A Grandmother's Random Thoughts~

I wish that I could have been a grandmother first before becoming a mother. I know that in some cultures the  parents go out to work and the children are basically raised by their grandparents. I am actually thinking that  might be good. Case in point is that being a grandmother has many perks. Frist of all the grandchildren automatically love their grandparents and will usually obey them better than they do their own parents. I have found that I am more patient as a grandmother than I was as a mother. I certainly remain much calmer during chaotic moments. I think this may be due to the fact that we don't take life as seriously as we did as parents. It's the been there done that syndrome. Most things are not as big a deal as you make it.
These past few months I have been able to enjoy being with several of my large posterity of grandchildren. It has always been delightful. These grandchildren seldom do anything wrong when they are at grandma's house. In fact ,they basically can do no wrong. My grandchildren are the cutest and the best of anyone else's grandchildren. This is not up for debate; it's just true. 

I also love the fact that when my grandchildren visit I can basically spoil them as much as I want. 

 

 

It is a given that when they visit grandma's house their will be cookies and snacks available and other fun activities.  Yes, the parents can grumble about what I may do but in the long run the grandchildren are just so endearing that I can take any backlash from my own children. I can still tune my children out; it's a gift that you learn while in the survival mode of raising children. Yes, being a grandmother is so much easier than actually being a mother. Who can resist those sweet moments with grandchildren. Now I have time to relax and enjoy loving and having fun times with them.
Now for my other random thoughts on raising children. I have made it a point to give my own grandchildren some timely advice. It is the Obedience + trust = Freedom equation. I have informed them that if they will obey their parents; they will have more freedom. For instance always call home when you are going to be late; or call home to tell them where you are and when you will be home. Always tell your parents the truth even if it is hard to do so. Learn to quickly obey and you will have great benefits. It's kind of an insurance policy for more freedom. A big one is always be respectful to your parents and grandparents. There is probably a longer list of these kinds of rules but if obeyed one can then develop a trusting relationship with their parents. Once this trust is proven then the child has more freedom to do more things. For some reason this is such a simple equation so why does it have to be so hard to do. The truth is it doesn't; just do it. All my grandchildren know this equation and I hope they will follow it.
This equation worked well in my life.. I was good at telling my parents where I was going, who I was going with and what I planned to do. Because, I was thoughtful and obedient; I basically able to do almost everything I wanted to do. I seldom was grounded for anything. Some of my friends didn't do this and they spent many days being grounded to their home. Now days it maybe referred to as house arrest.
I had one son that was on house arrest a lot. I often wondered how he could still find trouble. Now he has his own children, 7 of them and amongst them are a couple just like him. This is called payback time. 
Right now I am in Missouri caring for 5 of my precious grandchildren.

Abbey, April, Sariah and Levi, Faith~

Abbey, April, Grandma, Sariah and Levi, Faith~

 

We are having so much fun together.

The dress rehearsal for Halloween - Faith and Levi~

I love that they can laugh with me and actually smile at all of my light hearted jokes. There are four girls and one little boy. The girls basically run the home. I haven't had to make any meals or clean up any messes; they do it all.  They are amazing and it is a treat to spend time with them.
 I have had the opportunity to care for all my grandchildren at various times through the years and I love the role of being a grandmother. It is one of the most enriching experiences of my life.
There is one final perk of being a grandmother. You can enjoy time with your grandchildren and then know their parents will be coming to pick them up and take them home. You can then go back to reading a good book In your rocking chair. Of course, that statement is a fallacy. I still do not have time to read a book in my rocking chair.  However, there is a bit more peace and quiet with just my husband after the last grandchild had gone home.
Blessings and hugs to all you dear grandparents out there. Cherish your moments with your grandchildren. They are the spice of life in your golden years.

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Hugs to all you dear mothers too. Cherish all of your precious minutes with your children they will go fast.

A Little Barn Charm Today~

Picture taken in Idaho Falls on October 15th 2013

I have mentioned before that I am fascinated with Barns. Through the years I have admired many barns and have wanted to obtain a painting of one. My grandson, Jackson is a very good artist. I recently asked him if he would paint a barn for me. He has agreed. Now I just need to find a picture of a favorite barn.Since joining the Pinterest movement I have found a zillion pictures of barns and have pinned many of them. I am so amazed at how many people love barns like I do.  Meanwhile, my husband and I recently made a visit to  Idaho and found this barn to share today.
Right now I am in Missouri caring for 5 of my grandchildren. This is like being in Barn heaven. We are going to take an outing and obtained pictures of barns. When I get back home I plan to pick out that perfect barn that I want painted.

 

"All Things Denote There Is A God"~

 My sweet Great Granddaughter Lilly and me on her blessings day~

I remember every detail of each of my children's births. Before having children my dear mother said that the first thing she did when her babies were born was check them over. She would examine every finger and every toe. I did the same thing. Babies are such a blessing and a miracle.
I often wonder how there can be anyone that doesn't believe in God.
We are taught in our religion that we were spirit children of our Heavenly Father and we lived with our Heavenly parents before we came to our earthly Father and Mother. We are all children of God. We are all God's miracles.
My husband and I enjoy watching Animal Kingdom and other shows of the various plant and animal life found on this earth along with the study of earth and the heavens.  Everything in nature has it's own times and seasons and life spans. There is nothing left to chance. 
 In The Book of Mormon; Alma 30:44; the prophet Alma stated the following:  " But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
I know that I have a Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ that love me and love all of us. We are God's greatest creation.
Take a moment and listen to this short video and feel the spirit testify to your hearts that this is wondrous and true.

I Believe In The Prophets and Apostles Words~

I find it  interesting and challenging to live in this day of age and in this era of time. We are constantly faced with various experiences that test and try our souls. I have had many difficult moments and some of them I didn't think I could get through. Intermingled with these painful experiences I have found peace and hope through Jesus Christ.
I know that I have a Savior who walks with me through my experiences. He is always there. I just need to reach up and take his hand and the peace of the spirit, and the warmth of his love binds me to him, and I can get through whatever comes my way.
Twice each year The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hold a general conference. Usually the first weekends of October and April. Here we listen to messages from our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, as well as each of the twelve Apostles.

First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints ~

The Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints~

We believe these men to be the Prophet and Apostles to the world and that they stand as witnesses of God The Father and The Savior Jesus Christ.
General conferences are among my favorite times of the year. It's such a blessing to hear and see these marvelous servants of the Lord. Listening to their messages fortifies my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel that I am receiving Living Water and true direction from my Heavenly Father through them. This is a wondrous tender mercy in my life.
I believe with all my heart that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me and I do love Him. The following are some of the programs of our faith that will give you an quick overview of what we believe. We fully believe that we are Christians and we strive to follow our Savior Jesus Christ.

For the women of the church we have the Relief Society Declaration:

We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:

Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.

Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.

Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.

Delight in service and good works.

Love life and learning.

Stand for truth and righteousness.

Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.

The Men of the church have the Melchizedek Priesthood:

"Priesthood is the authority and the power which God has granted to men on earth to act for Him. When priesthood authority is exercised properly, priesthood bearers do what He would do if He were present." - President Boyd K. Packer

The men of the church are to watch over and serve one another and build up the kingdom of God. The men have the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood.

 

In our young Woman's program they recite a theme that they live by and is one for us all to perhaps learn and say to ourselves.
We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

 For the Young Men of the church they follow the scouting oath and the Duty To God Program: Boy Scout Oath or PromiseOn my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
Note that the Boy Scout Oath has traditionally been considered to have three promises. Those three promises are delineated by the semicolons in the Oath, which divide it into three clauses. The three promises of the Scout Oath are, therefore:

• Duty to God and country,
• Duty to other people, and
• Duty to self

DUTY TO GOD AND COUNTRY: Your family and religious leaders teach you to know and serve God. By following these teachings, you do your duty to God.
Men and women of the past worked to make America great, and many gave their lives for their country. By being a good family member and a good citizen, by working for your country's good and obeying its laws, you do your duty to your country. Obeying the Scout Law means living by its 12 points.
DUTY TO OTHER PEOPLE: Many people need help. A cheery smile and a helping hand make life easier for others. By doing a Good Turn daily and helping when you're needed, you prove yourself a Scout and do your part to make this a better world.
DUTY TO SELF: Keeping yourself physically strong means taking care of your body. Eat the right foods and build your strength. Staying mentally awake means learn all you can, be curious, and ask questions. Being morally straight means to live your life with honesty, to be clean in your speech and actions, and to be a person of strong character.

Here is a picture of our past Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley with a few Primary Children ~  The Young Children are in the program called the Primary the called the Primary
We had three boys and three girls and these are the values that we tried to instill within them all with the help of the programs of our faith.

In September of 1995 the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles  of The Church of Jesus Christ wrote a proclamation to the world entitled: The Family - A Proclamation To The World.

Take a moment and read this proclamation. We understand and try to follow the words of this proclamation.

During this past conference weekend there were beautiful messages given to help sustain us and bless our lives with goodness. You can find their messages here.

Our dear Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson told us that we now have 15 Million members throughout the world. In October of 2012 an announcement was made that the Church was lowering the age levels for young men and women to serve a mission. At that time we had approx. 58,000 missionaries serving throughout the world. We now have over 80,000 missionaries serving. The young women serve a period of 18 months and may begin at age 19. The young men serve 2 years beginning at the age of 18.

I have a strong testimony of the church missionary program. Four of our six children served missions. They learned of life and had experiences they could not have had in any other way. This has given them a solid framework for their own lives and the lives of their families.

May each of you know the love I have for you and I pray that this post will help you understand a little more of what I believe to be true.

 

Love and Serve~

 

Today in my morning prayers my heart felt heavy. Yesterday was a difficult day due to my dear brother having radical neck surgery for cancer. He was in surgery for almost 7 hours. I talked with my sweet sister in law a few times during the day. I know how hard it is to wait for a spouse to come back down from surgery. I remember the hours of waiting for my sweet husband to return from a double by-pass surgery.  My children were unable to be with me on that day; but I had a dear friend that showed up at the hospital to sit with me. What a blessing she was to me that day.
I have been feeling very sad about it. I have been praying so hard for this brother. My oldest brother passed away 3 years ago and he is now my only remaining brother. I love him deeply and have been praying constantly for him.
In addition, our Inner City Mission is drawing to a close. I worry about all the many people that we have been assigned to help. There is always the question did we do enough? I wanted very much to lift them out of their present conditions and environment. There have been several moments of joy but also times of sadness when there is nothing more you can do to assist them.
I asked my Heavenly Father what I can do this day to feel better. I think I already knew the answer, but I needed to feel His love and to know the direction to take. I was drawn to a folder that I keep to help me with ideas for my blog. I  do try hard to write of joyous moments and also those experiences of struggle. I found the blessed words for today and that is LOVE and SERVE  
The apostle Paul taught; "By love serve one another." President David O. McKay said the following; "Man's greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of other.
In a message given my our Prophet; President Thomas S. Monson, he stated the following: " I am confident it is the intention of each member of the Church to serve and to help those in need. At baptism we covenanted to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light." How many times has your heart been touched as you have witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to help? and yet how often has day-to-day living interfered and you've left it for others to help, feeling that "oh, surely someone will take care of that need.
We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we're doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the "thick of thin thing." in other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of those things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes.
....We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness - be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord's hands here up on the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us."
I know that I was drawn to this folder as an answer to my prayer. I need to stop, reevaluate my days that I might try ever harder to keep that covenant to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light."
I know exactly how to feel better, I pray that even today I may know who I might love a little more, who I might lift in some way. Who's heart can I touch with a moment of kindness.
I love this little  poem shared by President Monson.

 

"I have wept in the night

For the shortness of sight

That to somebody's need made me blind;

But I never have yet

Felt a tinge of regret

For being a little too kind."

Anonymous~

 

One of my favorite hymns is "Have I done Any Good In The World Today"??

 May we all evaluate our days and find time to love and serve one another. It really is the cure for those down days.