It was a bad week.  I had 2 hard days.  Have you ever just not known how to talk to anyone about how you feel?  And you thought people were tired of your complaining so you were just quiet?  but I needed to get it out.  I needed to be fed spiritually.  I needed to verbally process.  I had missed a call from Diane, my sister in Missoula.  No message and I got busy and didn't return it.  Tuesday we were going to Missoula to see Matt and his family.(Maci - yeah!)  On the way over I called Diane and she was so excited about getting together.  We sometimes don't when I'm there because I'm busy with Matt's family or she's busy with her activities.  She said she could spend the day with me!  Wow!  What a treat!  Wednesday morning I got up early and went to her house.  She was having a fast and pray day to prepare for her family's trip to Africa.  She was preparing for her prayer time and was glad I could join her. She  had some needs that she shared with me and I shared with her but mostly we talked about God and how amazing and astounding God is.  She read Isaiah 58 and a devotion from her book she has to read to prepare.  Some of her readings were about prayer and it's importance in preparation.  I had been starting to do prep for our reunion I direct.  I needed to hear that message.  She needed to be with family.  She was lonesome for Mom and Dad and so was I.  Some of the things we shared were things only kids of Mom and Dad would feel and understand in the same way.  I really can't explain exactly how it all came together but we each had a need and that need was met though our meeting.  We each believe God was in that meeting, that time together.  We each believe prayer is important.  It is one of the greatest gifts I have that I have sisters who share my faith.  Especially who openly profess and inwardly praise God through Jesus Christ.  Thanks Diane.  Thanks God.  You did it again!  I never can figure out just how You do it but I know You know me and so quickly move to show Your support and Love.

I love diversity.  I like different breakfasts every morning.  I like meeting different kinds of people. I love listening to different ideas.  Once we were involved in a bible study with people of many different faiths.  It was so stimulating.  Each of them told us they were raised to believe their church was "the one true church."  Of course I thought that was unique to the RLDS faith.  Once we talked about baptism and those who practice infant baptism shared their belief about that.  I found it interesting and I could see the view but I didn't have to embrace it myself.  With that group I didn't feel compelled to talk them into my way.  I loved being there and had great respect for those who came.  I especially liked those who didn't try to talk me into their beliefs.  This morning I listened to a website the Mormons have on the "I am a Mormon" thing.  I enjoyed it very much.  Many mornings I listen to a devotion, "Pray-As-You-Go".  It's a Catholic site and the music and scriptures bless me so much.  I hear many negative things about "right wing christianity" but when I meet them I'm impressed by their passion for God.  I absolutely love those who sincerely want to find God and spend their lives searching.  I love my own church.  Really, I've given much of my life for it.  Even at times when I didn't like it very  much I continued going and giving.  I think it's just part of my Golden Retreiver personality.  I'm loyal and faithful. I love the idea of continuing revelation, that God still speaks.  I love our way of working together as a community.  I love that we are trying now to listen and understand each other.  I also love the things I've learned with contact with people of other faiths.  It was people of other faiths who taught me to love scripture and learn about Jesus more completely.  It was from people of other faiths that I learned to worship in more ritualistic ways.  I love the rituals in some churches.  I would be less of a person if I had not listened and embraced other faiths. I believe God is at work in each one of us and in many faiths, bringing people to their Creator.
I wish you could see the sunrise now.  It's amazing.

Moments

I love getting books for Christmas.  This year I am reading 3. The 3rd Harry Potter so I can talk to Spencer who is also reading them.  I picked up one for myself for Christmas by Joyce Meyer who I am always helped by- " 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life."  I"m reading a way a week and trying to put it into practice. Day one was, "Do One Thing At a Time".  Focus our minds on the thing we're doing, stay in the moment.  I've found such joy in enjoying my moments.  It's quite a discipline and I will have to work on it all year.  I am enjoying sunrises, the softness of Angel's fur, the beauty of our cat's face, listening, really hearing Terry.
My all time favorite book I got from Nathan and Karen and it's from Public Radio's  "Speaking of Faith" by Krista Tippett.  It is touching a very inner core in me.  Yesterday I read, "Develop eyes to see and ears to hear"...something mysterious happens when you train your eyes to see differently, your ears to hear differently, to attend to what you have been ignoring."  She says every religious tradition has these same ideas. 
I love how these two books are teaching me the same value.  The value of Life lived a moment at a time.  When I get the same message from so many directions I thank God because I know I need that message and I believe it's coming from the Divine.
Speaking of God...Is God not like a Parent to longs to bless Her children if they will only ask?  That is the God I believe in.  It seems like if I truly want to find God, putting aside all else, God is immediately at my side.  Well, I suppose God is always there and I just have made myself ready to receive. - finally.

2011

I think the end of a year and the beginning of a new is a great time.  I like it.  I like to think of what I'm thankful for.  So here goes.
First and foremost, I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus Christ.  I'm thankful that my Mother was a great woman of faith whose faith was her first love.  Seeing that example profoundly effected my life.  I'm thankful I had many other relatives who struggled through the journey of faith so I could watch them and learn. I'm thankful that through my life I was allowed to be a part of church families where I met giants in faith who inspired as well as supported me on my own journey.  I'm thankful for this year when I felt more open and honest about my faith struggles.  I know God is constant, faithful, sure, and definitely not a tame lion. (CS Lewis)  I'm thankful for friends and loved ones who journey with me.  I'm thankful God does not always answer my prayers the way I want.
I'm thankful that I was taught to pray believing that my prayers are heard and answered, sometimes even in ways I could see. 
This year I am thankful that even in tough times I could say thank you because I know God is a God of redemption and salvation - the many dimensions of salvation (Steve Veazy from God)
and I know that I will learn and that so many good things come from the struggles.  In fact, I'm deeply thankful for struggles. (most days)
This year I am thankful for an amazing husband. He has always been faithful - no, I don't mean he has not commited adultery though he hasn't and I don't take that lightly.  I mean he is faithful in working very hard at doing what is best for me.  He finds my happiness as one of his utmost goals.  Through my recent dis-ease he has been patient, supportive and loving.  When we were spending many nights at Dad's March through August he never complained or even whined once. He teaches, learns, gives great neck and leg rubs, loves our children, works hard, supports us well.  Most importantly he journeys in faith with me and sharing that journey with the most important person in my life is one of my greatest blessings.
I'm thankful for my children.  They teach me.  Because of our umbilical connection I will learn from them in ways I would not learn from others.  They have become such amazing adults.  Their respect and caring for me means so much. I admire them and pray for them daily.  This paragraph includes my chldren's spouses who are the best!
I'm thankful for my grandchildren.  They give me life. When I grow up I want to be just like them.
I'm thankful for my church family.  They are saving me.  They are real.
I have many other wonderful things to be thankful for but breakfast is ready.