On Hiking

I started a hiking group last summer.  We had a lot of fun, and saw the beauties of the mountains.  It was so good, we are doing it again.

Hike #1 is tomorrow...not really a hike, more like a stroll in the woods, but a hike just the same.  This one is for the beginners, to help them figure out if they like this or not, or if their shoes will give them blisters or not...

My pack is packed.

My snack is prepared.

(Including my peanut butter and honey sandwich)

I have taken my allergy medication.

My soul is ready.

Pain

I have been making an attempt to take up running again.  It makes me feel good.  I was excited to get off the treadmill and out into the warm fresh air.  Then my foot started to hurt.  Enough that I couldn't run.  I even hobbled around as I walked.  I was so disappointed.  I went to the chiropractor and mentioned my foot pain.  He used his activator on it and wrapped it and told me to leave it on all day if I wished, but not sleep in it.  I didn't want to take it off.  It felt good.  The ball of my foot didn't hurt.  He also told me to try some new running shoes.

Last week I bought some new shoes.  They hug my foot.  It feels so much better when I run.  I have only been on the treadmill so far, because I have a trial time on the shoes and I can take them back if they don't help if I haven't run outside in them.  But I think it will be good.  I feel so rejuvenated today after running.  And so wonderful to walk without pain.

I also experienced spiritual pain recently.  I won't go into details, but it has been hard for me.  As I have sought guidance, it has come.

I read this quote yesterday from General Conference.  It helped me to gain a new perspective on the pain we suffer.

Orson F. Whitney wrote:
"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted.  It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. ...It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire."

I have a hope that as I listen to the instruction I have been given through whisperings of the Spirit, the scriptures, and general conference, I will find the peace and comfort and relief from pain that I seek, just as I have experience from listening to the instruction I received regarding running.

If you want to read or listen to the whole talk, it can be found here:
http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/the-atonement-covers-all-pain?lang=eng

Waiting...

We are still waiting for Spring to really arrive.

That is not something I would normally be grateful for, but I AM grateful for the anticipation that it has "sprung" in me.  I am determined to enjoy that warm (and hopefully some hot) weather when it comes.

My garden is in.  I managed to get that done on the one warm and dry day last week.  I took the opportunity between rainstorms yesterday to get a little more planting in, and I planted lawn seed in the dead spots.

And I got a garden gnome!  (Don't tell Ethan!)  I think he is kinda cute, and I had just been to Gnomeo and Juliet with Ashley, Sam, and Elizabeth.  The plants for my pots are waiting patiently beside the house, getting accustomed to our weather.  I think I will put them in tomorrow...

And then when it gets warm...

I will be ready to soak it all in!

Democracy

We in Canada had the opportunity to get out and vote yesterday.  

A new federal government was voted in.  The Conservatives were finally able to get their majority government, and there were some drastic changes in the rest of the parties.

I am always surprised at how many people are apathetic about this very simple right that means so much to us.

There are billions of people in this world that do not have the right to choose what kind of government they will be led by.  

They would give anything to have this blessing.   

I worked at the election yesterday. 

It brought such joy to my heart to see new Canadians come in and exercise  this right for the first time.  One man came back a few times, each time bringing with him another child so they could vote. 

Even when our chosen candidate doesn't win, our vote counts.  

It says that we care about our Country, that we are grateful to live in a land of freedom.  

I am grateful for the freedom to choose.

Easter Sunday

How Green Was My Valley

I am grateful for good books.  I love to read.  It is something I have neglected in the last few years, but I am voraciously embracing it again.

I finished this one yesterday and I loved it.  Thanks to Nona for suggesting I read it.

It had all the things I love about a book:

A plot that grabs me and draws me in. (Just ask my family about what happens when I am reading a good book :)
A bit of history
Loveable characters
Intrigue
Suspense
Metaphor -- The imagery of the green mountain and the black slag heap, and how it gradually takes over the town.  Compare that to the lives of the people...awesome.
A message

I also watched the movie.  It won the Academy Award in 1941.  Don't bother watching it.  The book is amazing, the movie is not.

Families Are Forever

I sat down in the temple today, waiting for the session to start.

I thought about the date

April 16

It was then I realized that this was a special anniversary

34 years ago, April 16, my family was sealed in the temple.

I smiled to myself as I recollected the day. 

As I left the temple I saw Nikki.

Her family was also sealed on that day,

at the same time.

in the same room

Here we were again.

together.

A wonderful miracle.

It was with such joy that I embraced her, and her mom, and her brother.

They were there to participate in another sealing

That of Coy's beautiful daughter

to her wonderful parents.

I am grateful for temples

and families

and friends

and the promise of eternity...

April Showers...

Springtime is always a little [okay, a lot] crazy here.  We are so anxious for it to come after such a long Winter.  It gets warm, the snow melts, we think Spring has come, and then it snows on us again. 

 It happened on Wednesday night.  

Lots of wet and heavy snow.

BUT!

I am grateful for small miracles...

promises, if you will...

That warm weather will eventually come...

There are signs of life in my garden!

So, even though the forecast is for more of the

WHITE STUFF

over the next few days...

I know what will be hiding underneath...

Maybe we should say,

"April snowstorms bring May flowers"

?

Gram

This lovely young lady turned 93 yesterday

I am so grateful to have been blessed with such a wonderful "Gram"

It's no wonder I chose that name for my grandchildren to call me.

I have learned so much from her of kindness and love and service.

We celebrated with lunch, cake and beautiful music.

Love her

A Whole List Full!

Today I am grateful for:

A very enjoyable visit with a delightful woman as I drove her to her appointment at Tom Baker

Matt's acceptance to Waterloo School of Optometry

Crunchy vegetables

Another enjoyable visit with a younger delightful woman (Elizabeth) as I drove her to and from school.  

Sam calling to say, "Me like upcakes"

A temperature above 0 degrees outside

The promise of Spring...and then Summer...which means more HIKING!

One More Today...

I just read this blog post, and loved it.

http://krisp4life.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-have-been-converted.html?spref=fb

You may like what it says as well!

Frosty Trees...

The frost lasted ALL day!

One of my favorite things!  

Sunshine

There is something about sunshine.
It is such a blessing to live in Calgary where most days are sunny.  Particularly short winter ones.
I sat down at the kitchen table this morning to read my scriptures and the sun was pouring in the window.  It was bright and I felt warm.  It helped to cast away the glumness that I was feeling up to that point today.

"Sonshine" will do the same for a person.  We just need to let Him in.  His light will cast out all darkness, and His Spirit will warm our hearts.

Love Day

I am grateful for my wonderful family.  To show my love for them today, I made them a Valentines Day Dinner.  It was so fun to plan the menu and decorate.  I worked all day, and it turned out great.  Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the spread before we started eating :(

Menu:
Butternut Squash Soup &/or Tortellini Soup
Homemade Breadsticks
Caesar Salad
Cannelloni

Red Velvet Cake for dessert!

I made little treat packets for them all, filled with chocolate and candy.

Sam would have liked me to have served ice cream cones.  That is actually ALL he wanted.

The Chinook

The temperature is hovering between 6 and 8 C today.  It is hard to believe I spent a good portion of my day on Monday shoveling snow.  I am grateful to live in Calgary, where we get chinooks to make winter bearable.  (I am also grateful for washer fluid!)

My Own Warm Bed...

Today I am very grateful that I didn't have to sleep in my brother-in-law's garage/barn last night!

I went out in the country to "box dive" with my hubbie last night.  It is NEVER one of those things I look forward to, especially not twice in one week.  We use part of the garage for storage of closed files.  Once in awhile (twice this week) he has to go out to find an old file.  He asked me to come along.  I grumbled, but went.  When we went out there a couple of days ago, it was hard to get in.  There was snow and ice right up to the door and it was stuck.  My  nephew came and helped us get it open, and then we went inside and got what we needed.  Fast forward to last night.  They needed a couple more boxes at the office, so out we went again.  It was dark.  The snow was deep.  I nearly fell a couple times.  We had to use the flashlight on the iphone to be able to see.  We got down to the barn, and the door was stuck again, but we managed to get the handle turned and got in.  We quickly found what we needed and headed out.

The door wouldn't open!  It wasn't the snow and ice that was causing the problem, it was the handle.  It was toast.  We turned and turned and turned, but the mechanism was broken.  We tried prying it, but that didn't work.  We thought if we had someone on the outside to push on it, that might help.  But no one was home at the other brother's place.  We tried the big overhead door.  IT was frozen shut.  We searched around for tools and found a screwdriver and took the door handle apart.  It fell apart all over, never to be used again, and still the end was stuck--it wouldn't slide in.  Finally, after more prying, we got it open.  It took great imagination to get it closed again, but we managed it.

I was proud of myself for not panicking.
I was glad we had the iphone with a flashlight.  Came in handy when trying to get the door closed again.
I was glad we had a phone, even though no one was home.  I don't even want to think about being out there with no phone and no one knowing where we were.
I was extra glad to sleep in my own bed and not on the icy floor of the garage.

Nothing like a little adventure and adrenalin to brighten your day!

New Blog Focus

I feel that I need to have a focus for my blog, to make it meaningful for those who read it and for myself. I am going to use my blog as a means to vocalize my gratitude for all I have been given.

"We need to be more grateful. It's one of the marks of strong character, to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings that are ours. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in church, everywhere. It's so easy to cultivate the spirit of appreciation."

Ezra Taft Benson