Christmas Thoughts

Had to work today, 12/24/2017, but got permission to come home at Lunch and see Sam sing in church. I was so grateful. I love the music of Christmas and the messages and praise that we sing.

Sam sang a beautiful song I had never heard before and it is so lovely.

Gratitude

I was challenged to make a list of 25 things I am grateful for:

1. My family-

I have noticed more lately how blessed I really am to have such a large family and people who I have always been able to count on through thick and thin. I am so grateful for the blessing of marriage and the solid foundation that it has provided our family to weather the hardships together. I am grateful for the Temple and the promised blessing of being together with my family forever.

There was a day I had worked all day and came home to a mess. The house was a disaster. One moment that really seemed symbolic to me was a lovely vinyl decoration sign that read "Family's are Forever" upside down at the bottom of the stairs in a pile of dirty laundry and garbage. It was supposed to be on the fireplace mantel being all decorative and awesomely proclaiming the solidarity of our family. But somehow in the rough housing or other nonsense of the day it had ended up off the mantel in the pile at the bottom of the stairs. Somehow this seemed like the true meaning of the message "family's are forever." Whether we can be displayed in public or not. Maybe sometimes we are more "magazine ready" then others. But forever doesn't have to mean perfect, it means forever and through the atonement of Christ all that is broken can be repaired, all that is sick can be healed, and all that is dirty can be cleaned. Forever means just that!

2. Health-

I love my body. It has done amazing and even miraculous things. As a pediatric nurse for the last 20 years I have seen that having 8 healthy children with no complications is truly a miracle.

I am trying to get back in the morning habit of exercising each day and love the feeling of having a stronger leaner body that can run up the stairs without being winded.

Some experiences this year has made me glad I don't need healthcare but have been grateful for the wonderful resources we have in this area for those who have needed it. Miracles have been accomplished by medical professionals and my mom was healed of something that would have killed her in the next few years.

3. Warmth-

I was so grateful this week as the weather turned really cold for a warm house and lots of blankets. I loved snuggling up with my fireplace and blankets and watching a movie with my family. I loved curling up in my warm feather comforter after the long work day. Oh and I almost forgot my favorite new luxury-- Fuzzy socks. I love fuzzy socks when it is cold!!

4. Rich yummy food and plenty of it-

Been surrounded by yummy food for the holidays. I have been trying to be more mindful and enjoy each thing rather than just stuff myself until I am sick.

5. Honorable children who bring me great joy

I have been so blessed this year to see so many of my children adult so well!! I am so grateful for the men and women they are becoming and the valiant way they are tackling the challenges and success of life. I am loving the addition of our first daughter in law and the joy that having more women around has brought. I have loved the strengths of the two women my sons have chosen to be with and the growth they have encouraged and influenced in my sons. I have loved having them call me to check in and let me know what is going on with them and love watching their successes from afar.

6. Fall

I have loved the long fall we were able to have this year and the wonderful changing of the leaves and warmth to enjoy mild weather until December. It was wonderful not to have snow early and enjoy both Halloween and Thanksgiving with dry ground.

7. Work

I love my work. I love the ability to bless those in need and love working with families and children. I love helping others get well and go home.

8. Holidays that give us an excuse to gather together.

This year I tried something new. I read a great book "For the Love" by Jen Hatmaker and in it she talks about sweet and spicy families. This was such a revelation to me and gave me hope. We are certainly in the spicy family side of things and that can mean for some loud, obnoxious, family gatherings. Most years I have tried to control everyone and stop any conversation or comment that I deem "too spicy". But this year I decided our family is like the ocean and I can either ride the waves or fight and drown in them.

Peace was found in letting everyone be themselves and say what they had to say no matter how it bothered me. I decided their behavior didn't reflect on my mothering but on their own decisions and behavior and I could just enjoy the good and ignore the bad.

9. Nap time!

Oh how I love a good nap!

10. Good friends

I have been so blessed in my life to have true and good friends. I can seek their counsel and advice and count on them to give it to me straight but kind!

11. Education

So grateful for parents, teachers, and employers who encouraged me to do well in school and pursue my goals to become a nurse. I am so grateful to work in a field where I see miracles and healing daily. Grateful to be able to work 4 days a week and still get full time hours.

12. Photographs and memories

Loving the photographs and memories of our family when we were younger as well as the photographs we have been finding of our ancestors. Nothing helps you feel connected to someone more than a photograph from their life. Loving recording memories and especially recipes from our family.

13. Love the Temple and my Temple buddy Lisa!!

I need to be in the Temple weekly if possible. I get out of sorts and just darn grumpy when I haven't been able to get that connection and peace. After a few weeks of not going I can feel a weight come off my shoulders as I enter the house of the Lord and know that I am filled with greater power and endurance than I could ever have on my own.

14. I love our neighborhood

We have the best neighbors ever! We are so blessed with people around us who are so generous and giving.

15. I love teaching Relief Society

I was recently put in as a RS teacher and I am loving being part of the adults again. I miss my girls and the fun they made me have :) But I am also really enjoying being with dear friends and making new friends with the women again. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by loving Christ like angels.

16. Love my man!

26 years and I love him more now than ever! He is so good to me. First snow fall and he was out scraping my car and shoveling the walk and driveway before work!! Love that guy!

17. Love having a 9 year old at Christmas

I am so grateful to have the magic of Christmas one more year in my home. He is just on the edge of losing the magic and I can see it coming. But this year he is all about it. He has loved the Light the world calendar and advent calendar idea. Each day he is so excited to fulfill his challenge and get the chocolate out of the Advent calendar. Oh to be a child again!!

18. Love having a missionary.

We have been so blessed for 4 years now to have a full time missionary serving. It has been such a blessing to see them serve others and give so much of themselves.

Elder Paul Roberts

Elder Matt Roberts

Elder Adam Roberts

19. Love CoQ10

So this is weird. At Costco the other day there was a sample table of CoQ10 and I got talked into buying it by the salesman. But it is awesome!! I feel so much better after work when I drink 2 tablespoons. More energy and feel stronger. Who knew??

20. Love Christmas music

I think Christmas music is the greatest ever. My son has been playing the saxophone for 2 years now and has me hooked on Jazz Christmas music. It is great!! Always loved Vince Giraldi  and Peanuts Jazz but there is lots on Pandora to listen to.

21. Love nuts

Sunflower seeds, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds..... Yum and they don't make me crash as a snack.

22. Love Twisted Peppermint lotion

23. Love maxi skirts

24. Love boots

25. Grateful for the Savior of the world

Thinking about all the names of the Savior at this Christmas time and one that I heard recently was "Great and cherished hope". Thinking about the blessing of hope in my life.

Merry Christmas to all!!

A prayer for our husbands

This year for Mother's day I got to go on a mommy retreat in the mountains with friends and we watched this movie that really inspired me called "The War Room". I have been thinking about it often and the applications for my own life.

Here is a trailer and way you could watch it too.

The faith and call to action really inspired me to change my selfishness and prayers for my family that revolved around my desires for them and changed them to prayers that revolved around the Lord's desires for them. I was inspired by the need for more women to go to God in warrior prayer mode for the protection and hearts of our families. Men are being bombarded on every side by the adversary especially priesthood holders and women must take action as the homemakers to pray with "real intent" for the protection and safety of our men.

The second inspiration for this prayer for our husbands was found in this story:

A Hawaiian Man Shares His Dream of Heaven That Might Change the Way You Pray

Gifts

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Hawaiian-Man-Shares-His-Dream-of-Heaven-That-Might-Change-the-Way-You-Pray/s/85586

Here is a short summary but I highly recommend you read the whole article.

“I walked to one of the gifts that caught my attention. The wrapping paper, ribbons, and decorations formed exquisite color combinations. In this one small gift, there were more colors than all the colors visible on earth. I noticed an ornate tag attached to the gift. On the tag was my name in elegant, hand-written cursive. I looked at the tags on the surrounding presents and found that each of the tags had my name on them as well. I turned to Peter and asked, ‘What are all these gifts with my name on them?’

“Peter brought me a chair that was sitting along one of the walls and asked me to be seated. Once I’d taken my seat, Peter answered, ‘These are all the gifts and blessings from God that you failed to receive.’

“As I heard his words, my heart sank. A wave of pain flashed through my body at the thought of having rejected gifts from my God and my Savior. I looked into Peter’s eyes. With great concern, I said, ‘I would never knowingly reject a gift from God. Why didn’t I receive these gifts?’

. . . . . 

“‘Some of the gifts required work or effort on your part before they could be obtained,’ Peter answered.

“We walked to a new section of the warehouse and Peter had me look at the tags on the gifts. I saw my name on one of the tags and on another tag, was written the requirement to receive the gift. The first tag I read said, ‘Pray and ask for it.’ I looked at each tag to find the same statement: ‘Pray and ask for it.’

“‘You mean all I had to do to receive all the gifts in this warehouse was to pray and ask for them?’ I said.

This has been a poignant message to me of blessings of the Lord awaiting my prayers to ask for them. "Ask and ye shall receive" has meant more after reading this story and imagining the blessings of the Lord wrapped and awaiting for me to mearly ask.

The last inspiration for this prayer for our husbands came from a file that was shared in a RS lesson

It was a list of questions answered by the Book of Mormon. One of the questions was "How can I improve my marriage?" The answer was found in 3 Nephi 14. As I read I got to Ask and Ye shall receive again and had a impression to find scriptures that would be a blessing to my husband. I am up to 50 scriptures now that are specific to the blessings I think the Lord desires for my husband. My heart has been changed by seeking the "best gifts" and finding the words of the Lord in my search.

Here is a scripture list organized from head to toe :

Mind

1 Corinthians 2:16

JST, Romans 7:24

D&C 4:2

Luke 10:27

See the Hymn below

Heart
Ezekial 11: 19
Ether 3:6
1 Kings 3:9, 12, 4:29-30
Alma 48:17

Body
Docterine and Covenants 84:33
Docterine and Covenants 89

Spirit
Alma 13:2-12
Alma 17:2-3

Soul
2 Nephi 4:15-16
2 Nephi 4:28
2 Nephi 1:13-14,23

Eyes
Alma 5:15

Ears
3 Nephi 11: 5,
3 Nephi 17: 16,
3 Nephi 17:17

Mouth
2 Nephi 4:23-24
2 Nephi 32:2-3

Skin
2 Nephi 1:15
2 Nephi 4:33

3 Nephi 19:14

Last of all this song has really inspired me and helped me seek the Lord. "Oh, may my soul commune with thee. And find thy holy peace."

What about our Children?