Angels are all around us!

What a touching piece of artwork!

This sculpture was called the 'Child That Was Never Born'. Sharing for all the mothers who have lost a child to miscarriage to let you know our angels walk beside us every day, so beautiful!



May we always remember that everyone is fighting a battle!
Good Night dear friend!

Motherhood...Love You Forever!

For Valentine's Day ... I bought this book Love You Forever for each of my kids. Then I went back and found photos of them and put them in each of their books. On the next page I wrote each one a personal letter of how grateful I am to be their Mom.
It seemed a bit old school...scrapbooking like this yet, but I really just wanted each of them to know how special they are to me and how very much I love them!
Then I found this article below from a friend of mine on FB about Motherhood and I loved it! Hope you take time to scroll down and read it!
Good Night dear friends!

Naked Love

February 2, 2016 by SASHA

I read the article HERE:

She woke up crying. I ran in to find her nose spilling blood everywhere. The couch cushion, the carpet, her dress. Quickly sweeping her into my arms I ran to the bathroom where we waited for it to end.

Just the two of us, her stripped down to princess underwear, feet dipped in the sink as we quietly waited for the bleeding to stop. I took a warm washcloth to gently clean her naked body, the sound of only the faucet in our ears. She smiled at me.

And then another sound. Ringing so loudly in my ears I could not help but weep.

“I was naked, and you clothed me.” 

I heard it so loud. So clear. And in that moment I realized more than ever before the utter importance of just being mom.

Because every time I mopped another spill, broke up another fight, wiped a millionth tear… each trip to the doctor, the play ground, the grocery store. The cleaning and cooking and laundry and laundry and laundry… Silly dances and late night cuddles. Calming fears and comforting pains. Praise. Pride. Celebrations over putting on underwear the right way.

The tasks that often seem so trivial, the moments so mundane no one else would even care to know.

Each and every time. Each and every moment. It is just as though I was serving Him. The Savior Himself… That’s how He sees it anyways.

“I was naked, and you clothed me.” 

How often does this motherhood thing tend to grab our souls and make us question yet again if we are enough? If our life is worth enough. “Just a mom,” we so often respond. Like we are somehow less deserving.

But God, He sees us as doing something of unmatched importance. Our babies depend us for everything, from the food in their belly to the clothes on their backs. And although most days we may smell like grilled cheese and old milk, He only sees beauty.

Who cares if society tells you your contribution is not enough; your life a little less worthy of praise? Does society see you at 3AM, with the sick child who does not care about your successes or awards? How much money you have made or positions you have taken. The child who cries only for momma–whose touch alone will bring the comfort and peace she needs.

“I was naked, and you clothed me.”

I held my daughter for a long time after the bleeding stopped. Knowing that these are the moments that are shaping both our souls. And as I held her I knew He was right there with us. Holding us both in ways I never could.

He’s there each day, each moment. He sees. And He smiles at my everyday world. Because He knows that with each new load of laundry I am serving Him. And I am serving a much bigger purpose than I will ever truly see.

“Then the King will say… I was hungry and you gave Me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me water to drink. I was a stranger and you gave Me a room. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you cared for Me. I was in prison and you came to see Me.’

“Then they will say, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? When did we see You thirsty and give You a drink? When did we see You a stranger and give You a room? When did we see You naked and clothe You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and we came to You?’ Then the King will say, ‘For sure, I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of My brothers, you have done it to Me.’

 ~Matthew 25

5 things to ask your kids every day

Great article! I think I asked some of these to my kids when they came home, but not sure that I did all of them all of the time. Good to remember for when the Grandkids come over!
Good Night dear friends!

5 questions you should ask your child every day

By Lyndsi Frandsen, KSL.com Contributor

May 20th, 2015 @ 7:28pm

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Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

 If you’re a parent, you probably suffer from “broken record” syndrome. You know, that habit we fall into of asking the same questions day after day. Pretty soon, that routine “how was your day?’ receives an equally predictable “fine!” as an answer.

A simple re-phrase of our daily questions can open up the door for deeper conversations and prompt our children to be more self-aware. So, take the needle off the record: Here are five alternative questions to spark better conversations with children of all ages:

1. “What was the best part of your day?”

This is a question you can pose to children of every age — from toddler to teen. From a selfish perspective, it allows you to almost feel a part of their brightest moments. From a parenting perspective, it gives you insight on the little things that are meaningful and make your child happy. And although the question itself is positive, it can often be a good way to identify whether your child had a not-so-great day (without giving off the impression that you are prying or requiring they relive a bad experience). This is a great starter question that can get the “conversation ball” rolling.

2. “What did you do today to make someone happy?”

It can be easy for children, no matter their age, to feel as though the world revolves around them. When you regularly ask your child about what they did for others, that challenge to think selflessly lingers in their little minds and (hopefully) leads to a greater sense of awareness toward others.

Eventually, they will begin to anticipate this question and even start to look for opportunities to be more kind and helpful to those around them. Maybe they will take notice of someone sitting alone at lunch, or have the courage to stand up for someone who is being treated unkindly. Not only does it make them more self-aware, but it also sets up an expectation that you have for them: to always be kind.

3. “Was there anything hard about your day?”

Maybe your child is nervous about how they did on a test, or having a hard time with friends. Perhaps they are feeling frustrated with a situation at home and don’t know how to approach you — maybe they just didn’t like what was served for lunch. (Come on, you remember the plastic pepperoni pizza.)

Regardless of the severity of their concern, inquiring about daily hardships can offer insight to daily anxieties and insecurities you may not even know exist. The phrasing of this question allows your child to feel safe and in control. Asking this question regularly provides multiple opportunities for your child to come to you on their own time. Today they might not want to talk about it — but tomorrow might be a different story.

4. “Who did you spend time with today?”

As an educator, I can attest: friends begin to play a very large part in your child’s world at a very young age. It is always important to know who your child is spending time with. This question not only gives you an idea of their friends, but can also offer valuable insight to whether or not your child is socially thriving or socially struggling. It may even make you more aware of what kind of friend your child is.

5. “What do you think you could do better tomorrow?”

This is a positive way to encourage your child to reflect upon their day and set goals to be even better tomorrow. It reminds your child to avoid complacency and always strive to improve. It might help to break or form habits (maybe they are always late to school, or maybe want to be more socially confident and make a new friend). It is also a great way to remind your child that tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start.

---

About the Author: Lyndsi Frandsen

Lyndsi Frandsen is the creator of the Facebook page For All Momkind and author of the For All Momkind blog. She has many titles, including wife, kindergart

I found it Here:

Expectations!

One of my favorite sports as a kid was playing basketball. I was the only girl in my family, I had 4 brothers so...no one was surprised when I came out a Tom Boy. But I really loved basketball and can remember practicing on our basketball hoop that we had near the drive way on our farm in the evening till it got dark. It wasn't adjustable, but sometimes I wished it would have been.
Then when Jeff and I got married and we started having kids we bought the Little Tykes basketball hoop, they loved that. By the time they made it to Jr High, we bought the adjustable basketball hoop to put in our drive way too!
 Loved this analogy by Jason Wright of the basketball hoop and kids!
Hope you do too...night dear friends!

Should we lower the hoop for the kids?

After a lengthy and well-orchestrated campaign by my two young sons, I finally purchased a basketball standard for the driveway. It’s the typical rolling model with height adjustment for the rim and a large base to fill with water or sand.

The rim is a bit small — it seems to clunk out more of my 3-pointers than other hoops I’ve used — but that’s another column.

One recent evening, my youngest took advantage of being home alone with me to shoot around without having his older brother there to block his shot. As I mowed our front lawn, he two-hand heaved from every angle. The rim was at regulation height, 10 feet, and most of his attempts barely brushed the bottom of the net.

After a few passes with the mower, I took a break and lowered the rim to its lowest setting. We played together for a few minutes and I showed off my soaring, rim-thundering, ground-shaking LeBron dunk.

I also demonstrated how to miss that dunk, but for instructional purposes only.

Soon I was back to mowing, and each time I crossed the driveway, I watched him make at least one attempt. After several minutes on the side of the house and out of view, I passed back in front and spotted my son standing on the base and straddling the pole. He’d released the latch that secures the rim and backboard in place and was pushing up as hard as he could.

I quickly killed the mower. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to get it back to the top,” he answered without looking away from his project.

“Why?”

“Because.”

“Because why?”

It was an odd case of father-son question-and-answer role reversal.

“Because I want to shoot at the regular dad height.”

I approached and helped him remove the pin that would allow the hydraulic mechanism to raise the hoop. Then, I did exactly what any thick-headed dad would do — I told him he wouldn't make many shots at the regulation height.

“That’s why they make it adjustable, bud.” I tussled his mop of sweaty brown hair.

Reflecting on the exchange, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment he quit listening to me.

“Look,” I continued, “it has different heights so you can shoot at the kid levels until you’re bigger.”

All right, maybe it’s not so hard to pinpoint the exact moment he quit listening to me.

He galloped into the yard, retrieved the ball and began taking and missing shots at the 10-foot height. He missed from close, he missed from far away, he backed all the way down the driveway and took a long and winding road to a layup. His eyes were locked on the rim and he carried the ball most of the way, running fast and stopping a few feet from the rim.

He missed.

Eager to make another “dad mistake,” I offered to lower the rim for him before returning to my yard work.

“Nope,” he said before missing another shot, and another, and another, then one more.

I smiled and stepped back to the mower. But before restarting it, I turned and watched another shot. He launched with both hands and we heard the unmistakable clank of the ball hitting the rim.

“Almost!” he shouted, and his head swung around to check whether I’d seen it or not.

Finally, for the first time all evening, I did something right.

I invited him to keep shooting and promised not to leave until he’d made one. I chased his misses into the garage, the yard, the neighbor’s yard, the bushes and the road.

Some were close.

Some hit him in the head.

Then, with all his might, he aimed for the square on the backboard and pushed the ball from his chest with every ounce of little boy energy he could muster. The ball hit the square and nearly every inch of the rim. As it fell through the net, he raised his noddle arms high over his head.

I raised my arms, too.

“Yes!” we shouted together and I raced to give him a high-five. But he was already chasing the ball down for another shot.

Back at work, I watched my all-star miss many more shots that night than he took. But I smiled knowing he was shooting at the ‘dad height.’”

Later, as we said goodnight, he thanked me for playing basketball.

“You’re welcome,” I whispered. “But you did a lot more than play ball.”

That night a son taught a dad that lowering the hoop, or personal expectations, may be a missed shot for giant success — 10 feet higher than expected.

You can read more of Jason's articles Here:

Faith of a child!

Another great day, I actually went out and talked to the neighbors...they were so surprised to see me, I mean really surprised. It felt so good to be out in the fresh air, and Jeff helped me take the dead Christmas greenery off the porch and the wreaths off the front door. Now it looks like no one lives here at all!:)
Loved this story about the faith of a child. I remember many of these type experiences with my own kids.
Good night dear friends!

Lessons learned from a lost Lego

Will I ever learn?

Last February I wrote about my son’s experience losing a tiny part to a toy racecar. I told Kason then that the odds of finding the miniscule bit were about as slim as the piece itself – no bigger than his fingernail.

The faithful scavenger refused to give up and eventually he found it, I was humbled, and in the process I promised I would not doubt his faith next time and would also try to have more of my own.

“Next time” arrived last Sunday.

Both Kason and his younger brother have been Lego fans since the womb. That passion has reached new heights with the release of “The Lego Movie.” I never imagined that a 90-minute commercial could be so entertaining, but the entire Wright gang enjoyed it and the kids have been back to see it twice.

A week ago several of Kason’s Lego men stowed away on the drive to church. They are small pieces, the size of his thumb, and fit perfectly in his little suit pocket.

After church, he and a few other righteous hooligans waited for their parents to finish socializing outside in the small field next to the chapel. It was harmless fun, the kind of chasing and racing that’s written into the job description of every little boy.

Shortly after returning home, Kason discovered that his Lego men had all gone missing. Thankfully we live close to the church and we were able to return and form an all-hands-on-deck search party.

A dozen of us searched the grass and two were located surprisingly quickly, but the third, his favorite, was nowhere to be found. Eventually we called off the search and rescue and headed home.

Later, at some point during the early evening, Kason remembered the missing man had a small, glow-in-the-dark strip on its head. He suggested that if we went back after dark perhaps we would find it more easily. I answered with all the standard excuses from my dad textbook.

“I’m sorry bud, but it’s a school night.”

“I’m sorry kiddo, it’s really cooled off outside and it’s too cold for a wild goose chase.”

“Listen big guy, we’re not going to find it.”

Around 8 p.m., with the kids in their pajamas and their mother on the telephone in another room, he hit me again with his final plea. “I know we’ll find it, Dad.”

I’ll admit I saw a bit of myself in him. There he stood in his new Mario pajamas pleading for one more chance to prove his old man wrong.

I called very quietly into my kitchen, knowing his mother was still busy. “Honey, you still on the phone? Do you mind if we go back to the church to look one more time for Kason’s Lego man?”

Hearing no objections, and history will dispute whether she ever actually heard me, I loaded the boys in the car and we set off to hunt one more time for that which was destined never be seen again.

We started with our flashlights off, but quickly realized it was unlikely the little guy would have any glow left in his gut. The three of us took our flashlights and searched the field trying to find a toy the same size as the orphaned French fry at the bottom of a McDonald’s bag.

After fifteen minutes the sleeping sun and brisk breeze reminded us it was winter and my chattering teeth said it was time to offer condolences for the missing toy and pack it up.

I gave several warnings. “Three minutes, two minutes, one more minute and I’m going home, guys.”

With a final, “Wrap it up, boys,” I began walking to the car. I was reaching for the door when I heard an excited scream behind me. I turned around and in the dim spill of the parking lot light saw my 10-year-old with his arms stretched overhead.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered to my self-doubt.

“I found it,” he yelled and his younger brother came running over to me to repeat the news, as if I hadn’t been paying attention.

I walked back to the spot where the successful adventurer still stood. He reenacted the moment of discovery and the act of pushing a leaf aside with his shoe and finding the missing man facedown in the dying winter grass.

Kason looked up at me and without the slightest sense of sarcasm said, “You totally have to write a column about this.”

I haven’t laughed that hard in months.

On the walk back to the car, the giddy boy explained how he’d prayed privately that afternoon that his prized toy would be found.

“Would you have been all right if you hadn’t found it?” I asked.

“Sure,” he said. His mother had already promised to find a replacement online and surely he wouldn’t have cried himself to sleep or doubted his belief in God had his tender prayer not been answered. He certainly had not staked his faith in him on some miracle.

He’d simply displayed childlike confidence that something lost might be found. He believed that faith coupled with effort would win the day.

He might be right; isn’t this how faith works?

If we’re ill, we pray to be well, but we also do everything we can to make ourselves better by caring for our body, taking proper medication and listening to what doctors are other experts say will help us heal.

Need to pass a test? Anxious about a certification exam? Worried about a job evaluation? When faced with these moments, we might pray and express faith that heaven will help us, but then we also study and do everything we can to meet God at the intersection of faith and works.

He didn’t have faith the toy would come to life, walk home and climb back into his Lego bucket. He knew his faith required sacrifice and effort and that even with his best work it might not be enough.

Don’t be mistaken – neither my son nor I believe this miracle deserves to be written up alongside the parting of the Red Sea, healing of the blind man or walking on water.

But for a 10-year-old who’s beginning to discover that he need not rely on dad’s faith forever, it’s an important building block in his spiritual foundation.

For me, it’s yet another reminder that I have a long way to go as an adult have the faith of the child.

Maybe I’ll go play with my kid’s Legos.

I found the story HERE:

Batman saves the day!

Oh how I love these stories of fulfilling the wishes of young cancer survivors! It thrills me to see how many people came out to support this brave superhero survivor!
Good night dear friends!

5-year-old Batkid fights crime in San Francisco after battling cancer, captures national attention 

Miles Scott, dressed as Batkid, right, walks with Batman before saving a damsel in distress in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 15, 2013. San Francisco turned into Gotham City on Friday, as city officials helped fulfill Scott's wish to be "Batkid." Scott, a leukemia patient from Tulelake in far Northern California, was called into service on Friday morning by San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr to help fight crime, The Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation says.

Jeff Chiu, Associated Press

Read the article HERE:

Teenage Hero... and inspiring true story!

   Teenager loses a friend, saves a life and learns a lot about himself.

 

        

 Angel Fernandez is only 15 years old, but in less than a year's time he has been touched firsthand by tragedy and ecstasy, experiences that are shaping the direction of his life.

Angel's best friend was killed in October while walking to school.
Edwin Cardoso, 14, was crossing 600 North on his way to West High when he was struck by a utility truck. Angel, 15, said he saw Edwin that morning and had walked with him briefly before being picked up. He offered Edwin a ride, too, but his friend preferred to walk.
"He walked everywhere," Angel said. "It wasn't just school. If you asked him for a ride he would say 'No' and would just walk. … He loved doing it."
Angel was in class when he was called to the school counselor's office three or four hours later and was asked if he had heard what happened. He had no idea what they were talking about.
Then they told him.
"The first thing that went through my head was, 'What type of person would not see a kid walking across the street?' So when I went through in my mind I kept asking, 'What hit him? Was it someone who was texting and driving? Was it a drunk driver?' No. It was just a 19-year-old kid."
He first went to see Edwin's mother, then to the place where his friend was hit.
"It was extremely hard for me," he said. "It was hard because I felt like I could have done something to stop it. I thought through it plenty of times. I still think through it. I think, 'What if he had said yes (to the ride)?' He would still be here."
Edwin was pretty quiet, but was also energetic and always knew what to say and do in a situation. Angel still misses his "randomness" and the way he could always make him laugh with a sporadic text.
He said he came to grips with Edwin's death. But not long after, he started wondering when something good would happen to him after such a devastating loss.
A day to swim
On June 19, Angel went to swim at the Willow Cove Apartments, 9300 S. Redwood Road, at the invitation of his aunt, who lives at the complex. A woman with a young son let him into the pool area. Later, Angel and the son were both in the pool, both swatting at the same pesky bee.
Angel was swimming in the deep end of the pool when he saw an empty flotation device. It looked familiar and he was trying to remember which child he had seen using it when a girl pointed out something on the bottom of the pool.
He immediately dove down, picked the boy up and brought him to the surface. He said several years as a Boy Scout helped him know what to do.
"I've been trained for this," Angel said, adding that he also tried to help the mother perform CPR. "(The boy) was small. He wasn't breathing, he was stiff and he was actually extremely heavy.
"At first I was like, 'I just pulled a kid out of the water. I hope he's breathing.' And then once I laid him down, I stared at him for a little bit and noticed he wasn't breathing and then it finally came to me that he was really cold and heavy, so I was really scared."
He said that by the time firefighters and paramedics arrived, the boy was breathing again. Angel said he had repeatedly told the boy's mother that it would be OK. The woman thanked and hugged him and left with her child, who was transported to the hospital.
"I was in so much shock," Angel said. "I was so amazed I knew what to do. … I was kind of worried. I didn't know what to do or what to think because I didn't know if he was OK or not."

Angel Fernandez lost his best friend in an auto-pedestrian accident in October and was hoping something good would happen to him. In June, he was able to save a young boy from drowning.

“I think Angel, being (15) years old, showed great composure and saw a situation that didn't look right and acted above his age level to actually go investigate and take action to pull the 4-year-old out of the pool, which is remarkable.”

West Jordan Fire Chief Marc McElreath

Eventually, his sister got in touch with the boy's mother who reported that the child was doing well.
"It was a giant relief," Angel said. "I was extremely happy."
Not long after, Angel's family learned that the teenager would be receiving a lifesaver award from the city of West Jordan. West Jordan Fire Chief Marc McElreath said the awards are given to civilians who intervene in situations and save someone.
Once the 4-year-old boy had been pulled from the pool, revived and was en route to the hospital, McElreath said the child's mother explained what Angel had done.
"I think Angel, being (15) years old, showed great composure and saw a situation that didn't look right and acted above his age level to actually go investigate and take action to pull the 4-year-old out of the pool, which is remarkable," the fire chief said, also praising the child's mother for her CPR efforts.
"It was a very nice experience for me," Angel said of receiving the award, "because I was very excited that I could finally meet the little kid. He was very interactive."
Lessons learned
He said the boy's mother spoke at the meeting when the award was given and said that she would always watch news reports about things like the near-drowning and wonder where the child's parent was.
Angel says sometimes things just happen.
"And sometimes it will have a good outcome like this or sometimes it will have a bad outcome, but it just all happens."
He said he's learned from Edwin's death, and from the life-saving day for the 4-year-old.
"It's just something that happened and I had to get used to it and I was hoping for something good to happen and it just came to me," Angel said.
And while being called a hero was weird at first, it still makes him smile. And it has him looking forward.
Losing Edwin didn't keep him from walking places.; it actually prompted him to walk more. He said he pays attention while driving and said he won't even listen to music when on the road.
This has all confirmed his plan to become a trauma doctor, because he sees the good doctors can do.
"I want to have that feeling of saving someone's life," he said. "I really like that feeling."
~ By Emiley Morgan, Deseret News

The Prayer of a Child

The prayer of a child is always so sincere, direct and believing... great example to us all. This story is a good reminder of that.
Good night dear friends!

“Go Check on Wendi!” 
When our oldest daughter, Wendi, was five, she attended morning kindergarten class. One day I sent her to school, then readied our two younger children to go shopping. I felt rushed because it usually took over two hours to do my grocery shopping, and I wanted to be done in time to pick up Wendi from school. So with my shopping list in one hand and my two preschoolers in the other, I set off for the store.
About 20 minutes later I had a clear thought interrupt me: Darlene, go check on Wendi. I thought to myself, How silly! Wendi is fine at school. I dismissed the thought and went about my shopping. A short time later the thought came back again. Darlene, go check on Wendi. The thought came so clearly that I stopped in the middle of a grocery store aisle.
Looking at my shopping list and at my two young children, who would not be patient much longer, I reasoned to myself, This is silly! I’m sure Wendi is fine. I continued down the aisle and turned the corner when the words came forcefully yet again: Darlene, go check on Wendi!
I told a clerk I’d be back for my groceries and rushed from the store. As we left, I noticed a severe thunderstorm had come up. Wendi was terrified of thunderstorms. Still, I knew she was safe at school. Nevertheless, I began to worry that something terrible might have happened. I hurried to the school only to find everything calm. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and even the storm was passing. I was confused and thought perhaps I wouldn’t go inside after all. But after making the effort to get there, I decided I should at least walk to the classroom and reassure myself that all was well.
I turned the corner to Wendi’s classroom and saw the door was open and Wendi standing in the doorway. How odd! Why wasn’t she at her desk? As I approached her she seemed just fine and had a smile on her face.
I didn’t know what to say, so I just bent down and gave her a hug.
“Mommy, I knew you’d come!” she said.
With that her teacher came over to us and said, “How did you know to come?” Then she explained that the thunder and lightning storm had upset the class. As she tried to gather the children to sit together on a carpet, she noticed Wendi at her seat praying. When Wendi finished, she told her teacher that she was all right, that she had asked Heavenly Father to send her mommy to her, and could she please wait by the door. I could not stop my tears as I realized the prayer of faith of a five-year-old had literally moved me from a grocery store five miles away to be at her side. I am deeply grateful to Heavenly Father for this experience, for we both learned divine lessons about faith and trust that day.   By Darlene Joy Nichols
here:

Example of Strength and Faith!

Today in church, one of the lessons was about How Strong our Faith is? 
 The teacher told us that her
friend from college lost her four year old son last month due to complications of a near drowning accident.  She has been an example of strength and faith for all to see.  This last week, she posted the following statement on her blog:
          “As the past 5 weeks have been challenging for me and my family they have been more beautiful than ever.  I’m not even sure how that is possible, as our hearts are often so heavy.  However, I feel more love, care, strength and companionship from my Heavenly Father than ever before in my life.  I have a burning deep within my soul of gratitude for that which he has done, is doing and will do for me and my family.  My faith and love for him is strengthened more and more each day.”
          “With that said, I would feel so ungrateful to my Eternal Father and my Savior if I didn’t take time to share some of the many things I am grateful for during this sacred holiday of Thanksgiving.”
          “I am grateful for a testimony that my Father in Heaven lives.  That he knows me personally.  That he loves me and will never forsake me.  I have so much gratitude for him that he was selfless enough to allow his beloved son, my Savior Jesus Christ, to come to this Earth and atone for each one of us.  That he loved each one of us enough to sacrifice his only begotten son for each one of us.  I’m amazed and grateful at his strength, that he did not take that bitter cup from my Savior, as in the end it felt too much for him to bear.  I’m sure that was a difficult thing for him to endure, but I’m so grateful that he was strong enough to not take that bitter cup from him as he pleaded for it to be removed.”
          “I am grateful that my Savior, and brother, Jesus Christ was willing to atone and die for me so that I could return to live with my Father in Heaven once again.  To ensure that we could all live with our Eternal Families after we have proven ourselves worthy.  I’m so grateful that he took that bitter cup upon himself for me.  That he endured immense pain and sorrow so that my burdens may be lifted from me.”
          “I am beyond grateful that families are eternal.  What a beautiful blessing and promise that is.  I have a strong conviction in my heart to live my life worthily so that I may one day with loving arms embrace my handsome son again and have my family together again.  I know this day is not far away, it just seems so in this Earthly life.  I look forward to this day!
          “I am grateful for the power of prayer.  Prayer is truly an amazing thing.  What a wonderful opportunity to pour out your heart to your Father and be completely understood.  To be able to commune with him whenever and wherever you are.  It is because of the power of prayer that my family has been strengthened through our loss of our son.  The strength and lifting power that comes from prayer is a beautiful thing.  The power of prayer is real and it is amazing!
          “I am grateful for the companionship of the comforter.  With that I am grateful that I am worthy of his presence, peace, strength and guidance.  I have never felt his presence so strong and so real in my life.  Without his constant companionship I know that this trail would be unbearable. “
          “I am so grateful that my Father in Heaven loves me and my husband so much, that he trust us enough, to give us this difficult trial of losing our son.  That he has so much faith in us that he would allow us to bear this burden and know that we will become better for it.  I know that he will not give us more than we can bear.  I am amazed that he thinks so highly of us that he would entrust us to endure this and know that we will be better because of it.  If he things so highly of us, and loves us so much, then I know that with him, we will be better because of his refiner’s fire.”
          “I am amazed and grateful that my Father in Heaven loves me so much that he would send me one of his chosen angels to raise for 4 precious and wonderful years.  With that I am also grateful that my son would choose me to be his mother on this Earth.  I am so moved by this.  I know that my son is a chosen son of God, and that he has much more important work to do than this Earthly life could allow him.  I am beyond grateful that I was able to have him make me a mother and to be his mother for eternity.”

What an amazing example of courage, strength and faith, my prayers go out to this sweet family and this amazing Mom!
Good night dear friends!

To Believe!

Since we all just got home today, and my granddaughters are doing a Sleep Over, I have decided to share  a song that my dear friend sent to me. It is amazing and very motivating! What a talented young lady! To listen to it....go Here:
Good night dear friends!

Kindness matters

 I just love articles like this. Kindness does matter. Obviously this little girl was taught that in her home! Way to go Mary, you are making a big difference in the world at such a young age!

 Middle school er creates program to reward acts of kindness

July 9, 2012
Mary Krieger wanted to see students rewarded for doing good, not only punished for their bad behavior. The middle school er started a program to reward acts of kindness and even funded it with her own money.
The program takes place at West Middle School. When teachers notice a student performing a random act of kindness, they are entitled to reward them with random prizes and $10 gift cards. The idea is to give students an incentive to be kind and they will be kind.
Krieger did not have a lot of money to fund the program. She told her parents to put any birthday money she was given into the fund. She also asked friends and family to make small donations of $5-$10, which ended up totaling around $600.
"We don’t really have much money, but even at that I can already look around and see that already I have too much stuff that I don’t really need," said Krieger. "I wanted to try to give back and give to someone else."
Mary took the idea and money and proposed it to her school principal, who loved the idea. Her only request was to remain anonymous. She did not want anyone to know it was her behind the program.
Added Mary, "When I did get to see the change, it was probably the best feeling that I ever had. Because that was one of the things I wanted for my birthday, and I would actually get to see the difference and see the kids with the smiles on their faces. It just put a smile on my face."
Mary will attend High School next year and hopes the program will remain at West Middle.
Found the article HERE:


 
"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. " ~C. S. Lewis
 

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."  ~Aesop

  "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. " ~Buddha

Compassion, Charity and the Cemetery!

When I read this story, it made me cry… but also reminded me of the compassion and charity of others. What a difference that can make in someone’s life! Life is hard, but often those hard blows are often softened by the small acts of charity of others. It made me remember we all could do a little bit more! Good night dear friends!

 

A Small, Snow-Covered Tree

One day, shortly before Christmas, our third child and first son, Bay, was born. As I said good-bye that evening to my exhausted but joyful wife and left the hospital, the warmth and joy that accompanied the birth of my son overwhelmed the cold chill of that clear December night.

The following December we celebrated the first birthday of our dark-eyed, dark-haired son. The day after Christmas, during an evening of games at the home of my in-laws, our revelry was interrupted by an awful shriek from my mother-in-law: “He’s not breathing!” She had gone to check on Bay, who had been sleeping on her bed, and discovered his cold, lifeless body. We immediately rushed our son to the hospital, attempting CPR on the way. We were grief-stricken to learn that nothing could be done to save his life. He had died from sudden infant death syndrome.

Since then, Christmas has been filled with a much deeper meaning for our family. Each year on Christmas Eve when we take down our other children’s stockings to fill them, one solitary stocking is left on the fireplace mantle. Throughout the remainder of the holiday the stocking serves as a reminder of Bay.

Each year, around the time of Bay’s birthday, my wife and I drive to the cemetery where he is buried. At each visit we find that someone else has arrived before us and placed something on our son’s grave: one year it was delicate, small flowers; the next year, a stuffed bear; the next, a little Christmas tree decorated with miniature ornaments. We have no idea who is responsible; the gifts, which touch us deeply, are never accompanied by a note or card.

When I hinted to my mother-in-law that I knew her secret, she denied responsibility. The following year while she and my father-in-law were serving a Church mission abroad, we again found that someone had placed a gift on our son’s grave. Even after inquiring with other family members and friends, we were unable to solve the mystery.

Ten years after our son’s death, a series of snowstorms prevented us from traveling short distances. As a result, our annual visit to our son’s grave site was delayed until several days after Christmas. When we finally made it, we saw a small, decorated Christmas tree, mostly buried in the snow, standing bravely at the head of Bay’s small grave. The effort it must have taken for someone to get to the cemetery through the heavy snowfall overwhelmed us. Tears streamed down our faces as we realized that someone still shared our grief and loss.

After that, we were more resolved than ever to discover the identity of our benefactor and thank him or her for showing us such compassion. But as we reflected more, we realized that whoever was doing these acts of kindness did not want to be identified. We decided to allow our friend to remain anonymous. We replaced our need to thank our friend with a desire to simply live better.

It is now harder for us to speak ill of or criticize any of our friends or family members, because any one of them may be our anonymous friend.

Often while doing service, my wife and I pause to examine our hearts: are we doing good things to be seen by others or for the pure love of Christ and of our fellowmen?

For us, charity—humble and never seeking its own—is symbolized by a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, half-buried in snow, resting in a quiet cemetery.   ~By Darrell Smart    Ensign, Dec. 2008

“Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.”  ~William James

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.”  ~Edmund Burke

With child-like faith!

I loved this story about a brother’s love and admiration for his handicapped brother. Those of us who have family or friends with handicaps… realize what incredibly strong spirits they are. Those of us who are privileged to have them in our lives… truly understand what this brother is saying.

May we all take the time to be more child-like in our faith, in our every day lives… so we too could enjoy our days a lot more!

Good night dear friends!

GOD'S UNDER THE BED

My brother Kevin thinks God lives under his bed.  At least that's what I heard him say one night.  He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped outside his closed door to listen.  "Are you there, God?" he said.  "Where are you?  Oh, I see.  Under the bed."  I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room.

Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement.  But that night something else lingered long after the humor.  I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.  He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor.  Apart from his size (he's 6'2"), there are few ways in which he is an adult.  He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7 year old, and he always will.  He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas, and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.

I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different.  Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?  Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, returning to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.  The only variation in the entire scheme are laundry days, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied.  He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05 eager for a day of simple work.  He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.  And Saturdays -- oh, the bliss of Saturdays!  That's the day my dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside.  "That one's going' to Chi-car-go!" Kevin shouts as he claps his hands.  His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

I don't think Kevin knows anything exists outside his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.  He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.  His life is simple.  He will never know the entanglements of wealth or power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats.  He recognizes no differences in people, treating each person as an equal and a friend.  His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.

His hands are diligent.  Kevin is never so happy as when he is working.  When he  unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.  He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished.  But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.  He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others.

His heart is pure.  He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.  Free from pride and  unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry.  He is always transparent, always sincere.

And he trusts God.  Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child.  Kevin seems to know God -- to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an "educated" person to grasp.  God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith.  It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.  It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap -- I am.  My obligations, my fears, my pride, my circumstances -- they all become disabilities when I do not submit them to Christ.

Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn?  After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of the Lord.  And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Kevin won't be surprised at all. 
- AUTHOR UNKNOWN -

“Great is the man who has not lost his childlike heart.”  ~ Mencius

A mother’s love!

You can never underestimate a Mother’s love for her child. It can do impossible things…if necessary!

This sweet story I think…is all about that type of love, determination and sacrifice.

Enjoy! Good night dear friends!

The Mountain

There were two warring tribes in the Andes, one that lived in the lowlands and the other high in the mountains. The mountain people invaded the lowlanders one day, and as part of their plundering of the people, they kidnapped a baby of one of the lowlander families and took the infant with them back up into the mountains.

The lowlanders didn't know how to climb the mountain. They didn't know any of the trails that the mountain people used, and they didn't know where to find the mountain people or how to track them in the steep terrain.

Even so, they sent out their best party of fighting men to climb the mountain and bring the baby home.

The men tried first one method of climbing and then another. They tried one trail and then another. After several days of effort, however, they had climbed only several hundred feet.

Feeling hopeless and helpless, the lowlander men decided that the cause was lost, and they prepared to return to their village below.

As they were packing their gear for the descent, they saw the baby's mother walking toward them. They realized that she was coming down the mountain that they hadn't figured out how to climb.

And then they saw that she had the baby strapped to her back. How could that be?

One man greeted her and said, "We couldn't climb this mountain. How did you do this when we, the strongest and most able men in the village, couldn't do it?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "It wasn't your baby."        ~ Jim Stovall

“If the whole world were put into one scale, and my mother in the other, the whole world would kick the beam.”    ~Lord Langdale (Henry Bickersteth)

“Motherhood is priced
Of God, at price no man may dare
To lessen or misunderstand.”
~Helen Hunt Jackson

Compassion...we all need it!

Read this sweet short story. I am telling you, if you ever need a good example to follow...watch a child!

THE MOST CARING CHILD

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed into his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing I just helped him cry."

"The true riches of life come naturally as we enrich the lives of others." ~ Byrd Baggett

"We are not here to merely make a living, but to enrich the world with a finer spirit of hope and achievement―and we impoverish ourselves if we forget the errand."

"Compassion is the key which opens the gates of happiness, and connects one soul to another." ~  M. H. McKee

Just be HAPPY!

Well, it has been a long, but great day. I left the cold, rainy and dreary weather in Salt Lake City, Utah and flew into Sunny Seattle....don't get to say that very often. :)

I had a wonderful trip at the Quilt Market, I must have walked miles, that is saying something for me. Oh I did have to rest but all in all, I made it! It was fun to see my family again, I am one lucky lady.

It is late and I am beyond tired. I found this sweet little story about choosing to be happy, and how sometimes a little child will lead us. I hope you enjoy it.
Good night dear friends!

Be Happy (A True Story) 

  Around twenty years ago I was living in Seattle and going through hard times. I could not find satisfying work and I found this especially difficult as I had a lot of experience and a Masters degree.
To my shame I was driving a school bus to make ends meet and living with friends. I had lost my apartment. I had been through five interviews with a company and one day between bus runs they called to say I did not get the job. I went to the bus barn like a zombie of disappointment.
Later that afternoon, while doing my rounds through a quiet suburban neighborhood I had an inner wave - like a primal scream - arise from deep inside me and I thought "Why has my life become so hard?" "Give me a sign, I asked... a physical sign - not some inner voice type of thing."
Immediately after this internal scream I pulled the bus over to drop off a little girl and as she passed she handed me an earring saying I should keep it in case somebody claimed it. The earring was stamped metal, painted black and said 'BE HAPPY'.
At first I got angry - yeah, yeah, I thought. Then it hit me. I had been putting all of my energies into what was wrong with my life rather than what was right! I decided then and there to make a list of 50 things I was grateful for.
At first it was hard, then it got easier. One day I decided to up it to 75. That night there was a phone call for me at my friend's house from a lady who was a manager at a large hospital. About a year earlier I had submitted a syllabus to a community college to teach a course on stress management. (Yup, you heard me. ;-) She asked me if I would do a one-day seminar for 200 hospital workers. I said yes and got the job.
My day with the hospital workers went very well. I got a standing ovation and many more days of work. To this day I KNOW that it was because I changed my attitude to gratitude.
Incidentally, the day after I found the earring the girl asked me if anyone had claimed it. I told her no and she said "I guess it was meant for you then."
I spent the next year conducting training workshops all around the Seattle area and then decided to risk everything and go back to Scotland where I had lived previously. I closed my one man business, bought a plane ticket and got a six month visa from immigration. One month later I met my wonderful English wife and best friend of 15 years now. We live in a small beautiful cottage, two miles from a paved road in the highlands of Scotland.
'THE ONLY ATTITUDE IS GRATITUDE' has been my motto for years now and yes, it completely changed my life.
~Davy Jones

"Most people would rather be certain they're miserable, than risk being happy."  ~Robert Anthony

"What a wonderful life I've had!  I only wish I'd realized it sooner."  ~Colette

Finding Jesus

Oh my goodness what a great story, it reminded me how much Faith a child can have.

Some times life doesn't turn out like we think it should, but usually in the long run... it
turns out better!

It is important that we are patient in our suffering, and it is also important to ...Find Jesus!
Enjoy!

The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him. "Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your heart..."

"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.

The surgeon looked up, annoyed. "I'll cut your heart open," he continued, "to see how much damage has been done..."

"But when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there." The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly.

"When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and chest back up and I'll plan what to do next."

"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there. You'll find Him in my heart."

The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart. I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well."

"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."

The surgeon left. After the surgery, the surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes: "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis:" here he paused, "death within one year."

He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud.

"Why did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?"

The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow."

The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months.

Why?"

The Lord answered, "The boy, my lamb, shall return to my flock, for he has done his duty: I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb."

The surgeon wept.

The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"

"Yes," said the surgeon.

"What did you find?" asked the boy.

"I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.

Author unknown

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled.  For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."    ~ Unknown

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."    ~Ambrose Redmoon