May 8, 2011 Mother's Day

My precious mother passed from this life three years ago, on Mother's Day, May 11, 2008. If she could have chosen, I know she would not have gone home to her maker on that particular day. I'm sure it was a happy day for her, but she wouldn't want me, or any of her family to be feeling bad every Mother's Day. SO, I am trying to be happy, and I am remembering many happy times in my life. This is one of my favorite pictures of my mother. I was five years old when this photo was taken, and I remember it like it was yesterday. We had lived in this house for two years. I put up a picture of it just a couple of posts back. I lived there for another 17 years until I married. That's my rocking horse on the porch. I love that she is holding one of our puppies, because that was what she was often doing. She loved the dogs that she raised. She hand wrote every pedigree, with the champions in red. When they were sold, every puppy went home with pages of handwritten instructions about their care. She included personality traits and special likes that each puppy had. She wrote hints for helping him/her to sleep through the night. She cried over every one when they left for their new homes. Her love for all of God's creatures continued to her final breath. This dress she is wearing, was white, with shades of green foilage. I wish I could be a little girl again and run to her arms, feel her hugs, hear her bedtime stories, pray with her, and have her tuck me in.

This is the last photo that was taken of mom. It was only days before she died. She insisted on going to her Great-granddaughter, Livvy's, birthday party. She is sitting in a wheel chair, something she didn't like, and waited to the last minute to use. My sons carried her in her chair up into the living room where this was taken. She was giggling all the way up! When I look at THIS photo, I long to be the older me, who took her to doctor appointments, kept her company in her room each evening, picked up her medications, and helped her with all of her communication with everyone by signing for her, (she lost her hearing at age 54). I made greeting cards for her to send to her many friends, did her washing , curled her hair, took her on outings, cried with her, hugged her, cooked for her, prayed with her, and tucked HER in at night! Our roles reversed, especially those last 6 months. I LOVED doing the things for her that she had done for me, when I was young. This is as it should be. I can hardly wait to see her again. I LOVE you mom. Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

I am ten years old in this picture. I love those freckles! I have a story about this dress. My mother made all of my clothing...beautiful things. Always original. She never followed a pattern for anything. I could draw her what I wanted and pick out the fabrics and she would work her magic on them and turn out something beautiful just for me. For some reason, I wanted a dress from the store. This dress is the first one I remember getting from a store. I loved the color, the velvet belt and the rhinestones on the collar and down the front. The seams itched me so bad that I came to appreciate the home made clothes! A photographer came to the house and took a few pictures of my brother and I in our living room. He had a backdrop, and seated us on the piano bench. My hair was past my waist. I did have a little natural curl, but mom rolled it up in those metal rollers, and dried it with the vacuum cleaner!!! That's right...she laid the canister vacuum on it's side on the couch and I sat on the floor. It had an opening on the bottom that was about 1 1/2 ins across where hot air blew out the bottom. So it became a makeshift hair dryer.

April 28, 2011 flashback 45 years

Here we are 45 years ago today...just married.

At the reception center that evening with our parents.

Here is the line...I still like the rainbow colors

April 25

Thursday the 28th, is our wedding anniversary. We were married on a Thursday. It's been 45 years. The time went by so fast.......it doesn't seem possible. We were so young and hopeful on this day. It was a beautiful spring day, warm and still. The blossoms were out. This photo was taken at the Reception center ..... "The Crestwood Villa". We had a live band and dancing going on. Lots of guests came, and I remember my face actually hurt from smiling so much.

April 17 2011 Changing up the blog!

I have decided to take my personal blog in a new direction. I will be posting on Sundays...mostly old photos with a little story or facts from my life. This is the home that I grew up in, in Murray Utah. My parents bought this house when I was three years old. I still remember when they first looked at it, and I wanted them to buy it because there was a table downstairs with a little airplane sitting on it!!! I lived here until I married at 22 years of age. My parents sold the home in 1978 when they moved to St George for my mother's health problems. I had five children at that time, and I felt like the world would end with my mom moving 300 miles away. This house didn't look like much when my parents bought it... but mom landscaped it and cared for it, and it was beautiful inside and out. Not so today... I can hardly stand to drive past it now. It looks so bad. But...this is how it is in my memory. Stay tuned for childhood stories that happened here.

"I LOVE HIM TOO"

Today, our three year old granddaughter , Rory, was playing at our house for a little while. I still have a few things propped up against the wood stove, waiting for me to put them back up. One is a special gift that my nephew, Derek, made for me when my mother passed away. My mother was deaf, and she always signed the well known "I Love You" to everyone. The gift from my nephew, is a sketch of the Savior's hand, signing "I Love You". The wound from the nail in His palm is visible. I love this because it says SOOO MUCH that is not seen. I noticed Rory kneeling by this sketch, and doing the I love you sign herself...comparing her own hand to the Savior's. I grabbed my camera quickly, and got this shot that I will always treasure.

We talked about how Jesus loves us, and died for us, and that we love him too.

"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

Isaiah 49:16

January 2, 2011

Sunday...My favorite day of the week. I am glad that we are back to the 9:00 - 12:00 meeting block. There is enough time in the day now to do all those Sunday things. I called my brother, our daughter, Heidi , and two friends who I needed to chat with and catch up with. I worked on my photography blog, and wrote in my journal. Our son, Brian, came to visit. Ralph and I watched an old movie on TV. It is one we went to when we were first dating. I enjoyed all of our meetings today very much . Our course of study for the year is the NEW TESTAMENT, which I especially love.

I have made some goals for the new year. I will not be listing all of them here. Some are on-going, others are new, but I believe they are possible to accomplish, and by sticking to my course, they will enable me to have a good year and feel like I accomplished something good in a year from now when I look back on 2011.

In my photo you can see some things that are really important to my goals. I'm doing some long overdue Family history. I want to learn Lightroom, I started a new journal, which always feels good, and I have a new planner. I can't function without a planner. Life seems to get busier and busier, and my planner keeps it all under control.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL......

Tender Feelings At The Year's End

I LOVE this time of year, starting with the Fall colors, then Thanksgiving, and finally the beautiful Christmas music, and the celebration of Christ's birth and life, and His mission to save us all. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for Him, and for His love. I feel an urgency to come to Him with all of my imperfections, and to re-dedicate myself to keeping all of the commandments more diligently. I like to think of the covenants that I have made with the Lord in sacred places, and re-evaluate how I am doing, and where I can strengthen myself, and do better.

This past year brought me many opportunities to draw closer to the Lord. I learned at a very young age, that trials, heartaches, pains and suffering, will do that. They bring us to our knees, and ultimately into the arms of the Savior. He never fails to comfort and bless us. Next year is just a few days ahead, and already looks promising for more opportunities for growth and development. It will open new doors where I will need the Savior's love and support. There will be more need for kindness in the world, and for reaching out to those who struggle. There will be more need for forgiving others, and for asking forgiveness.........many more opportunities for strengthening my own faith, and for learning and growth. In other words, 365 more days to practice all of the things that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has taught us. If we look at it that way....we can get through anything.

Ralph and I were priveleged to vacation in Kauai, Hawaii for a week. We have been home for three weeks now, and my mind is still filled with all of the beautiful sights that we were able to take in. As we stood on Mountain tops, looking down rocky clifts to the sea below, or flew over waterfalls where no human feet have ever walked to, gazed at sunsets, and stood in awe of the beauty of this world......one thought kept returning to my heart- -God's incredible LOVE for us. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, made this beautiful world for us, and then came here to die for us so we can live with Him and God the Father once again. That is such an amazing thing, and I am so grateful.

HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE TRIP

Through My Lens

Photography, although only a hobby for me, has taught me many things. This year I am doing a 365 blog.....where I post a picture of every day life....every day. This project has taught me like no other thing could have, to look for the good, the beautiful, the interesting. I am always looking up at the changes in the sky.....the details of a flower or an insect, or the various colors of my grandchildren's eyes. Even how a toy looks from a 2 year olds perspective.

The other big thing is to approach the every day scenes from different angles. Looking down at something, lying down and looking up at it, how does it look at different times of day? I have found that there is beauty in everything, even the lacy lines in a grasshopper's wings, or the hairy legs of a spider.

Here is a little example from today. I had a little foot surgery a couple of weeks ago and have made a few trips to the Podiatrists office in Draper. I noticed that there is an open field next to his office, and among the weeds, are different kinds of wildflowers. Last week, the sun was shinning through them and I wished I had taken a camera. Today, I remembered to put my little point and shoot camera in my purse. When I came out, they all looked so pathetic, I almost decided they were not worth a photo. But moving into the flowers a little bit and kneeling down, so I could shoot upwards, the distracting homes in the background disappeared, the mountains were visable, and at the angle I was shooting, the weeds could no longer be seen.

The white appeared to be washed out so I added a little texture to the picture and this was the result:

I think it looks almost like a beautiful painting. It made me think about how the Lord looks at each one of us. He sees the beauty in us. Sure, he knows about our faults and shortcomings, but He invites us to come to Him and repent of our sins and imperfections. Shouldn't we be so kind to one another? Shouldn't we look for the good in those who may be different from us? Shouldn't we see each other in the best light, from the most complimentary angles?

I believe it is something to think about.

Thoughts from July

July always brings opportunities for celebrations. The 4th as we celebrate our country's Independance and all that we have...then the 24th...Pioneer Days. I am so grateful to live here in beautiful Utah, but most of all I am grateful for my own pioneer ancestry. I am familiar with the stories from the lives of my own Great, and Great-great grandparents. They made tremendous sacrifices to come here to the Salt Lake Valley. They were so hard working and accomplished SOOO MUCH in their lives. I can't even comprehend how they did so much! They were amazing people.

Last night, we celebrated other pioneers on my husbands side. My in-laws celebrated their 75th Wedding anniversary. They were married July 25, 1935, in East Germany. They came looking for a new life in America in 1954. They have lived here in Salt Lake City, and all of their children live locally here as well.

Looking good at 98 and 92 years of age.


Some of their posterity. Some were not able to attend, because of vacations, working outside the country, or serving in the missionfield

Gina's daughter, Kristi, and son Derek, along with our son, Brian, put on a program for us. They were acting as an Octoberfest band and took on hilarious, ficticious, German names, and sang funny songs. The kids and adults laughed and danced. I think it's the most fun we have ever had at a Hubrich party!

Nine of our 12 grandchildren. One young baby was being fed, and two others were on their way home from camping with the other side of their family .

Our family with Oma and Opa. Jeff was missing because he belongs to Skywest every weekend, and Becky, Ryan and their girls were the ones returning from camping. We were happy that Heidi, Ken and family were here from Idaho for this special occasion.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA July 4, 2010

I mended her yesterday.......this sweet little flag that flies proudly from a little pole that is stuck into the fence post at the end of our driveway. My husband insisted that I mend her first thing...I love how he loves her, this "other woman". That comes from living the first 18 years of his life in East Germany, and going through the sacrifices necessary to come to America for all the freedoms that she has to give.

I am happy that I was brought up loving my country. Every day of my schooling from Kindergarten throught high School, I stood with the entire student body, hands over hearts reciting the Pledge of Allegience, sometimes in student assemblies, generally in individual classrooms. When we studied about the Founding Fathers, we knew of their love for, and dependence on, God. There was never a question about that. Every school day began with prayer....it did not matter what religion you were.....one by one, we children took our turns, going down the roll book, saying the prayer at the beginning of the school day.

As a small child, I had no comprehension about the loss of life, and the other sacrifices that took place to make America what she is . I knew I got a new cap gun and a new squirt gun on the 4th of July. There was a feeling of pride and happiness throughout the neighborhood as we decorated our bicycles, participated in parades, had picnics, wore the colors of our country, and displayed the flag, and held our sparklers, generally writing our names in the air after dark. When I was older, and my family owned a car, we would go to Murray Park for the BIG fireworks, but, in addition, we still did the little celebration at home.

As I got older, I learned about the wars. Then it was my classmates, and friends who died in Vietnam. Soon my little children were participating in patriotic programs at school. By then, my experiences had brought me to a new place. When Randy's 5th grade class sang the songs about America that I had never heard before, I stood there in tears, watching those children, and listening to their voices raised in song, and praises to America. I experienced that with all six children, and now, several grandchildren. I seem to cry more at every performance,

because of history and current events, teaching me a new appreciation for what we have here.

Today, my memories take me to a number of places, one in particular....the last 4th of July that my dear mother had here on this earth. I can clearly see her arthritic shaking hands as she pinned her sparkly flag pin to her blouse. She didn't want any help with it. She was so appreciative of the little fireworks display that Ralph put on at the edge of our driveway, late at night. I can visualize her waving her sparkler. She was so patriotic. She knew what was being discussed in national venues. She watched the captioned TV stations that showed our senators and congressmen and women, in Washington, as they went through all the processes of government, changing or adding laws etc. Every day, her prayers included those who were speaking or working toward something good in Washington. I learned about what was going on, NOT by reading the newspaper or watching TV........up until a couple of years ago, I learned it from listening to my mother pray. How I miss that! Now most of my information comes from emails. I need to do better, and be better informed. Mom would hate what is going on today. She was fiesty...sometimes I hear in my mind, what she would say about some of the things that are happenng in the USA today.

I am angry that some of our hard won freedoms are threatened.....that our sacred roots, Faith in God, and the importance that He was in the lives of our Founding Fathers, is being challenged today. Even the words, "Under GOd" in the Pledge of Allegiance, and, "In God We Trust", on our money, is under attack. It puts me in a fighting mood today to stand up and speak up for what I know to be true and right.

Today, I thank God for America, for the freedoms established here that give us freedom of religion, the freedom to praise God, and teach of His love, and his commandments. I am so grateful that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in these latter days, and can be preached and lived throughout the world.

Let us do everything in our power to elect righteous men to public offices, and most of all, to make our voices heard....gone are the days when we can sit idly by, and let what happens, happen . It is time for good people everywhere, men, women, and children , to learn from the past, and to stand up for what is true and what is right!

GOD BLESS AMERICA, today and every day!

Home again...

I came home Thursday afternoon, after 9 days in the hospital. It feels so good to be home again, and I am looking forward to better health in the future. I already see some benefits from having the “Sigmoid Collectomy”. You can bet that I will be watching my diet and taking better care of myself in the future.

If you ever need anything done….the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray is the place. It is a beautiful hospital. I had extra special care on the Surgery Trauma floor. I am so grateful for the professionals who attended to me, and my various needs while I was there. This was my 9th abdominal surgery, and I have never had better care.




I have a new appreciation for my family….my children and their spouses, and my grandchildren. So many prayers went up for me. I received beautiful flowers, and cards, along with letters and drawings from my sweet grandchildren. I’m grateful for their visits and some even brought something for me to eat…I had a hard time adjusting to anything. My sweet sister in law, Gina brought potato soup. My son, Danny, came late one night to bring me chocolate soy milk, and that in fact, was a breakthrough for me. I had not kept anything down before that.

Our daughter, Heidi, came in from Boise the night prior to surgery. She stayed with me 24/7 for the entire time, with the exception of two nights when my DIL, Cheri, came up for the night. What a difference it made to have a family member with me at all times. I could write a book about the tender mercy's rendered to me.

Another blessing that came from this experience is several “one on one” moments with some of my children, as we shared thoughts and sometimes, tears. I have never felt so loved. I also received Priesthood blessings, and blessings of comfort that came right from the Lord as I prayed for strength and healing.

I am feeling better each day. I am happy that Becky lives next door, and can assist me with packing and dressing an area of my incision. It had to be opened up because of an infection. Cheri has also assisted with this. It is not a pleasant job to do, and has to be done twice a day for 14 days.

I am lucky to have wonderful DIL’s who would do anything for me. I have gained a deeper appreciation for my family, and love everyone one of them dearly. My sons have been a great help and encouragement for me as well. Brian has put in so many hours in our yard, and when I came home, everything was green, and the flowers are blooming, and he even put in an above ground sprinkling system on a timer, in the back so I will not have to drag a hose all over the place this Summer, or worry about it while I am recovering.

Thank you to everyone who has fasted, and prayed for me to have a positive outcome. I am so blessed. XOXOXO Karren

Mother's day...New baby, things to be thankful for

This is last Saturday, just a little while after Avonlea was born. We are still in the delivery room. I love this photo, and keep going back to look at it. Three generations of women here....You can see how delighted I am with this new little baby girl. I love being a grandma. I am proud of my daughter, Becky, for being such a wonderful mom...and so thrilled with the little new life that has come into our family.
On Mother's Day......Avonlea is barely 24 hours old here.

This is the second anniversary of my mother's passing. I continue to miss her so much. She would have been so thrilled with her two new great grandchildren who have come to our family in the past 6 months.


This is a little photo I was lucky to get today, of Rory visiting with her mommy. I happened to be over there tonight when they were ready for Family Prayer. Rory was saying the prayer. It was a good thought provoking moment for me, and I have been reflecting on it for several hours now. Recently, I have not felt well. I have some surgery coming up in a few days, and I am concerned about it. There are days when it takes over my thoughts, and it is not as easy to see the wonderful things that surround me every day. As I listened to Rory thanking the Lord for the things in her life, I thought how many things I have to be grateful for. Rory mentioned the obvious things, like her home, her mommy and daddy, Jesus....but she voluntarily added other things in without any prompting at all....worms....potato bugs.....her very own watering can.....a car ride with Grandpa Bill......and Avonlea. Just part of a long list of things that are precious to her in her little world, things that she experienced today. We have been counseled to give thanks in all things.......and to "take what comes, and love it". SO, starting now, I will look for the good in my challenges and look forward with faith that the Lord will see me through it, and I know that I will be better for it. Like Rory, I am very grateful for the little things in my days that bring me joy. I often enlarge on those things on my photography blog ....check it out and leave a comment there. Doing a photo a day has helped me to notice all of the beautiful things around me, and I am really enjoying this project.
http://karrensphotojournal.blogspot.com/

Sweet Experience Yesterday

This is not my photo... I found it on the internet as a background download. The flowers at the temple are beautiful, but nothing like this yet.

Ralph and I, had the privelage of going to the Jordan River Temple yesterday, with a friend in our ward, and her family, who were doing temple work for her parents. We joined them for the endowment session and the sealing. Honestly, it was one of the sweetest temple experiences I have ever had. the sealer took his time, and taught the group in the sealing room about a number of things, before actually performing the ordinance. I learned things, and understood some things that I had never realized before. The spirit in the room was warm, and penetrated my heart. It was so wonderful to see this sweet family, acting as proxy for mother, father, and grandparents. What a gift they gave their ancestors yesterday! My testimony of the temple and the ordinances performed there. grew by leaps and bounds yesterday. I am moved, to really get going with Family Search, and start taking my own family names to the Temple. It is important work...it is the work that God wants us to do.....and I know it with all of my heart.

Testimony-of-the-Book-of-Mormon

Testimony-of-the-Book-of-Mormon (click to hear Jeffrey Holland)

I add my testimony that the Book of Mormon is indeed true. I am re-reading it presently, and as I do so, my heart nearly bursts, with my love for my Savior Jesus Christ, and my own testimony that He lives, that He is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that He willingly took upon himself the mission to come here and die for the sins of the world, and that He was chosen in that Pre-mortal council in heaven. I know that we shouted for joy when the Plan of Salvation was presented to us, and I feel that we must have felt such LOVE, for the Savior, as we comtemplated what He was about to do for us. I testify that He was born of Mary, in humble circumstances, described in the Bible. I appreciate His example, his teachings, and his willingness to carry out his Father's plan, as he took upon himself the sins of this world, and worlds without number. I know that he died on the cross on Calvary, and that He rose on the third day, with a body of flesh and bone. I also know beyond any doubt that he appeared to the Nephites on this continent, fullfillng His own declaration that He had sheep of another fold. (John 10:16). I know that sacred records were kept on this continent which were later revealed to, and translated by, the prophet Joseph Smith. I bear witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in these Latter days, and that all of the keys, doctrines, and ordinances that were present in the ancient church are restored again, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I do not believe that any one can read 3 Nephi 17, and not feel the Holy Ghost testify to them that this book is true, and that the Savior lives, and loves each and every one of us. I love HIM. I have a desire to keep His commandments, and bear testimony of Him and his gospel.
This past Easter Weekend was marvelous....the spirit was so strong in General conference, as we heard prophets, seers, and Revelators and other servants of God, bear witness of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and of those things which we ought to be found doing. I'm grateful beyond words for my membersip in Christ's true church, and for the covenants I have been privelaged to make in his Holy Temple. I'm grateful for the power of the Priesthood that is in this church, and in my family, and for the great blessing that it is in my life.

April Fool's Day!

No one was swinging on the Horsie swing today. We woke up to 6" of snow. We are not complaining though. We really need it . Our yard is sooo dry and pathetic looking. Too bad we did not have fertilizer on the ground before this nice wet snow.
Little Gracie, was not deterred by the snow. Our gopher friend, (enemy really ), In the back yard, is already moving around underground. Gracie could sniff him out under almost a foot of earth and 6 inches of snow. She did get clear down there, to the tunnel . She was almost underground herself when she finished. It is a good thing she cleans up so well.
This beautiful Robin was running away from me every time I went out with the camera today.

I finally got him this evening with my zoom lens....isn't he beautiful? I also spotted two Blue Jays in the neighborhood. They used to nest in our big pine tree. That is the only thing that I miss about the tree..all the varieties of birds. Since the Robins and the Jays are back, Spring cannot remain eluisive for long.

My in-laws, Fritz and Gerda Hubrich

This is a book that Ralph's parents gave us for Christmas. It documents the experiences of the East German Latter-Day Saints during, and following World War 2. Once I start reading, I can hardly set it down. Their pain and suffering is beyond description. For Ralph's family, his mother and grandmother were left alone with the little children, and Fritz was gone for four years fighting in the war, and they had no idea if he was dead or alive. Russian soldiers took over their home, and they struggled to survive. The women were not safe. Everyone was hungry, and they had no shelter. On an especially difficult day, Gerda decided that it was time to take their lives, and end it all, as so many others had done. They went to a little lake where she explained to her children that they would be going home to be with Heavenly Father and would have no more pain and sorrow. Ralph's grandmother interveined, and stated that the Lord had protected them this long, and He would continue to do so. It was only two days later when Fritz came home to them. He had suffered many trials himself. He had been shot at, and had to dig his own grave twice. Once he escaped into a lake, where he was shot at, and nearly drowned from staying under water so long, and another time, he was let go to be with other prisoners of war. Their struggles were far from over, even after the war ended. The work of rebuilding was HARD and food was scarce. My father in law was like no other when it came to finding ways to provide. The things they ate, and how they struggled to survive, would require a book in itself.

I admire them for their faithfulness, for their love of God, and for pressing forward to help themselves and others. Fritz was the Branch president at that time. They are a great example to all of our family, in many ways. I admire all of those from Ralph's family, and I am proud of my own Pioneer heritage ....the struggles were different, but no less difficult. I feel so lucky to have had so many who gave so much, that I might live in peace and comfort here in America. I am worried for the future of America, and hope that this generation can rise to the occasion and preserve the freedoms that we still enjoy.
Here are two photos of Fritz, and Gerda and their children. The photo on the left is of the back yard of their apartment. You can see there is a thriving garden there...Fritz has always been a great gardener. The one on the right is the two of them with sons, Ralph, in Fritz's arms, and Dieter, in the baby carriage.
Here they are today. This was taken last week when we celebrated their birthdays. Gerda was 92 on March 8th and Fritz turned 98 on the 14th of March.
Here are their four children and spouses. Dieter, passed away in 1973.

Feeling better

I have been ill for a couple of weeks. It was working up for longer than that with just not feeling well, since before Christmas. Finally, more and more symptoms and fever took me to the doctor on Feb 24. A diagnosis of Diverticulitis once again, the second time within a few months. I went home for bed rest and liquid diet, but the next day more serious symptoms occurred which took me to the ER for a CT scan, and evaluation. The findings from that scan indicate that surgery is no longer an option. I will be seeing a surgeon on Monday to schedule surgery in the near future.
To make matters worse, I contacted a virus, which has just been miserable. The antibiotics make me nauseated, and dizzy, with a headache. I burned my mouth because my Pero was too hot, and so I have really been through the mill. I still have a mouth full of canker sores, even a week later. I have not quite finished the meds, still coughing a lot, but all that is sooo much better than where I was, so today I am grateful for returning health. This is the first day I have been up for most of the day and doing a few little things. I even got the camera out and caught some cute pics of Ralph with our granddaughter, Rory. They made a snowman. I went out on the porch and snapped a few shots with a zoom lens. I LOVE doing my photo a day blog and am happy to be back in the saddle, so to speak. Here are a few pics from today:

I'm Back

As I was taking posts down, I felt bad, because it is something I have really enjoyed. I had several followers post comments, or call me and email me about it, so I decided to keep doing my personal blog. I may not post often, but at least once or twice a month. I enjoy following the blogs of family and friends as well. I will be browsing around less frequently, and will try that for awhile and see how it goes. Thanks to everyone who contacted me about the blog.

More Holiness Give Me

More Holiness Give Me....I have loved this song all of my life. The basic message is to become more like the Savior. It seems like everything these past few weeks since the new year began, has pointed me toward thoughts of holiness. The Relief Society lesson that I gave a week ago, was my choice for a subject, so I chose the subject of becoming more righteous. Our ward conference today was about repentance, and overcoming our weaknesses. I enjoy reading the Church news, and two weeks ago, there was an article in there that I am still pondering about. It is a summary of a talk that was given at BYU Idaho, by Wendy Nelson, wife of Russell M Nelson of the Quorem of the Twelve Apostles. She talks about becoming holy. In preparation for her address to the college students, she asked a few women to try an experiment for three days. They were to choose a daily activity and every day as they did this activity, they would imagine that the Savior were standing right next to them. One woman who did the experiment wrote back to Sister Nelson and said that her most challenging moment of the day is brushing her 4 year old's teeth. I had to chuckle at her description...after 6 children, I can relate. She said "I pictured the Savior in the room with me. I felt an immense difference. Suddenly I had more patience. I didn't bark orders. I felt like I had more influence over the situation. I could step back and almost see, well, how would a holy woman handle this situation? " Many of the women who participated in the experiment, said they no longer thought of being holy as something impossible to do.
I have challenged myself to try this experiment, and for the last couple of weeks, I can see a big difference in the way that I handle stress. (This must be healthy). I have thought a LOT about they way I spend my time, and how I handle irritating situations. I also went right out and bought Sister Nelson's book, entitled, "Change your questions, Change Your Life". In one word....awesome! I reccommend it to everyone. I know that pondering on the right things, and applying the scriptures to our lives, can change us, and our relationships....especially our relationship with the Lord.
February 14, 2010