a checkbook, balance my chores so that at the end of the day, every single one would be completed, and balance my time between my husband and myself.  As the children kept on coming, (I have 6), my time-balancing-act got crowded.  Some days I was successful, and some days I was not.

I learned that you balance your emotions through the "better or worse" experiences.  I learned that life can be just as happy during the "poorer" times as it is during the "richer" times.  I learned that there is a beautiful spiritual balance between those "sickness and health" challenges in our life.  Grateful am I for these experiences, because without them life would be shallow and empty.

Of late, I have been devastated with an emotional battle between depression and panic/anxiety attacks; and I am learning to balance not only my life and my actions, I am learning to balance my thoughts, as well.  Mental health is vital to learn how to battle the deep caverns we find ourselves stuck in sometimes...and when someone throws you a life-saving rope, do not hesitate to grab on as if your life depended upon it...because it does!

Life is the tightrope.  The pole you hold on to for dear life that gives you balance is the Word of God.  Gravity would pull you down off of the rope if you let it...don't let it.  It is that awful adversary who tells you, "You don't need balance in your life...no one does!  Just let it all go and 'fall!'"  I have heard his voice.  But the voice that tells me to hold on, take a deep breath, let God hold you steady is a stronger voice and the one I choose to listen to.  As long as I have breath in my body, I choose to hold on to the rod, stay balanced and reap whatever rewards are in store for me at the end of my journey.  I prat you will do the same.

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Only For Now...

This is the story of two paths which for a lifetime have traveled in the same direction, side-by-side, seemingly to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way and each other's company.  One path, though the way was not always straight or without bumps, was reaching very near to its end and spent its days enjoying the lovely trees, flowers, streams, ocean shores and mountains along the way.  The other path found only playful fields and waves to splash in and enjoyed a very different world view.


One day, the two paths came to a seemingly high mountain to either clime or go around.  The one path, seeing the peril that awaited a climb over the mountain, chose to go around it in a much safer direction.  The other path chose to go over the mountain.  The two paths stated their views, but still the decision was made and they parted.


This is the way life is.  We think we know a better way, when we throw everything we have been taught in our early journey over the cliff and take the perilous road over the mountain.  Those of us who cling tightly to our values and the teachings of our youth choose to travel the better way, skirting around those perilous cliffs which can lead to our undoing.


Why am I writing this?  Because I see in these "end of times" days, many relationships ending in this manner.  I see our nation being torn apart by conflicting views...by those who want to ignore the values of the past and travel the hard road!  I see this in marriages that are torn apart by selfishness as one partner sees a better adventure over the mountain.  And I see families in distress, one pitted against the other with conflicting views.


I hold fast to my path.  I hold fast to the teachings of my fathers...both those of our nation and my own family.  This is what I believe:
     (1)  I believe in God, the Eternal Father, who is Sovereign and reigns supreme over His children.  He is my guide and holds not only the Keys to His entire Kingdom, but he holds my welfare in His hands.
     (2)  I believe in God's Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a Sacrificial Lamb to teach us the truths of His Father's Gospel, and then to Atone for the sins of all the world.  And, not only the sins, but also all if the illnesses, distress, anguish, heartaches, whatever ails mankind...He took these upon Himself and in doing so, He bled from every pore as He poured out His heart to His Father in the Garden.  He asked for the "Cup to be removed from Him," but He knew He must go forward and do the Father's will.
     (3)  I believe that God, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to a 14=year-old boy in a grove of trees in upstate New York in answers to the boy's fervent prayer for answers to his questions concerning religion.  And from that first vision of the boy, Joseph Smith, sprang up a gospel that would spread throughout the whole earth.  A Gospel restored, even by Jesus Christ himself.
     (4)  I believe in the sacred covenant of Baptism by emersion by those having the authority to do so.  I believe that repentance is necessary to receive forgiveness of sins.  I believe in the Gift of the Holy Ghost, conferred upon a baptized person, by one having the authority to do so by the laying on of hands.
     (5)  I believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led today by Prophets who love us and lead us by the inspiration and gift of prophecy.  I believe that they walk and talk with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and that they are given instructions pertaining to the governing of the Saints in these latter-days!


There are many, both inside and outside of the Church, who would question most, if not all of my beliefs.  Be that as it may, I have lived through enough of life's difficult challenges to KNOW that what I profess is true.  I have had visions of my own and I have felt my Savior's loving arms around me on more than one occasion.  I have knelt in fervent prayer to ask to know these things and to ask forgiveness for my sins...both of commission and omission.  It was then that I felt His loving arms around me and He said, "Peace.  All is well." I have felt my dearly departed husband's hand upon my forehead when I prayed for forgiveness and to know he had forgiven me.  And I heard these words, "I do forgive."


And so, my path continues around the mountain, enjoying the beautiful vistas before me.  I don't know whether I shall meet the path that traveled over the mountain again, but I shall say my prayers for the other path, and perhaps on the other side, we shall meet again.

"A Sentimental Journey..."

Once in a great while, I like to take a little journey backward, reflecting on experiences of the past. I took such a journey the other day, back to my childhood and curiosity led me to search for pictures of the two houses I grew up in in Santa Monica, California.  I suspected there would be changes, but was taken aback at just how many changes there were.


The first house I remember we lived in was at 2205 Ashland Avenue.  Dad bought this house shortly before he ventured into the restaurant business.  I can't be sure, but I believe they paid all of $6,000 for it.  It was a cozy little 2-bedroom, 1-bath home with a single car garage and a  huge backyard.  I spent my formative years there, enjoying friendships with just about every kid on the whole block!  I can still remember some of their names: Joan Tommasino, Ivan Anderson, Suzie Klein and a couple of boys who lived on the farthest corner house.  Most of the other houses were occupied by only adults.


I learned to roller skate, ride a bike, grasped a little taste of independence by earning an allowance by cleaning the bathroom and my bedroom and later, the living room and doing dishes.  Oh, and practicing my piano every day.  My dad was a great teacher and led me to know the value of a dollar.  I could spend it foolishly and pay the consequences later, or spend wisely and save a little here and there.  Mostly, I spent my dollar foolishly for things like candy and ice cream!


My early childhood was full of fun and friends and laughter and sometimes, tears.  I skinned my knees innumerable times, stubbed my toes relentlessly, and stepped on uncountable nails because I refused to wear shoes!  Our huge backyard was a little girls dreamland.  Mom and dad had a "Victory Garden," planted after the end of WWII.  There were all sorts of vegetables that I could pick and eat.  And farthest from the house were two avocado trees.  One didn't bear any fruit, but the one that did was always loaded with avocadoes--my favorite!  The branches of this tree hung down to the ground and was a perfect hiding place whenever I wanted to get away from my brother.  Later, it would serve as my "girls only" meeting place.


I don't have a picture of what it looked like when I lived there, but here is a picture of what it looks like today.

They have converted the garage into a Master Suite and added a second bathroom.  They have bricked in the driveway...a feature that I love.  That big lawn in the front was there in my childhood and I remember practicing cartwheels and back-bends endlessly,  And when my brother was finished mowing the lawn, I would scoop up the grass cuttings and form my own little house for my little tiny babies to live in.  (Yes, I was a crazy kid!)  I don't have any pictures of the backyard or the inside, but I was able to take a virtual tour of the whole house.  My, my what beautiful changes have taken placer here!  All of the floors are wood.  I don't know whether they are the original wood floors or not, but they are beautiful.  They have opened up the kitchen with a pass-through bar into the dining room and extended the kitchen into where mom's washer and cleaning sink was.  It is truly an improvement.


There have also added a  family room behind the second bedroom with open vaulted ceilings.  The back yard now has a covered patio next to the house, a concrete area and a new 2-car garage which is accessed from the alley.  All of the landscaping is California coastal and they have done a very nice job.  But, the avocado trees are gone!  This house holds many happy childhood memories.  It was a wonderful trip down memory lane for me. 


The second house I lived in in Santa Monica, from 1950 to 1957 (when I graduated from High School and went off to College), was located just one block from my dad's restaurant, Pickle Bill's.  This is the house that has undergone an interesting transition from a lovely, quaint 1940's Spanish Style home with arches on the front porch and over the driveway.  It was a flat roof design with the red Spanish tile showing only on the outline of the roof.  I loved this house.


I grew up here, from childhood to my teen years.  I went through an ugly puberty, turning into a selfish, self-willed teen that my mom and dad had to suffer through.  I was lonely here.  There were no children that I knew on the block...and all of my friends went to a different school.  I was shy and unsure of myself as I approached my teen years.  The only three things I had that brought me joy, were my dancing lessons, my piano lessons (yes, I loved piano!), and tending my baby sister, "Teenie!"  It wasn't until I got to Jr High School that I finally made friends.  I was impressionable and at times, my choices of friends was not what my parents approved of.  So, I suffered through either rejection by my parents or acceptance from my new friends.  Unfortunately, I chose the latter.


The only thing that saved me during my tumultuous  teen years, was my activity in my Church.  Here, I found new friends who pointed me in the right direction...though I still felt like the middle of the rope in a "tug o' war" contest.  Which side would win?  I found my Savior in that activity in church.  And even though there was a war going on inside of me, I always managed to choose the right side of the issue.  I chose Christ.


I "grew up" in this house!  I learned that my parents were the greatest gift I could ever ask for.  And, in the end, are the very best friends a girl can have here on earth.  Oh, my selfish nature still creeps its ugly head into my behavior from time to time, but deep in my heart I knew which path I want to follow...I want the one where Jesus will sometimes carry me and sometimes let me fall.  But it always was and has been a comfort to know that He is always there.


The house on 26th Street was transformed recently, and I found a picture of its transformation.]

To say I like the change would be a lie.  I like the old architecture!  There was no virtual tour for this house, so I have no idea what that new two-story addition looks like on the inside.  They have changed the entry from a side door off of a porch, to a front door off of a new walkway.  A few years ago, before they did these changes, I visited the property and there was a really intriguing Japanese style garden on the entire front lawn.  All of that is gone now.  I don't have the picture I took on this computer, but the house was still the old one!


Like the two houses I grew up in, both have undertaken many changes and so have I.  In some respects, my life has blossomed into something beautiful, like the first house, and I have evolved into a modern world, learning new directions, new ways to give and get love, new respect for my family and friends and even those I have never mer.  I have grown to love history and both of these homes represent a vital part of my history.  I am grateful for the memories I have and the experiences that brought me to where I am today...all through the living and loving in these two homes.  I pray their current owners will also experience such love while they occupy their respective homes.


Thank you Santa Monica for giving my parents two homes that, if their walls could speak, would testify to the world, that "here lived a good, happy family."  Thank you 2205 Ashland Avenue for giving me laughter, tears, love and the beginning of my journey to find Jesus.  My friend, Joan, taught me the verse in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son."  I memorized that part and kept it in my hart.  Thank you, 2318-26th Street for giving me growth, both in finding and accepting Christ into my lifer and creating in me a thirst to know more; and the growth in physical and emotional stature, as well.  I am so very grateful for my journey so far and for the formative and growing years that taught me to be strong, have faith, and to know love--both the giving and the getting of it.  I am grateful for these and so many more memories that encircle my life every day.

Ramblings on a Sunday..."FATHER'S DAY!"

I love to go to Church on Father's Day and heat all of the wonderful tributes paid to any number of Father's in the Speaker's life.  It opens the windows of my memory and helps me to keep the Fathers who have touched my life close.  I was grateful this particular Sunday for one talk that touched my deepest memories.  MY HEAVENLY FATHER, MY OWN EARTHLY FATHER, THE FATHERS OF MY CHILDREN, AND FINALLY MY CHILDREN AS FATHERS.

When I think of my HEAVENLY FATHER, my mind's eye cannot picture His face...but I can picture all of His creations and I marvel at His work's.  I am a Spirit Child of my Heavenly Father.  I love Him and I know that He loves me.  He is and has always has been there for me.  He hears and answers my every prayer and leads me upon the right path. 


My life has been a very long journey and it has taken me decades to understand the complexity of a "Father's" love for me.  Whenever I pray selfishly, my answers do not come in the form that I would desire, but I understand the wisdom of His answers.  He has allowed me to have those selfish desires of my heart from time to time, and I have learned that "my will" is not the better path to follow.,  And only God knows the wisdom of keeping me off that path and directing me to a better one.


Oh, that I could have learned these things by another path and at a much younger age, I could have avoided a great deal of heartache.  But...would I have learned the lesson?  That I cannot answer.  Even at my age, I struggle with the lessons of my past and pray that my children and grandchildren...and now, even my great-grandchildren...will do better than I have done.


Through all of life's ups and downs, difficult6 crossroads, times of good health and times when the body fails us, I do not run away from any opportunity to fold my arms, bow my head, and visit with my HEAVENLY FATHER!

If you read carefully, The Proclamation on The Family, "Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live.  Husbands and wives--mothers and fathers--will be held accountable before for the discharge of these obligations."

This is the Divine Role of a Father (and Mother).  As I conjure up the memories of my FATHER, .I can honestly say that he fulfilled his obligation.  He was a loving and a righteous Father!  He definitely provided for our every need.  He worked tirelessly--even to the last day of his life--for his wife and family.  Did he teach his children to love and serve one another?  I can without hesitation say that he did.  Even though there are years separating all four of his children,  (22 years from oldest to youngest), one of us or another was there to help, support, lift up, and love each other.

My dad was the most honest man I ever have known.  He lived the Commandments...He loved his God, he attended and magnified his callings in his church; He loved his wife and family and never broke those sacred covenants made at the Alter of God;  and He obeyed not only God's laws, but also the laws of his country. 

My FATHER fulfilled his Divine Role.  He taught me the way I should go in order to attain Eternal Life.  He truly taught me whether it was through the scriptures or through the lessons I needed to learn, that life sometimes introduced bumps in the road for us...and we don't always choose the right path.  He was there for me to help place my feet upon the proper path.  His love for me (and for all of his children) was unconditional.

I love you, Daddy, and I miss you terribly.  I still need you to lead me.

How sad I don't have a picture of Gerry, my first Husband, the FATHER OF MY FIVE CHILDREN on this computer.  I shall have to correct that one day in the future.  (Oops...I found one!)

Gerald Vernon Henderson was an awesome husband and father.  The five children that we brought into this world together are proof of his righteous "discharge of (the) obligations" listed in The Proclamation.  My only regret to this day is that I did not recognize his greatness until after he was gone.  He provided some of the most memorable family vacations with the children.  Each one has their own special memories of those trips...whether it was our annual water-skiing trips to Lake Powell or our skiing trips to Utah, or our special togetherness times in the mountains of Northern California. 

His "Fatherhood" was  cut way too short, but the legacy he left behind pays honor and tribute to him as a father through his children,   Kimberlee, Mark, Debra, JerriAnne and Heather have all magnified the teachings of their father in their lives. 

He left us February 7, 1981.  Funny, though, he still leads this family and several of us have felt his spirit near in times of happiness or sorrow.  He was there holding me up when my father died; he was there doing the same when I lost my mother; he was there in the operating rooms of my many eye and brain surgeries; he has been in attendance at every marriage of his children; he was there to comfort me when I lost my little sister, Patti recently; and he was there at Patti's "Celebration of Life" in St. George, Utah when Dean picked up Gerry's trumpet and played "Journey Home" beautifully.

Dean and I were married (1) April 25, 1982, and (2) August 8, 1999.  We both had issues that we had to iron out of our lives and it took nearly 12 years to do that.  Our first marriage brought forth a son, William (Billy) Jens Mickelson; Dean's second marriage (to Laurie Phelps) brought Eliot Dean Mickelson into his family.  I have had an opportunity to watch Dean develop his FATHER'S role.  He loves his two sons, and he loved his little step-daughter, Heather.  He felt and feels a great deal of responsibility for being able to teach them all correct principles and how to govern their own lives.  In these areas, he has succeeded.  Heather, Billy and Eliot have all grown up to be  the possessors or amazing minds!  Billy and Eliot in music and Heather in the loving, caring aptitude of the Nurse's heart!


I am so grateful for the fathers in my lifer and hope and pray that I have and will live up to their teachings and examples.  It is an amazement to me that my grandchildren are having children!  I was just getting used to getting to know and love the grandchildren (now numbering 19...and holding).  My two sons, Mark and Billy are both developing into loving and responsible fathers.  God bless their efforts..

Mark with his Guard Dog!





 
             Billy with Rania and Maya!






My Grandchildren have given this growing family 12 great-grandchildren (number 13 is on the way).  All FATHERS are doing their job splendidly!

To all FATHERS in and out of the church--old and young--wise and foolish--beware my watching eye (because I am a people watcher)--allows me to smile when I observe the love exchanged between FATHER and child; or frown when I observe those exchanges of "misguided love."  I am praying for all of you.  Learn from these words and reflect on the words of The Proclamation.

From the great play (which I loved) "The King and I," and as quoted by President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his article "Happiness...The Universal Quest," let me end with this: "The king of Siam lay dying.  Anna's son asks her this question, 'Was he as good...as he could have been?'  Anna answers wistfully, 'I don't think any man has ever been as good...as he could have been...but he tried.'"  I would say this of all Fathers on this day.  You may not be "as good as you could be," but never stop trying.  I love you all.  I thank my HEAVENLY FATHER for continuing to love and support me; my EARTHLY FATHER for all that he taught me and for the example he was for me and his family; the  FATHERS OF MY CHILDREN for carrying on what their own fathers taught them and giving our sons a clear example of what a father should be; and I thank my sons, who are now FATHERS for giving back to your fathers the gift of responsible family oriented love and admiration.

And to my Grandsons, who are now FATHERS, God bless you on your journey...never give up hope for the future.  Your children have a great destiny and what you teach them now will help them plow through whatever is in store for them and their posterity.  A FATHER'S job is not an easy one, but is a job that follows in God, THE FATHER'S footsteps.  He laid down the foundation. 

Counting My Blessings...

This is why I love Oregon!  We manage to swim through the fall and winter rains, and then comes April!  Rhododendrons are the most beautiful flowers and they are popping out everywhere!  They are Oregon's flowers and we lovingly call them "Rhodies!"  It's like the earth comes to life...a fitting reminder of the Resurrection.  We muddle through the winters of our lives and at the end, we are promised a new day...a new life...and I imagine beautiful flowers everywhere.

For the past few weeks, the topics and lessons chosen for our Church meetings seem to have been directed just at me.  The Atonement has been spoken and taught in so many interesting ways and the message has driven home to my heart with a new understanding and gratitude for the burden our Savior took upon His shoulders for "me!"

This past Sunday, the messages included some very important points about families and the role of Fathers in our lives.  I didn't realize I had so many "Fathers!"  The first Father I knew was my earthly Father, who watched over me, provided for my needs and taught me the survival skills I would need to get through this earthly life.  The second Father I knew, was my Heavenly Father.  Like my earthly Father, I learned that He also watched over me, provided for my needs and I learned from His Holy Scriptures the survival skills that I would need to return to Him and live in His Kingdom one day.

The third Father I learned about was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Father of this earth, because He created it.  Like my own Father and my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ also watches over me and loves me, provides answers to my prayers if I will but ask.  "Seek and ye shall find, Knock and it shall be opened up to you." ()  And His loving words set my feet upon the path "home!"

I learned that our Bishop, the Father of our Ward, is also on his watchtower watching over his flock.  And, likewise, our Prophet as the Father of the Church, sending out his messengers to make sure that his flock is secure.  The very word "Father" has such a deeply profound meaning and because I have been given this food for thought, I find that I am ever more grateful for all of the Fathers in my life.

Like the Calililies that bloom every year faithfully around the Easter Season, (and I apologize for the poor picture, but I promise there are some very pretty ones on the other side of the bush), I am reminded once again of my Savior...the Father of my earthly tabernacle.  In California, when I was a kid, we called these lilies "Easter Lilies" because they bloom at this time of the year,  There are other lilies that do the same thing, but these are the lilies of my childhood.

"Because I have been given much" is a favorite Hymn of mine...every day I give thanks for the bounties that bless my life.  And today I am grateful for the beautiful flowers that grace this amazing Northwest state of Oregon that I live in.  Thanks to my earthly father who taught me to see and appreciate these beauties; thanks to my Heavenly Father for giving me this life and the eyes to behold the beauty all around me; thanks to my Savior for giving me the hope of a new life and for His abundant creations; thanks to all of the Bishops in my life who have guided my steps on paths that lead me in the right direction; and thanks to our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson and all of Prophets of the past, who watches over all of us and sens their messages to us so we can grow.

Oh, what a wonderful world we live in!

Faith...Hope...Love...

Several years ago I got a necklace that I adore.  It has three round charms that hang from a golden chain.  On each charm is written a word, accompanied by a gemstone.  One charm is a Rosy color, another is silver and the third is gold.  On the Gold charm is written "Believe."  That is the equivalent of Faith.

When I was a very small girl living in California, I shared a room with my older brother.  In spite of the comfort that he was there with me, there were many nights when I was afraid.  I did not like the dark and my bed was positioned directly under a window that my mother liked to keep open a crack to let in fresh air.  I remember on more than one occasion calling out to my "mommy" to come comfort me because I was afraid.  She would come into my room and teach me about Jesus and tell me that if I would pray to him whenever I was afraid, He would send His angels to protect me.  And so, I would crawl out from under my covers, kneel beside my bed and with my head in my mother's lap, I would pray.  It was miraculous to me how every time it worked!  My fears departed and I was no longer afraid.  The dark "monsters" under my bed, or lurking outside of my window, would leave me and a peace prevailed in my room.  I never saw the Angels, but I knew they were there!

As I have traveled through this, my life's journey, I have had so many, many times when I had to call upon my faith to get me through situations that I could not get through alone.  I learned that by closing my eyes, saying a heartfelt prayer and taking that leap of faith that Angels lifted me.  I am so grateful for my mother for teaching me early to have the faith I have today.

The second charm, the Rose colored one bears the word "Trust."  Like Faith, if we Trust in the Lord or have Hope in the Lord, we can accomplish all things.  When I was a young mother of five beautiful children, I took upon my shoulders the daunting task of going back to school to study to become a Nurse.  I was 35 years old and hadn't been in college in a very long time.  But, I squared my shoulders, took all of the necessary entrance exams and Trusted with the Hope that I possessed that Heavenly Father would see me through this.  Never once did I leave Him out of the equation.  I prayed before I studied, I prayed before I took a test, and I prayed during every facet of the learning process.  If I can do it, you can do it, too.  The trust I have in my Heavenly Father has given me Hope every day that I live.

The third charm, the Silver one, says "Love."

In scripture, Jesus' answer to "Which is the greatest Commandment" was:  "The first and greatest commandment is this: Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thy might, mind and strength...and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Jesus said, "Love everyone."  By following His example, we can.  He loved little children and they flocked to him.  They could feel His love.  He loved the sinner and comforted them and said to them, "Go, and sin no more."  He loved His enemies and prayed for them.  I picture Him in Gethsemane praying for EVERYONE!  As He Atoned for our sins, our imperfections, our trials, our hurts, our illnesses...He experienced each and every one of them...the pain was so excruciating that He bled from every pore of His body.  In my Nursing Career, I have had many experiences and some that I have wished I could have born some of the pains that I saw.  I watched a man die after ingesting a whole bottle of Aspirin and then not being discovered until the next morning.  He bled from every orifice and his pain was excruciating.  Death was a gentle release for this man.

Even on the Cross, as our Savior hung and suffered, He showed His love for others.  He told the robber He would be with Him in Paradise, and He asked His Father to "...forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."

Such great love "hath no man, than this...that He lay down His life for a friend."  He laid down His life for us.  All of us.  I pray that I can have and give such great love.

I believe that my Savior's love is sufficient and that one day I will live again and walk and talk with Him and that I will be able to thank Him for all that He has done and continues to do for me.  He calms my fears, He gives me Hope for a brighter tomorrow, and He confirms my Belief in Him with His Love for me.

This has been a remarkable Sunday!

The Artists in My Family...

There is a long line of artists in my family.  From the musically inclined to those who dance to  visual arts...there are so many examples.  My grandparents on my father's side loved music.  My Grandfather played both the fiddle and the guitar; my Grandmother played the mandolin, harmonica and the guitar.  Together they entertained many family members as well as folks out for a good time at an open air dance event.

My mother didn't play a musical instrument, but she had an Angel's voice and loved to sing to us as we were rowing up and also in our Church's Choir.  My dad also had a wonderful voice, but he was too busy with earning a living that he didn't share it very often.  He was a wonderful dancr, however, and that is how he and mom met...at a dance.  They loved to go to the Aragon Ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier and dance to the live music of Lawrence Welk.

My brother and sisters and I inherited many of their talents.  Darell has a wonderful voice and has sung in many venues over the years; Chrisie also sings well and plays the guitar.  She entertained in numerous venues in St. George for a period of time.  Patricia had a beautiful voice, but didn't share it except with family members.  Me?  Music and dance were my fortes.  I have lovred to sing sincr I was a very young child.  I had lead parts in numerous church productions in my youth and early 20's.  I also loved to dance.  Ballet, Toe, Acrobatic and Tap dancing were my favorites.  I also loved ballroom dancing and participated in numerous church dance festivals in my youth.  I also loved the piano and had a feel for music.  Thirteen years of piano instruction gave me my love for the instrument; however, I have a hard time reading music quickly, because I learned to "play by ear" and in my youth memorized music in this fashion.

Each of my children have inherited their own gifts.  Kimberly is a most gifted Interior Designer, and she holds a Master's Degree in Interior Design,  Every hone she has lived in is a work of art!  Mark expresses his gift in his craft of Stair Building.  He has earned many "Golden Chisel" awards for his amazingly beautiful stairs.   In his youth, he picked up a guitar and taught himself to play by ear.  He was a mean rock star!  Later, Mark found he loved to draw.  He has a feel and gift for art., Debi is gifted in many areas.  She has taken up the art lately of playing the guitar and does a wonderful job.  She also has a wonderful voice.  Her main gift, however, is in the field of sports.  From baseball to volleyball to running to cycling to keeping her body trim and toned in the gym, she excels in everything she tries.  Photography is also a gift that she shares with her sister, Heather.  Heather  has many gifts.  When she was young, we put her in dance classes and she blossomed from there.  I loved to watch her dance on the stage and I miss that.  She also has a beautiful voice but only shares it at home.  She does beautiful work with a camera and has formed her own business.  From what I hear, her clients are well pleased with her wok.  Billy is my musician.  I'm sure he inherited this from both sides of the family tree.  When he was but a wee little boy, we introduced him to the violin, and then the piano.  When he was 15, he picked up the guitar and blew our minds when he just took off playing everything he heard.  It was amazing.  He formed several bands in his youth, and then he picked up a cello I bought for myself and taught himself to play that instrument.  The cello has become his instrument of choice and he has made a career out of his musical gifts...both playing and writing his own compositions and performing all across America and throughout Europe.

This brings me to JerriAnne.  When she was very young, she was concerned that she had no talents or gifts.  I told her to be patient, and "in the due time of the Lord they would be manifested unto her."  In high school, she discovered she was good at sports, particularly running.  She joined the cross country team and blossomed into a wonderful, graceful runner.  She had also played softball when she was much younger, but that was not her sport.  She was a runner!  In College, she began with a major in Architecture and found drawing was a gift that she had.  From there, she began to use that talent and draw many beautiful things.   Currently, she is working on her Master's Degree in Special Education, focusing on working with the blind.  She has a gift of working with special needs children and has worked in a Charter School assisting with their needs.

And so, this brings me to the purpose of writing this episode in my life.  A few years ago, while living in St. George, Utah and working as a flight nurse with a Life Flight Team, I had an experience that has stayed with me for a very long time.  On one flight to Salt Lake City, it was a particularly stormy day (and flying is NOT fun in those storms).  We landed in Salt Lake, transported our patient to LDS Hospital via Ambiance, and returned to our plane to board for the flight home.  As we were taking off, and had reached an elevation of maybe 1500 feet, I chanced to look back and I saw the most beautiful sight.  There behind us, encircled with clouds, stood the Salt Lake Temple.  There was a break in the clouds just above the Temple and the rays of the sun shown perfectly towards it, bathing it in light.  And to make the picture complete, there was a perfect rainbow in the sky behind the Temple.  Oh, how I wist I had brought a camera!  But I didn't, so I had to keep that memory emblazoned in my memory.

I mentioned this experience to JerriAnne on one of my visits to Provo and asked if she could draw me a picture based only on my narrative of the experience.  She told me she would  try.  And try she did!  I just received the finished product via UPS the other day and was delighted with the results.  It is that piece of artwork that I am sharing here today.