I love January

January is one of my favorite months because:

• It seems so quiet after the busy Christmas season
• It's a perfect time to wrap up in a warm blanket and read a good book
• A new year, clean slate, lots of goals, start over, start fresh
• Soup month-yum yum- Minestrone, cabbage, taco, split pea, chicken noodle to name a few
• 2 birthdays-Jim and Tom
• Winter sports-down hill skiing, cross country skiing, and, this year, snow shoeing
• The days are getting longer
• The world looks beautiful with a fresh blanket of snow

Yes, I love January

More thankful

I know it's Christmas but I still feel the thankful from Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for the Book of Mormon. What a book! What a blessing! I finished reading it on Christmas eve. It was my little tender mercy this month. I'm thankful for a loving family. I'm thankful for a son in law who gave my daughter a letter for Christmas. It made her cry...with joy...for feeling loved. I'm thankful for a beautiful world. I'm thankful for health that enables me to enjoy the beautiful world. I am thankful for Christmastime and the opportunity to reflect on the birth of my Savior. Oh, and I love cross country skiing on Christmas day with my daughters.

Mulitplicity of blessings

Jim and Sarah learned this week that they are having a girl. All I can say is "And I will bless her with blessings, and multiply a multiplicity of blessings upon her, and upon her generations forever and ever, saith the Lord your God. Amen." D&C 97:28

Hooray, I'm rich!

Ok, I don't have a lot of money but I'm rich. I have a husband who loves me, 6 children who are doing good things with their lives, 2 daughters in law and a son in law whom I love, a healthy grandson, a warm home to live in, health and strength to do what I need to do, feelings of peace and love in my home, likin' hikin' ladies who put a smile on my face, a ward family, my parents and Dan's parents who are nearly perfect and love me unconditionally, siblings and nieces and nephews who are fantastic people. I live in a beautiful place that frequently reminds me there is a God. I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. Yes, I am rich.

What about you? If you read this blog please list in the comments why you are rich. I'd love to know.

My baby turned 16

John turned 16. How did that happen? Wasn't he born yesterday? He was our little caboose. Planned and wanted but it took a little divine intervention to let us know we wanted to plan for another child. He's been a joy from day one. I'm so thankful he came to our family. When he was a baby, and even as he grew, I was so appreciative of his ability to bring out the best in the rest of us. I loved seeing his older brothers and sisters love and adore him. I could see in them qualities of unselfishness, compassion, and charity that I weren't always evident but they were there in abundance around their little brother.

An experience that I had with John before he was born taught me that he was a valiant, good, and pleasant person. Yes, he is all of those and more. I love John and am so thankful he is a part of my family.

Now, look out on the roads because here he comes. He'll be driving a little red car. Use caution!!!

And I did go into the mount oft

Yesterday I came home from another wonderful hike with some friends and sat down to read my Book of Mormon. One of the first verses I read was 1 Nephi 18:3 "And I, Nan (I like to substitute my name in the scriptures), did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things."
I know that Nephi went into the mount oft because he didn't have a temple and so that was where he communed with the Lord. I have a temple. I have a home where I can also commune with the Lord. The next place where I really feel the spirit and feel divine direction is in the mountains.
Yesterday as I hiked I kept thinking about the Creator and the beautiful world he created for me. As I came to the mountain peak and saw the breathtaking view of Bear Lake my first thought was, "Thank you." I then thought, "There is a God. Only a God could create this beauty."
This summer I've been blessed to hike with some wonderful women. We did "go unto the mount oft." Yesterday was the 22nd hike as a group. I feel the "Lord showed unto me great things."
He showed me he loves me, that I have friends, that he created the world, that I can go to him and feel peace, that he answers my prayers, that it is a blessing to be alive, that he wants me to be happy.
I love the mountains. We all have places to go where we can commune with God. The mountains are one of those places for me.

Tradition

I love November 1st. It's the first day of my decade old tradition. I start reading the Book of Mormon on November 1st and finish it on December 24. I have a schedule that I follow. On the average it's about 10 pages a day. As I read I look for Christ. For me it's a great way to keep my mind focused on why we celebrate this season. It adds a little calm to the craziness.