What a gift!

I got to spend another whole day with my sister in law Shirley, and then an added bonus was being with yet another sister in law, then to go have dinner out with a friend tonight. I love the quote I heard the other day that said “we should gather friends like flowers” I sooooooo believe that, I love making at least one friend a day. So it was a great day, the chance to be around my sweet nieces and their cute babies, then with the rest of my family has been a big gift and wonderful for my aching heart  ( missing my own kids and grandkids ).

It is late, but I wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been such wonderful friends to me and my family. I sure love and appreciate you …your friendship to me is a gift!

 

A Priceless Gift

Friendship is a priceless gift
that cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
than a mountain made of gold.

For gold is cold and lifeless,
it can neither see nor hear
And in the time of trouble
it is powerless to cheer.

It has no ears to listen
nor heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
or reach out a helping hand.

So when you ask God for a gift
Be thankful if He sends
Not diamonds, pearls, or riches
But the love of real true friends.

- Helen Steiner Rice

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
- Anais Nin

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."
- Abraham Lincoln,

What kind of legacy are you leaving?

Today in church, one of the teachers spoke of LEGACY, and asked  us what type of legacy we are leaving for our children and their children. It was an incredible lesson on the importance of learning and growing from the obstacles that come in our lives. Each one of them is to teach us something.

Then stories were read from some of the pioneers and what their trials and tribulations taught them in their life. Here is a poem that was written about the pioneers.

                They cut desire into short lengths
                And fed it to the hungry fire of courage.
                Long after -when the flames died -
                Molten gold gleamed in the ashes.
                They gathered it into bruised palms
                And handed it to their children
                And their children’s children.  ~ Vilate Chamberlain Raile

This poem reminds me of the scripture in 1st Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire....

I think that is so true, just like the poem talked about the experiences that we have that are from trials and problems, if we learn and grow from them, if we stay hopeful and rely on the Lord, if we don't give up but keep going...that is the GOLD that we are going to pass down to our children and our children's children.
We have talked about this subject often in our home during some of the trials that we have gone through. I have asked myself as a Mother, have I taught the kids to be strong, courageous and faithful? Have I taught them to rely on the Lord for strength, courage and hope? Do they know that no matter what happens to them in life ...that they can handle it ( with the Lord's help) ?

Life is hard and I personally know that some times things look too BIG for me to handle, I cry and get scared, I get discouraged and doubtful. I know my kids have seen me go through these feelings, but the real question is...will they remember that I got back up, said my prayers, asked our Savior to help me carry my burdens; and did I show them that I was stronger and better because of what I learned along the way? I pray that I have and that I will continue to do so.
It was a great lesson for our family today.
Good night dear friends!

 

"The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave."  ~ Tavis Smiley 

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." ~Anonymous

“We know that women who have deep appreciation for the past will be concerned about shaping a righteous future.”  ~ Spencer W. Kimball

By small and simple things...

I loved the moral of this story! How many times, I have missed the little things because I was too busy getting ready or working, toward the big things! Just one more important lesson for today.

Good night dear friends!

"There was a young merchant from Boston, who in 1849, as the story goes, was caught up  in the fervor of the California gold rush. He sold all of his possessions to seek his fortune in the California rivers, which he was told were filled with gold nuggets so big that one could hardly carry them.
Day after endless day, the young man dipped his pan into the river and came up empty. His only reward was a growing pile of rocks. Discouraged and broke, he was ready to quit until one day an old, experienced prospector said to him, " That's quite a pile of rocks you are getting there, my boy."
The young man replied, "There's no gold here. I'm going back home."
Walking over to the pile of rocks, the old prospector said, "Oh, there is gold all right. You just have to know where to find it." He picked two rocks up in his hands and crashed them together. One of the rocks split open, revealing several flecks of gold sparkling in the sunlight.
Noticing a bulging leather pouch fastened to the prospector's waist, the young man said, "I'm looking for nuggets like the ones in your pouch, not just tiny flecks."
The old prospector extended his pouch toward the young man, who looked inside, expecting to see several large nuggets. He was stunned to see that the pouch was filled with thousands of flecks of gold.
The old prospector said, "Son, it seems to me you are so busy looking for large nuggets that you're missing filling your pouch with these precious flecks of gold. The patient accumulation of these little flecks has brought me my wealth."

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault

"One day at a time...this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering."

"Live is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."