Birthday date with a TEENager...

I can't believe it's been thirteen years since I first held Cash in my arms for the first time. I had that extraordinary feeling that my life would never be the same. Cash is a wonderful young man. He's respectful, smart, helpful, handsome, and a true gentleman. He always opens the door for me and asks me if he can help with dinner or with cleaning up. He is fun and it's a joy to spend time with him. He was and is a dream come true! How we love him, our first.

Thirteen of my favorite pictures of Cash!

Cash wanted a suit to wear to church. We enjoyed shopping together and found the perfect birthday suit! He looks so handsome. We also had a delicious dinner at Olive Garden. We went back to the house to watched a show and do some homework. Cash even slept over, what a fun date!

Love you Cash! 

Food Bank...

So, I spoke to people getting food at a food bank and here are some things I learned from those in need:
1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks.
2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of.
3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles.
4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops.
5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of.
6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift.
7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care.
8. Sugar and flour are treats.
9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores.
10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some.
11. They rarely get fresh meat.
12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.
13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.
14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread.
15. Butter or margarine is nice too.
16. Eggs are a real commodity.
17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake.
18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated.
19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that.
20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
In all the years I have donated food at the Holidays, I bought what I thought they wanted, but have never asked. I am glad I did. If you are helping a Family this Christmas, maybe this can help you tailor it more. It does for me!

Take care of sacred things, look to God and live...

Sunrise on my way to work... "Dawning of the day"

My testimony today is of the angels and ministers of grace who will always defend us if, as the prophet Alma commanded us, we “take care of … sacred things,” we “look to God and live.” (Alma 37:47) More prayer and humility, more faith and forgiveness, more repentance and revelation and reinforcement from heaven—these are where we seek remedy and deliverance for “feverish and delirious humanity” (The Character of Jesus, p. 17).

Angels and ministers of grace to defend us? They are all about us, and their holy sovereign, the Father of us all, is divinely anxious to bless us this very moment. Mercy is his mission, and love is his only labor. John Donne said once: “We ask our daily bread, and God never says, ‘You should have come yesterday.’ … [No, he says,] ‘Today if you will hear [my] voice, today I will hear yours.’ … If thou hast been benighted till now, wintered and frozen, clouded and eclipsed, damp and benumbed, smothered and stupefied till now, God yet comes to thee, not as in the dawning of the day, … but as the sun at [full] noon, to banish all shadows” (Collected Sermons).

“Look to God and Live” | Jeffrey R. Holland
general conference | October 1993

"And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye book to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell." ~ Alma 37:47

The Love Boat...

Several months ago Element gave a few employees an all inclusive cruise. I could not have been happier that Mark and Tiffani could have a much needed vacation!

I love my grandsons and I love being with them so imagine how happy I was when they asked me and Nana to watch Cash, Colby, Grey, Grahm, and Grizzly!

Mark and Tiffani had wonderful time together. There were no travel problems and even though the cruise was rerouted due to a hurricane, they also did not have any weather related worries. I was grateful for that! 

What a gorgeous couple, no wonder we have such beautiful grandsons! Love you so much Mark and Tiff.

"He believes in me"

Grahm was holding a fly and I was so thankful Grandpa was recording this sweet exchange. 

Grandpa asked, "What did you catch?"

Grahm: "A fly."

Grandpa: "What do you think about him?"

Grahm: "Um, I like him and he believes in me. He just got on me because he knows I won't hurt him. 

Grandpa: "Have you given him a name yet?"

Grahm: "His name is Wings. He just knows I won't hurt him and I like him."

Balloon...

Grahm likes to make water balloons and blow up balloons with Grandpa. He put this pink balloon at the desk the other day and said, "You can keep this and think about me when you see it." I looked at the balloon everyday until all the air went out of it. Every time I saw the balloon I did think of Grahm and smiled. I love him.

ThrowBack Thursday ~ When you are helping you're happy...

Colby, my helper!

They will lead them...

(PC to me)

From your fellow latter-day saint in the pews with you.
Stop praying that your friends, family members, and loved ones will return to the church.
Instead, pray that they will be able to feel Divine love in a way that resonates with them.
Stop praying that your loved one will be led to the specific place you think they need to be.
Instead, pray they will have confidence to recognize & courage to go wherever God is leading them.
Stop praying that your loved one will understand God and God’s plan for them exactly as you do.
Instead, pray that you will have faith and trust in a loving God’s perfect, individual plan for them.
Stop praying that your loved one will follow you on your path back to God.
Instead, pray to know how you can walk with them on their path back to God.
Stop praying for opportunities to show them the truth of your way.
Instead, pray for trust that none are ever lost to God, who is The Way.
Stop praying that your loved one will experience God the way you do.
Instead, pray that they will share the ways they experience God with you.
Prayer is powerful.
But it has been hijacked into a method of asking God to impose what we think is best on others.
The true power of prayer is in asking God to help us see, love, & walk with others as they are; not asking God to make others what we want them to be.
I know prayers offered asking God to bring loved ones back to church are given in full sincerity and love.
These prayers asking for specific outcomes too often act as a wedge between us and those we pray for.
Rather than listening to their experiences and seeing God in their lives, we push for a specific path that may or may not be what God has in mind for this person.
So rather than praying that others will be led to where we are, let's pray that they will feel Divine love, see Divine presence, and follow Divine guidance, without assuming we know what that will feel like, how it will look, or where it will lead.
Our Heavenly Parents know each of Their children. They love them. And They will lead them.
Our job is to love and walk with them as our Heavenly Parents lead them.

ThrowBack Thursday ~ Three grands!

 And then there was baby Grey to make three grands!

No imperfect harvest...

“Regardless of how insignificant our efforts may seem, if we are sincere, the Savior will use us to accomplish His work. …
“The Savior stands ready to accept our humble offerings and perfect them through His grace. With Christ, there is no imperfect harvest. We must have the courage to believe that His grace is for us—that He will help us, rescue us from the depths when we falter, and perfect our less-than-perfect efforts..”

—Elder Vern P. Stanfill (“The Imperfect Harvest,” general conference, April 2023)

 “And What Is Left Will Grow,” by Colby Sanford