It sure has been cold here in Utah!
I ran outside today barefoot and in my jammies to get this awesome picture of the longest icicle! I hope you all appreciate my effort. It has been growing for some time. My darlin and I heard a crash this afternoon and when we checked the icicle had fallen. I’m so glad I got the photo!!!
Stay warm!!!
The start of a new year is the traditional time to take stock of our lives and see where we are going, measured against the backdrop of where we have been. Several years ago at BYU, I shared my thoughts on the scriptural story of Lot’s wife.
Often, like Lot’s wife, we long to return to past days. I have come to the conclusion that Lot’s wife did not just look back; she looked back longingly. In short, her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future. That, apparently, was at least part of her sin.
So, as a new year starts and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in.
To all such of every generation, I call out, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the “high priest of good things to come.”
Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever. That is a New Year’s resolution I ask you to keep this new year. -Jeffrey R. Holland & Greg Thorpe
Hope your Sunday is the Best! Love, Joy
This is my brother Brad! He’s giving a squish to his sweetie Cindy!
Today is his Birthday!!!!
When I was a little girl I remember him being so good to me. He was, and still is, a wonderful big brother.
He is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met. He has been working since he was in his early teen years. He still works so hard to provide for his family!
He always had the beautiful cars when he was a teenager. This was the late 70’s and he had these beautiful muscle cars. He had a Chevelle, a Monte Carlo, and a LeMans. He always took such good care of his things. He has always been so responsible.
He is a good brother, dad, husband and son to our parents.
I love him and hope he has the most Happy Birthday Ever!!!
I am so blessed to have a big brother like him.
I love the idea of a fresh start.
A new beginning.
The chance or opportunity to try again, to do better.
I am so thankful for the opportunity!
What will I do? How will I do better?
I’ll just keep moving,
or as Dori says, “Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!”
I’ll look for ways to improve.
Right now I feel like I need to improve in so many ways. I won’t let myself get overwhelmed with all of the things that need to be improved.
I’ll start and keep going.
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“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’ So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.” -Minnie Louise Haskins
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God is always there to help us do better!
Have the best and most Happy New Year ever!
Back in September there was an amazing heavenly event!
It was all over the news. It was something not seen often and something that an effort should be made to see.
Photo credit: Larry Hanson
We watched and watched for the Blood moon to rise in the sky.
We could see a little bit of the moon, but there was a lot of cloud cover and it was almost bed time. I had a great idea! I told my darlin, “Let’s go to bed and set the alarm!” I was thinking, we’ll get some sleep and then we’ll have a better view of it a little later.
A few hours later the alarm went off. I got up all groggy, woke up my darlin, and made my way to the door. I went out on the porch and looked up. Wow! It was so big and bright! I called to my darlin to come quick!
As my eyes adjusted and I became a little more awake I realized I was looking at the street light! You read it right. I thought the street light was the Blood Moon!
I called to my darlin and said, “Never mind, the Blood Moon is gone, all we have is a really bright street light.”
We laughed and laughed!!!!
I Love This Time of Year!
I am so grateful for our Savior. I’m grateful for His birth. I am grateful for His life.
I hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy
So thankful for:
Life*Love*Father In Heaven*Jesus My Savior
*Family*Home*Food*Clothes*Friends*Sunshine
*Snow*Mountains*Water*Warm*Work
*Turkeys*Cars*Fun Times*Hard TImes*Life*Love
Of course this is not a complete list.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!
This darling “Bonus Baby” is engaged!
I am so excited for them. They are a beautiful couple!
How do you celebrate?
How do you celebrate your birthday?
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My darlin said to me, “It’s your birthday Tuesday, what do you want to do?”
I answered, “What do I really want to do?”
He told me it really only matters what I want to do on my birthday.
I agreed!
“I want to clean the basement,” I announced.
He couldn’t believe it, “What?”
“We’ll do some work, take a load to the thrift store, then have dinner with family!”
Sounds like a perfect day to me.
We spend the first 5 hours of the day cleaning the basement. It hasn’t been organized since we moved into our new (old) home in March. When we moved, we downsized a bunch! We, as well as those helping us move just put items here and there. There was no rhyme or reason to the rooms. We had food storage with seasonal decor, sewing supplies, and cleaning supplies all in random places. It was very full, with just a pathway leading to the far corner of the room.
I don’t know how you feel about that kind of situation, but to me that is very overwhelming and frustrating. I learned from reading a book written by an organizer named Daryl Hoole, that you need a place for everything and to keep everything in it’s place, like put it right away once you use it. We didn’t even have a place for everything yet, how could we keep everything in it’s place? This drives me crazy, so to me this was a great way to spend my birthday, and then have the peace that comes from keeping it clean, and organized.
It went very well. We got a lot done. We took a load to the DI (thrift store) and met the family at the restaurant. It was so fun to see them.
We have a tradition in our family on birthdays. We go around the table and say something that we love about the person whose birthday it is. We usually go around a few times. I love it! It was the perfect finish on a wonderful day. I got to love on this sweet little grandbaby! My daughter-in-law Janet gave me the cutest thing from my grandbaby. She traced his cute tiny hands on paper, and cut it out, and attached a accordion piece of paper from one cut out hand to the other. On the one hand was written, “Happy Birthday” and on the other, “Grandma, I love you this much!” Oh my stars!!!! I love it!
It really was a great day!
Birthdays are fun when they’re spent doing what you want, with who you want to be with!
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