Thanksgiving....here and gone so quickly, but I find that there are still many things to be thankful and even better, grateful for.
In the last few weeks we have had Rick(y)'s, Katie's and Cam's birthdays, remembered Rick's birthday, remembered my parent's birthdays, remembered the passing of my Mom and Rick's Dad and had Thanksgiving. All of which keeps us focused on family and the gratitude we all have for each other.
We are missing a major part of our family this year with Rick's passing...oh how we all miss him. I am glad that we feel at ease enough in our home and association with family to be open with all the things we remember and associate him with in our every day activities. It keeps him close to us and appreciating all of his great characteristics. Sometimes it makes me feel pretty small in comparison and hoping that I can in some small way and some day, measure up.
We are grateful for those who spent their lives leading, guiding and supporting us through all of our life's experiences. Our parents. What an indelible impression they have left on us. Our children revere their grandparents as great and have a deep abiding love for each of them that they knew and are looking forward to a day when they meet those we speak of that went on before.
We are grateful for the abilities we have to provide for ourselves and to find enjoyment in the things we do. I am grateful for children who are goal-oriented, who want to serve and to make a difference in the world.
I am grateful for children who love me, through my imperfections and are patient with my learning, as I move into a different phase of my life. I am grateful for grandchildren who love me no matter what and are sensitive to the need for "I love you's" and give them freely.
I am grateful for friends, co-workers and family who sincerely care and on whom I could call if there is a need to do so.
I am eternally grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for His atonement, which I have learned first hand, is for us all. I heard someone talking of a book regarding the every day application of the atonement and how it had made them see that the atonement is more than a pathway to repentance.....I thought to myself that I was happy that they had found that knowledge, but I bore testimony to myself that I had felt it, and although it was a difficult set of experiences that brought me to that point, that feeling of a loving brother...caring enough about all of us, to atone for us, to experience all in our behalf..is a gift beyond words on a page. Gratitude seems not enough to in any way repay that gift.
It is fitting that Thanksgiving precedes the celebration of the birth of our Savior..it is a time to reflect upon those things that are most important. Our gratitude is strong as a family for this influence in our lives. As we reflect on our blessings, we hope to keep remembering and have a spirit about us of Thanksgiving...and GRATITUDE.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Gifts of Joy
It has been a most beautiful fall season. There have been some surprises that are not often seen. I have been entertained by nature, which in turn has made me more aware and appreciative of the gifts of God.
One evening about a month ago, I was leaving work after a rainy day. It had been a little dark and a lot wet all day. As I was walking to my car, I looked to the east at the mountains and saw a most brilliant rainbow, then as I watched it, it became even more bright and clear and then a second rainbow arched above the first. It's span was the "Y" mountain and it seemed to begin and end in the foothills of that mountain range that frames our valley, our home.
Several evenings as I have rounded the top of the hill to enter Grand Avenue and as I look to the west over the edge of the hill to catch a view of the lake with the evening sun resting on it....there have been some incredible sunsets. Just Friday, the sky had been dark off and on all day. The sky had opened exposing some sun and patches of blue sky and some increased warmth. As I made that same turn at the top of the hill...I looked out to a heavy dark cloud that weighed heavy across the entire western horizon...leaving enough sky to see orange light reflecting off the lake and about a quarter of the way up in the picture of my sky. Very different with great contrast.
Making that same turn as I go down the hill, I can look out over Provo and see the colors of the changing foliage, golden mostly, contrasted with green and a little red. Always a few sunflowers along the side of the road trying valiantly to survive early frosts to dance again for one more day. I always hope for an extension of Fall...it is a balm to my soul. Katie asked me the other day if I had noticed an increase in these beautiful "gifts"...and I have. I think she was asking if Dad was "painting us a rainbow..." I hope so, because...I like to think that he knows what we need and can deliver a little joy in the journey....helping us to learn to dance again.
Switching scenes, another view I had this weekend was that of a Grandfather, sitting in his lawn chair, right in the middle of the lawn, with a patch of sun warming he and his 3-4 year old grandson who was running and playing in the yard. I saw the sun glint off the silver of the grandfather's hair to catch my attention to the moment when the child, pausing from his running and playing to stop at the side of his Grandfather and give him a huge hug! So much expressed in such a few seconds. Another gift that was bittersweet as I thought of Jakie hugging his beloved Grandpa and the wonderful bond that existed there. I hope Ricky and the other grandchildren to follow can understand how very much they are loved by this same Grandpa that Jakie loved so fiercely. I hope those to come will have been loved before and sent on their way knowing that feeling.....and remember.
So for me, I have learned that there are gifts such as these to add richness to our lives and joy to our journey, ....if we are watching...
Sometimes, if we are too busy or have too many worries that cloud our view...we'll miss them and then they may be lost to us. I am trying to adjust my view to include recognition of these and other gifts of the spirit, they are priceless and the giver is one who cares to assure us with experiences that allow that joy to be had as we travel along the course of our day to day lives.
One evening about a month ago, I was leaving work after a rainy day. It had been a little dark and a lot wet all day. As I was walking to my car, I looked to the east at the mountains and saw a most brilliant rainbow, then as I watched it, it became even more bright and clear and then a second rainbow arched above the first. It's span was the "Y" mountain and it seemed to begin and end in the foothills of that mountain range that frames our valley, our home.
Several evenings as I have rounded the top of the hill to enter Grand Avenue and as I look to the west over the edge of the hill to catch a view of the lake with the evening sun resting on it....there have been some incredible sunsets. Just Friday, the sky had been dark off and on all day. The sky had opened exposing some sun and patches of blue sky and some increased warmth. As I made that same turn at the top of the hill...I looked out to a heavy dark cloud that weighed heavy across the entire western horizon...leaving enough sky to see orange light reflecting off the lake and about a quarter of the way up in the picture of my sky. Very different with great contrast.
Making that same turn as I go down the hill, I can look out over Provo and see the colors of the changing foliage, golden mostly, contrasted with green and a little red. Always a few sunflowers along the side of the road trying valiantly to survive early frosts to dance again for one more day. I always hope for an extension of Fall...it is a balm to my soul. Katie asked me the other day if I had noticed an increase in these beautiful "gifts"...and I have. I think she was asking if Dad was "painting us a rainbow..." I hope so, because...I like to think that he knows what we need and can deliver a little joy in the journey....helping us to learn to dance again.
Switching scenes, another view I had this weekend was that of a Grandfather, sitting in his lawn chair, right in the middle of the lawn, with a patch of sun warming he and his 3-4 year old grandson who was running and playing in the yard. I saw the sun glint off the silver of the grandfather's hair to catch my attention to the moment when the child, pausing from his running and playing to stop at the side of his Grandfather and give him a huge hug! So much expressed in such a few seconds. Another gift that was bittersweet as I thought of Jakie hugging his beloved Grandpa and the wonderful bond that existed there. I hope Ricky and the other grandchildren to follow can understand how very much they are loved by this same Grandpa that Jakie loved so fiercely. I hope those to come will have been loved before and sent on their way knowing that feeling.....and remember.
So for me, I have learned that there are gifts such as these to add richness to our lives and joy to our journey, ....if we are watching...
Sometimes, if we are too busy or have too many worries that cloud our view...we'll miss them and then they may be lost to us. I am trying to adjust my view to include recognition of these and other gifts of the spirit, they are priceless and the giver is one who cares to assure us with experiences that allow that joy to be had as we travel along the course of our day to day lives.
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