Happy Thanksgiving 2013

It's 12:24 am and I probably ought to get to bed, because the children want to get an early start out the door to see their cousins for Thanksgiving. I've spend the entire day cleaning the house to a sparkle.!! I scrubbed toilets and baseboards today, in a way I rarely do.  I was sitting on the bathroom floor with knife and scrapers in hand and removing caulk everywhere...toilet, tub, walls!!  Needless to say it looks so much better, but now I am going to need to hurry and re-caulk!!  And, use a lot of "magic erasers" by Mr. Clean to clean the wall drawings off, which are so artistically rendered upon my walls and doors by my 4 year old! :P

I guess I'm kind of breaking my rules in how a while back I announced that I was going to stick to spiritual matters, so I will try and refocus here.

But, for the record, God is involved and aware of us in our everyday processes of life.  So whether we're scrubbing toilets, making dinner, or reading a stories to our children (or nieces/nephews), our Heavenly Father is pleased when we work towards good goals.  He knows that every little thing we do, adds to the bigger whole of our eternal well-being and progress.

I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father helps me to know I am loved and special.  I realize that the angels are around us.  I also know that they like to be around us when we have good things going on.  I don't think they are too keen on hanging out with us while we whittle away hours in front of the t.v. or game cube.  (What do I know, maybe they love a good movie!)
My personal opinion is that I feel we get special blessings when we take time each day to pray, study our scriptures, and (for those of you who are "LDS" or "Mormon") regularly attend the temple.  I also think it's imperative to our well being to serve others in kindness, work hard, and play games and read stories with our children and family.  Yes, making time for family is an absolute must!

I certainly believe there is a place for some t.v. or movies, but I think we would each benefit from being more selective about what we allow ourselves to use our precious time on.  (Want some recommendations?! :)  I personaly really enjoyed the movie series "Love Comes Softly."  Good clean, and wholesome entertainment.  Oh, and recently my husband took me to see "The Saratov Approach"  definitely worth seeing (though I didn't love the violence--there is no swearing!).  A couple of my other favorites are really "Ephraim's Rescue," or "17 Miracles." (Doesn't hurt that my husband is in one of those movies :)

Let me say this, and then I need to get to sleep...  I have always struggled to love.  I am sure that a good portion of that is due to the abuse and trauma I experienced as a child.  In consequence, I have always tended to push people away, and act indifferently.  In fact, I didn't think I'd ever really know how to love like everyone else seems to apt at doing.

This year has been a pivotal time for me, because as I have allowed Heavenly Father to shape my heart and life, I have grown in my ability to love!!  Yes, I have truly grown to understand the depths of love in a way, I never thought possible.  I love my children more deeply, and new friends more willingly, and toward strangers I often feel sincere love and compassion.  I know this miracle is because of my increased love for my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It's a miraculous phenomenon that I know only comes through the atonement and grace of Jesus Christ.

My heart is filled with so much more joy  and love, than I ever thought possible.  It's not that sad things don't happen to me, but those sad things do rule my life, because I have the peace and assurance that the spirit of God give's me that Heavenly Father will take care of me, as he seeth fit.  I trust him completely.

Before I get to bed, I have a song for you to enjoy.  It's one that I heard recently, I don't know how I ever missed it in the movie Pocahontas, but I did.  This song speaks to me of how love can teach us so many beautiful and life altering things.

• Proverbs 20:13

  13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

To me that scripture means that if we are lazy (or sleeping! ;) and not working hard (in the many areas of need in our life) we will be emotionally bankrupt!  However,  if we open our eyes--meaning wake up and do things.  Serve, love, look to God in all things.. then we shall be filled with love, and it will satisfy us.  And the satisfaction and contentment will feed out spirits in a peaceful way.  A way that we never imagined possible, because we decided to work for his love!  

May you feel His peace and love in your heart, 
as you seek His will, above your own, in all things.
Christine