Rock Bottom

When my LIFE hit rock bottom...

4 years ago,

God provided me with a RESCUE party.

When the LDS pioneers were crossing the plains to ZION...

they hit winter storms early

and were literally on the plains dying.

When Brigham Young heard of their dire situation...

he sent a rescue party.

Despite the fact that the rescue party could be in danger themselves,

they went and listened to the Lord's prophet.

The Lord sent me a rescue party...

when I felt all hope was lost.

My rescue party had to enter my STORM...

and it wasn't easy.

But I feel they answered God's call...

and provided me with safety

and

HOPE!

I was reunited with them tonight...here is my rescue party!

 

 

Love of God - FINAL

Why is Love the Great Commandment? 

Elder Uchtdorf explains that the divine Love of God turns ordinary acts into extraordinary service.  This is the month where 4 years ago my husband’s life was interrupted.  His wife of 22 years was gone in an instant.  This then “ordinary” man exhibited extraordinary conduct and helped demonstrate to others that he knew the true process of love.   In the months to follow, his testimony of the Savior grew; he understood God’s Love and God’s plan for him.  This ordinary man did an extraordinary thing by answering God’s call to marry a broken woman with heartbroken children. He was to Love them the way God had loved him in those moments of anguish and sadness.  He was to answer the call to repair this little family through Love.  Love is the healing balm of Gilead.  It is the bond that unites families it is the bond that united our family and continues to unite us today.

Our Heavenly Father loves us, I know he Lives, I know he is mindful of me and you, that he knows our hearts, he knows our desires and that as we truly understand the first and second great commandments we can truly be what he wants us to be…true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Love of God (Part 3)

Why Should we Love God? 

When we love God with all our heart, and with all our soul Elder Uchtdorf explains that that love determines what we seek…what we seek determines what we think and do… what we think and do…determines who we are and who we will become. 

Ron’s youngest son Cameron is currently serving a mission in the Ukraine.  I love this young man; he has brought me so much joy.  During our visit this last Christmas I could tell that despite his cheerfulness, their was a hint of sadness in his demeanor.  We asked him many questions that might help us understand how we could help him.  What specifically we could be praying for on his behalf.  While Cameron was in the MTC we could see instantly the change that this young man was having…how he was changing from boy to man.  His testimony increased and the sprit of missionary work was evident in every letter.  When he left the MTC he told us that the MTC had lit a blazing forest fire in him and that he wasn’t going to let anything extinguish or diminish that fire.  During that week after speaking to him, I prayed that his forest fire had not gone dim.  In his next letter he explained how hard his mission had become…his companion did not like the work, he had been given enormous responsibilities and he felt that someone had dumped 200 gallons of water on his fire.  His father responded with a beautiful letter and I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing a couple of lines,

 “My thoughts for the week Son are to keep stoking that fire! Just do your best and keep your head up knowing that Heavenly Father is in charge and can bless and Open the hearts of those that you come in contact with. Plunge forward and pray often…just remember keep your chin up and pour gas on your fire because water and gas don't mix.”

When we love God he will determine who we will become…and what we will become is something far greater than what we could have become on our own.  I believe Cameron is becoming something far greater than he could have ever been on his own and I’m grateful to have this young man in my life.

Love of God (Part 2)

How do we become true disciples of Jesus Christ?  

I grew up in small rural town in Missouri.  We had one light…but it was just a flashing red light.  No big name stores, restaurants…not even a fast food joint.  Just some good ole’ Mom and Pop stores.  Going to town (the BIG town)…meant driving the 25 miles one way to get to the closest Wal-Mart.  We owned a small farm where my dad raised beef cattle and he worked for the Highway Dept.  Obviously we were not rich by any means, but we lived in a modest home with loving parents.  My father became branch president and then bishop when I was very young.  Between his farm and his regular job he was very busy...but when he began leadership callings in the church…we rarely saw him.  Church was 35 miles away and primary was on a different day of the week.  Despite this busy schedule my father NEVER missed his monthly Home Teaching assignment.  And when I mean NEVER…I literally mean never.  When he served in the Stake Presidency some of the branches and wards were over 2.5 hours away.  He was gone many Sunday’s with my mother taking the 8 of us children to church alone.  I never heard a complaint; neither from him nor my mother because they LOVED the gospel and they loved the Lord…they dedicated their life to it and their family.  I never had to wonder if my parents loved the Lord…they showed it in all of their actions and deeds.  I don’t think it is ironic that I have been asked to speak in church only 3 times in my adult life…2 of those times were on Father’s day and a year and a half ago on Mother’s day.  I have exemplary parents who taught me how to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. 

“The Savior revealed, “Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.”  These are the first and second great commandments.  I believe that the LOVE of God was shown in everything my parents did, in their own family, in their church callings, and in their community.

Love of God

Ron and I were asked to speak at church last Sunday...

AGAIN!

We must not be getting it right because we thought for sure...

our turn was done.

But alas,

speaking is good for our souls!

It gave me a chance to STUDY and PONDER

the Love God has for me...and everyone,

and my life has been enriched because of it.

Since I got to discuss some of my FAVORITE people...

I thought I would share parts of it over the next few posts!

 

How can we draw near and hear that Father’s voice?

As I was driving my kids to stay with their father this weekend, I told them I was giving a talk at church on Sunday.  I asked them if they could tell me what the Love of God means to them.   I received answers such as, “When we go to church we can feel His love.”  “I feel his love when I do kind to others because I know this makes Him happy.”  “God’s Love is when we feel the spirit when we do what is right.” And lastly, “I already told you mom, but you didn’t listen.” 

So then, how am I to hear the Father’s voice if as my daughter says, I don’t listen? 

How about when I go to church on Sunday or attend meetings, I can listen.

How about when I attend the temple or walk on the temple grounds, I can listen.

When I read the scriptures and hear the words of God, I can listen.

When our children laugh and play together, I can listen.

When our family prays together and I pray, I can listen.

When I listened I found out that my youngest son loves his mommy more than anything else in the world.  That he is perfectly content letting me hold him in my arms and to sing him a night time lullaby. 

When I listened to my youngest daughter I learned she wants me to HEAR her when she speaks. She needs me to lie next to her at night so she can share with me her highlights of the day.

When I listened I learned that my oldest daughter needs good friends and people who accept her for who she is and love her fun, silly side.

When I listened I learned that my oldest son needs people he can trust.  More importantly that he can trust me and I in turn trust him. 

In learning these things about my children I heard the Father’s Voice.  The despair of my motherhood responsibilities lessened and the joy returned.

Can we honestly be saying,

STOP THE RAIN!

We live in Arizona...we LOVE the rain,

because usually we NEVER see it!

Last year we got less than 3" the entire year...

this year in 5 days...

3.63"

in Queen Creek.

(where we live)

Here is just some of what we saw:

 

I only took pictures in places where usually their is NO water...

so this was unbelievable to us here in Arizona!

Welcome back...Mother Nature.   

Something we have to look forward to...

a (FEW) days late...

and (SEVERAL) dollars short!

I finally am getting around to our HOLIDAY newsletter.

2009

was so FINE...yes I rhyme!

We enjoyed so many VISITOR'S at spring time

that we could hardly keep up!

But we enjoyed EACH and EVERY one and hope they come back this year for some more of that

Arizona SUN!

In MAY we celebrated Cameron's one year MARK...

and looked forward with the GREATEST

anticipation for his return.

But more importantly we are grateful he is where

he is supposed to be...

doing exactly what he should be doing!

In June, Christopher was able to go to 2 scout camps...

which he enjoyed immensely but was worn

out from head to toe!

In July we headed to the beautiful state of 

MONTANA!

We enjoyed it soooo much we didn't want to leave!

And with 2 new grandbabies born this year...

it made it even harder to be away!

The rest of the year flew by so FAST that I can hardly

believe we are in the year

2010.

My kids are growing up,

Chris is almost 13 and a 7th grader at Cortina.  He was able to enjoy playing on the (almost) undefeated Basketball team 

and is playing for the Championships for Football this week!

Chris has MANY friends and we enjoy his group of friends so much that we have them over OFTEN.

And his SCOUT leaders are some of the best I've ever seen.

Rachel is 11 and in the 5th grade at Cortina.

On the brink of being a YOUNG lady.

She is our vibrant...life of the party kind of girl.

Everyone at school loves her silliness...especially her teacher!

Rachel's HOBBY is hanging out with friends,

although she has a GREAT creative gene!

(Not sure where she gets that one!)

Katie is 9 and in the 3rd grade at Cortina.

She is still my OBEDIENT child.

However, I told her that I could tell her brain was splitting,(something that does medically happen at this age)

because she had developed a little bit of 

SASSINESS!

She said, "Is that why my head hurts?"

I'm still cracking up over that one!

She set a goal to be on the Principal's LIST so she could eat

lunch with the principal.

She was one A short first quarter...

but jumped up and down (Oh that was me!),

when she got ALL A's second quarter!  Yippee!

 

Jacob is almost 6 and in Kindergarten at Cortina.

He wasn't sure he was going to LIKE school and it took

several calls from the Principal and Teacher

before Jacob decided

SCHOOL was COOL!

He has changed the most this year...

he is growing up.

And despite MOM excited about the idea of all my kids

in school...I still cried on his FIRST day of school!

 

Ron and I continue to LOVE

everyday we have been given together...

and we couldn't be HAPPIER.

We LOVE our GREAT big family...

8 kids,

2 son-in-laws

and 3 grandbabies!

Whew....no wonder we LOVED 2009.

Happy New Year all of you!

From our HOUSE to YOURS!

 

 

     

Nana...YOU ROCK!

During the Christmas Holidays...

we went to PICK up Nana.  She lives in Taylor, AZ where

their is SNOW.

 My kids are DESERTITES...

so having the opportunity to play in the snow is a DELIGHT.

But when Nana agreed to go sledding

down the mountain...well that made us all think,

"NANA sure does ROCK!"

So here is just a few of our ROCKIN' snow trip memories!

Much needed RETREAT...

With the CRAZINESS of the Holidays...
Ron and I were in need of a overdue RETREAT.
After dropping off the kids for the weekend...
we headed up NORTH to find snow.
We stayed in a beautiful ski town called...
Pinetop-Lakeside
which is about 3 1/2 hours north of Phoenix.
We ENJOYED this little vacation so much...
and I'm happy to say their is still so much PASSION
that I have for this man...
that I can't wait to do it AGAIN.

Life Interrupted...

This is my DREAM man...

and he's pretty darn cute if I do say so myself!

(I'm prejudiced I know...but who can blame me!)

It's been 4 years now,

that his LIFE was interrupted...in the most tragic of ways,

and I SAW for myself

what a man under the most dire of circumstances...

can BECOME.

It must be that it is the month...
January...

that we has me pondering our life as of late.

He is a GEM.

The BEST of the BEST...

and I'm thankful that when GOD tested him...

he arose to the occasion.

Recently I heard a quote by Sully Sullenberg who flew the plane that landed in the Hudson River who said,

"I'm just an ordinary man who has learned ordinary virtues, but ordinary virtues can help us overcome

EXTRAORDINARY

circumstances."

Ron is this man...and I find that quite EXTRAORDINARY!

BEWARE...

The CHRISTMAS post...

loaded with pictures galore (which I promised would come)

but if these don't make your HEART

warm...

then you aren't sitting here with us enjoying 69 degree weather,

and the love of these CHILDREN

that can make any heart MELT!

Since their are sooo many...

I will post them in Chronological Order!

Nana comes to visit...and we spend hours working on this PUZZLE!

Meanwhile, Jacob would rather play video games!

Kent comes to visit for a FEW hours...long enough to play our Christmas games!


Since we have NO immediate family in town to do a TRADITIONAL Christmas Eve our family heads to the movies to celebrate.

With our Traditional DENNY'S dinner or breakfast if you like!
Then off to see Christmas Lights...including our own!
We started a NEW tradition this year...we called it "Story By the Fire".  During the 12 days of Christmas we would turn on our fireplace and share a Christmas story out of the Friend or New Era.  These were special times!  Sometimes we would talk for hours afterwards.  I felt like I was capturing the meaning of Christmas with stories of Giving, Service, Christ and Love.

Ron read from the Bible the TRUE Christmas Story.  The one of the Christ Child.


We shared our GREATEST blessings of the last year!

And we prayed!
Because we knew we were TALKING to Cameron early on Christmas Morning...
we let the kids open ONE gift on Christmas EVE!

Rachel a MUCH needed new pair of jeans.  (This GIRL grew a lot this last year!)

Katie a WEBKINZ (well it turned out to be a Shining Star brand...who knew?).

Jacob a SPY KIT the one and only thing he asked Santa to bring him!
Christopher a BOOK...he already owns!  (Oops...took that one back already!)

Morning BEGAN really early for Ron and I.  We could HARDLY sleep...we were so excited to talk to Cameron.
And the kids were patient...to wait and open presents.
Assuming the START position...while Mom finds her camera!

Let the PRESENT opening begin:







Then OFF to play with the gifts...yes, it was a BEAUTIFUL day in Arizona.

 

We ENJOYED playing at the park until JACOB asked for help to do this:

When RON told JACOB he could do it on his own....I teased RON he couldn't do it anymore...and the game was on!

Ron...trying to PROVE me wrong.  He hangs but doesn't move!
Then he challenges me...and the GAME is really on.

I MOVE...barely...this REALLY hurt!

I couldn't MOVE my arms after this!

It wouldn't be CHRISTMAS without our annual NANA ham!  Thanks Nana...the ham was delicious!
I absolutely LOVED our 2009 Christmas.
No one was SICK.
Nana was visiting.
We got to talk and see our families via SKYPE.
And only ONE injury.

KATIE...doing tricks on her new SCOOTER!
(Actually they were racing...and Katie just can't stand too lose...she will go faster no matter what it takes!)

These were JUST a few of our December 2009 happenings.  I can't wait to share MORE...but until then
ENJOY!