I have been sitting her for two hours trying to figure out what to write about. I feel uninspired. The words are not flowing. My brain is suffering from attention deficit mode, reading all sorts of news from a variety of sites, not focusing on anything of particular interest. Nothing is clicking for me. Nothing.
So before I end this little blurb, let me express appreciation for a Honey-do who has the tenacity and patience to figure things out and fix them, like he did today.
The house we are renting had a backed-up sewer drain in the master bath on Friday. The Honey-do picked up the rooter machine on his way home from work. By time he got home and went to work on the tub and the toilet, to no avail, it was dark outside. He was unable to check the line out front.
This morning he got up to attack the problem from the line outside. He got the job done and at a far less expense than it would have taken us to get a plumber.
He is a great Honey-do and it truly makes me happy to see him so happy fixing things.
Honey-do and I set individual and family goals every year and have done so since we got married many, many years ago. It is one of my favorite times of year, this goal setting and review ritual. The accounting from where we started, to where we now are, and where we choose to go from here is a way to realign ourselves as individuals and as a couple, making those course corrections to keep us from falling off track from that which matters most.
What matters most? We do, to each other.
Generally pleased with where we now are and how we have moved through life’s unforeseen events, we are not so far off financially from where we hoped to be. Career wise has thrown some curves but with patience and trust in the Lord’s timing we are happy with how things have turned out. We have seen miracles. We have enjoyed the process of discovery.
There have been and still are times when we are not so pleased with goals we have set and we have not reached, nor whole-heartedly or even half-heartedly attempted to accomplish. Yet, the disappointment in ourselves does not lend us to our becoming incapacitated but leads us toward action, to a better structured goal. We practice attainable goals in smaller sections of success through micro-goal settings or subsets of goals.
One personal goal took me 28 years to accomplish and even now I still struggle maintaining that goal while trying to maintain other goals of great importance to me.
The goals we now review reflect a different tone of adventure. They are closer to becoming a reality for they are over thirty years old. They were our long range range goals but they are now here, ready for action.
Anticipating what will happen next, uncertain as to what life holds for us as we age, and looking forward to “retiring” within ten years time, we believe that the Lord has blessed us abundantly. As long as we step into that tunnel, with faith in every footstep, a lamp will light our path no matter how dimly lit it may be. And if we are required to step onto a darkened path without light, the light will come as we take that first step in faith. It is a win-win.
How thankful I am for the blessings that come from setting goals. From the time I was young to my older self, goal setting has been a gift of vision and of loving reflection on how much the Lord has blessed my life. And I am especially grateful that my Honey-do has done this with me for these many years of wedded bliss.
Perhaps you can understand why I have so little compassion for consistently whining people. It is not the pain or sorrow that I lack the empathy for, it is the constant whining. Honestly, I do not even like myself when I whine, and I do my fair share of it.
Truly, we each must, if we are to find the happiness we desire, place our will on the alter thereby giving up our will for His:
“…the submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!” ~ Neal A. Maxwell
It all begins with gratitude. If we want to get to that place of giving up our will, then truly we must “Recognize, Remember, and Give Thanks“. If we are alive, we have reason to celebrate, to count our many blessings, to find joy in the simple gifts of life.
I am thankful for the many people in this world who exemplify the Can-Do Spirit. There are many amazing people all around who will never know how their lives have touched mine.
Thank you for turning to God in your extremities. Thank you for your example of being lifted up as on wings of eagles. Thank you for your faithfulness, tenacity, and witness of a loving Heavenly Father through His tender mercies.
The World is Mine
Today upon a bus I saw A girl with golden hair; She seemed so gay, I envied her, And wish that I were half so fair; I watched her as she rose to leave, And saw her hobble down the aisle. She had one leg and wore a crutch, But as she passed—a smile. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two legs—the world is mine.
Later on I bought some sweets. The boy who sold them had such charm, I thought I’d stop and talk awhile. If I were late, t’would do no harm. And as we talked he said, “Thank you, sir, you’ve really been so kind. It’s nice to talk to folks like you Because, you see, I’m blind” Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two eyes—the world is mine
Later, walking down the street, I met a boy with eyes so blue. But he stood and watched the others play; It seemed he knew not what to do. I paused, and then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?” But he looked straight ahead without a word, And then I knew, he couldn’t hear. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two ears—the world is mine.
Two legs to take me where I go, Two eyes to see the sunset’s glow, Two ears to hear all I should know, Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I’m blest, indeed, the world is mine.
The children were absolutely amazing during the Sacrament service today. Most of them were early, in their seats on the stand, and ever so reverent. The little Sunbeams and CTR 4s were sitting in their seats, waiting with anticipation for their turn to walk up on the stand to be seated at the right moment.
It all went perfectly today. Oh, there were a couple of missteps, a few missing children, two shy ones with one of them managing to say his part while the other just wanted to sing, but honestly I thought the children were as perfect as perfect could be. Everything truly worked out perfectly.
This perfect little program happened because the leaders, the parents, and teachers all worked to make it so. It was their prayers, calling upon the Powers of Heaven to bless the children, that made the difference.
Now by the third hour of Church, in Primary after the presentation, well….. that is a different story, nonetheless, but the joy of that program today lingers as though a dream as I prepare to drift off to sleep feeling a spirit of hope, gratitude, and peace.
The Hurricane Harvey is big news. My folks are in San Antonio and are doing fine in spite of the excessive rain and flooding. My mother said there were lots of refugees coming into town.
When I was in my late teens, perhaps barely twenty, I remember a gentleman giving a talk and mentioning how tears seem to fall a little easier when one grows older. He noted that it is not always about sadness, it is just that there are things in life that happen to touch the heart.
Psalms 8:3-6
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
What great love our Heavenly Father has for all of His children. How thankful I am for this day to have felt that love, to have seen that love extended in a variety of ways to several people, including myself.
Matthew 7:7-8
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
May I always have a heart filled with gratitude so I can see and appreciate the wonders of this beautiful world Heavenly Father created for me.
This was my week. It was my week to jump back into Rowing, Running, Jumping Rope and perhaps Bowling. I had accomplished the first CrossRope Challenge and rowed the Concept Summer Solstice Challenge to complete my first half-marathon. And the second CrossRope event today was going to be my crowning glory!
At 3:30 p.m., I banged my big toe with a solid wood core door. The nail immediately looked like a tragedy and it is still painful at 8:16 p.m. It is going to fall off, most definite.
Bandaid-ing it up, making sure all of my blisters on my feet were neosporined and bandaged too, I donned my socks and Altras. With some pain on both feet, as I walked to the mats, I prepared myself to jump 250 revolutions, for time, with my one pound CrossRope.
My toe was rebelling.
I jumped again.
Nope. Not happening. The big toe was screaming like a stuck pig.
My week of ecstasy is over in two failed swoops of the rope.
Count My Blessings Today: Name Them One By One
Thank you Bluebell Vanilla Ice Cream
Thanks again, Amanda and Lyn, for Fresh, Homemade Strawberry Jam.
Thank you Honey-do for getting the #SinFood in the dish for me to enjoy.
THANK YOU Richard C. for your help, again, in fixing the other part of the trim on my truck.
Thanks to Charlie R. for being such a delightful reminder about the simple joys in life.
Thanks to Marty and Steph for the door that I could pass on to someone else who truly appreciates it!
Thanks to Steph for helping me load it in my truck.
Thanks to Jonathan for a wonderful conversation today. It was great to see you!
Honey-do and I visited some friends today. As we were readying to leave I was handed a 2 pint jar of homemade jam. Strawberry jam. Their secret family recipe for homemade strawberry-licious jam.
Then their daughter, Amanda, brought out another jar. A quart jar! A quart jar filled with thatstrawberry jam! Homemade strawberry jam. EUREKA!
Yeah, baby! Fresh, colorful, and absolutely delectable. And we are, especially I am, so thankful!
We have been very impressed with Spectrum Internet service. Spectrum has given us excellent Customer Service through the entire process, from the first phone call to the service call in our home today – on time, at our convenience, calling ahead to let us know when the rep will be here and then the rep is here on time and always polite and very thorough.
Truly. Thank you. It is soooo good to be back online, high speed.
Honey-do and I visited some friends today. As we were readying to leave I was handed a 2 pint jar of homemade jam. Strawberry jam. Their secret family recipe for homemade strawberry-licious jam. 
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