Give Thanks

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when
our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” Thornton Wilder


100 Things I’m Thankful For:

Agency, Atonement, Ancestors, Anticipation,
Babies, Books, Baths, Beaches,
Children, Colors, Chapstick, Celebrations, Christ,
Dawn, Dreams, Dancing, Democracy,
Emotions, Energy, Enthusiasm, Electricity,
Faith, Family, Friends, Feelings, Flowers, Food
Gardens, Grass, Goodness, Grace, God,
Hands, Home, Health,
Inspiration, Insights, Ideas,
Joy, Justice, Journeys,
Kindness, Kisses, Keepsakes,
Love, Laughter, Learning, Light, Libraries, Language,
Music, Memories, Mercy,
Nature, Naps, our Nation,
Order, Opportunities, Options,
Possibilities, Posterity, Prayer, Passion,
Quiet, Quality, Questions,
Rain, Romance, Relatives, Repentance,
Senses, Sunshine, Seasons, Smiles, Sunsets, Scripture,
Time, Talents, Truth, Tools, Tomorrows, Teachers, Trees.
Understanding, Uniqueness, Unity,
Vision, Virtue, Values, Voice,
Walks, Words, Wisdom,
X-citement, X-pression, X-periences,
Youth, Yearnings, Yesteryears
Zeal.

"...just the way you are."

My earliest memories include watching Romper Room and later Captain Kangaroo each morning; I still love to sing one of the songs from his show, “Playmate, Come out and Play with Me”. I was so sad when he finally went off the air, he was a dear friend. I had never been much of a fan of Mr. Rogers; his show seemed a little too calm, even sugary sweet for my tastes (although I DID appreciate his proper use of the English language). So when I had children of my own, we were drawn to the more lively Sesame Street which became a regular part of our daily routine. Occasionally, if we happened to catch him, we would also watch Mr. Rogers, but really it was only because it was on, and we were there.

One day the children were off playing in another room and I sat down to fold laundry just as Mr. Rogers sang his closing number. Then he looked right at me and said, “I like you just the way you are.” I had heard him say it a hundred times before, but that day I knew he was talking to me, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. I don’t think anyone had ever said that to me before, but it spoke volumes to me and I finally understood why it is such a precious thing for children to hear, for all of us to hear. He was telling me that my identity is not just a list of my weaknesses, my mistakes, my daily challenges and the way I get frustrated; or that only as I overcome these things “someday” will I be acceptable. He was telling me that I am important, good, worthy, worthwhile, valuable, accepted and even loved, now. Not because he doesn’t know all of those things about me, not even in spite of all of those things. He saw each one of us as a whole package, a whole wonderful package at this very moment in time. That was his magic; not catchy songs or cute characters. It was his Christ-like eyes, through which he saw this world, everyone and everything in it as truly marvelous. Oh that we all could be more that way…

Thank-you, dear friend.

feasting favorites

I hope you are getting excited about your Thanksgiving feast and sharing that special time with family and friends. Here are a few of my favorite recipes if you need something to make that meal “perfect”!

CRANBERRY SALAD
2 Cups ground, raw cranberries
1 orange, ground (peel included)
2 Cups sugar
2 small packages lemon Jell-O
1 C water, 3 Cups water
1 Cup diced celery
1 Cup chopped walnuts
Cut the orange in pieces and grind along with the cranberries in the blender with 1 cup of water. Combine with sugar in a bowl and let sit while making Jell-O according to package directions (using 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve, then one cup of cold water). Refrigerate until Jell-O has thickened, but is not set. Stir in orange/cranberry mixture, the celery and nuts. Refrigerate until completely set. Serve on individual salad plates on a lettuce leaf.



CANDIED SWEET POTATOES WITH PECAN TOPPING
SWEET POTATOES:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
1/4 C butter
1/4 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
*Mix all ingredients together and pour into baking dish.
TOPPING:
1 C brown sugar
1 C chopped pecans
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C flour
*Mix and spread over sweet potatoes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Cover leftovers when re-heating.

CORNBREAD
1 1/4 Cup flour
1 Cup milk
3/4 Cup cornmeal
1/4 Cup oil
1/3 Cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
*Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the liquid ingredients together then add to the dry ingredients mixing until just blended. Bake in greased 9x9 pan or 12 muffin tins at 400 degrees until golden. Serve hot.


POTATO ROLLS
Put in a mixing bowl:
1 Cup warm milk
5 tsp. yeast
*Let stand 5 minutes, then add:
½ Cup melted butter
½ Cup sugar
1 Cup warm mashed potatoes
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ Cup flour
2 eggs
*Beat thoroughly, then cover and let rise until light. Add about 4 more cups of flour, mixing well. Knead a minute or two. Put into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled. Form into rolls, let rise, then bake at 425 until golden. *NOTE: this dough makes great cinnamon rolls and fabulous donuts. It keeps (covered in plastic) in the refrigerator well, so you can use part of the dough for dinner rolls and have some leftover for yummy donuts in the morning! (hint: it is easier to cut out donuts if the dough has been chilled).

An invitation...

You are cordially invited to a Very Special Christmas Season. I invite you to share these ideas with your family and friends, then individually or as a family choose one of the options and then watch the magic of Christ bless your holidays!


Random acts of Kindness
Each morning in December, prayerfully offer yourself to the Savior as His servant for the day. During the day watch for opportunities, and listen for His promptings, of things you can do to brighten another’s day and help them feel the love of the Savior.

Love is a Verb
Prayerfully select someone toward whom you have difficulty showing Christ-like love. Each day in December, ask for the Lord’s help and guidance in making your thoughts, words, and deeds toward that person like those of the Savior.

Stand as a Witness
Each morning in December, pray for a missionary experience that day. Be sensitive to the Spirit and be prepared when it guides you to share a message of the Savior.

Learn of Me
Prayerfully choose a book about the Savior to read during December. Read 10 minutes each day (in addition to your scriptures).

Give a Gift from the Heart
Prayerfully consider the many gifts and talents the Lord has given especially to you, especially to bless the lives of those around you. Use one or more of those gifts to prepare and give a Christmas gift that is uniquely you. Be creative and let the Spirit help you know what the “perfect” gift is.

Give a Gift to the Savior
Christmas gifts celebrate the greatest gift of all, The Savior. One of the greatest things you can give Him in return is your obedience. Choose a commandment that is difficult for you at this time. Each day in December, prayerfully ask for the Lord’s help to strengthen you in living that commandment more fully and acceptable to the Lord.

waste some time today

"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted" John Lennon

little miracles

My grandchildren were visiting yesterday when we heard a thunk! I recognized the sound as that of a bird flying into our picture window. It happens occasionally; they see the sky reflected in the glass and don’t realize until it is too late. Sometimes it kills the bird instantly, sometimes it just stuns it momentarily. So, fearing the worst, I rushed out to find a sparrow with blood dripping from his beak, alive, yet on his last leg. I took him inside for the children to see. They were so sad for the bird, each wanted a turn to hold him and offer sweet words of comfort; it was all very touching. I said a silent prayer that this wouldn’t be a traumatic experience for them. The bird didn’t die in their hands, but fearing their jostling was making his anxiety worse, I made a little bed for him in a small box and set it on the table where the children could keep an eye on him, speak sweetly to him, but not touch. Twenty minutes later he jumped to his feet! We were delighted and after another 10 minutes I carefully lifted him to the window sill outside. He stayed there another 10 minutes or so, then flew to a nearby rose bush, then farther to the lilac. He would be all right. I was SO relieved, and grateful that my silent prayer was answered with this little miracle. Then 4-yr. old Dallin, so thrilled with the wonder of it all, said, “I hope another little bird bashes into the window!”

"... far above rubies..."

This little verse was published in the fall 2008 issue of “Legacy”, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers newsletter. I thought it worth sharing…

A woman has strengths that amaze,
She can handle trouble; carry heavy burdens.
She holds happiness, love, opinions.
She smiles when she feels like screaming.
She sings when she feels like crying.
Cries when she’s happy, laughs when she’s afraid.
Her love is unconditional.
There is only one thing wrong with her---
She forgets what she is worth.

ballot blues

Today is election day. I hope you have/will vote in this very important election. We are suffering much anxiety along with our excitement this time around; having been involved in the whole process more than ever before. We attended the caucus meetings, served as delegates, walked a precinct to encourage voter registration, and it is daughter Hannah’s first election. She is excited about this opportunity to vote and has been studying the issues and candidates on her own (I’ve tried not to influence her). Last Halloween she dressed as the scariest thing she could think of, Hillary Clinton; this year she took a lighter side and dressed as “Joe the Plumber”. We have enjoyed the Saturday Night Live sketches and political cartoons in the paper, but remind ourselves that this really is serious stuff, our nation hangs in the balance.

bee friend

I watched the grandchildren a couple of days last week. When I opened their living room drapes first thing one morning I found a dead bee on the window sill. I thought Dallin (4 years old) might like to see it. He was SO thrilled, apparently he had been wishing for a new friend and he knew that this bee was it. He put it in a treasure box and carried it with him wherever he went. He checked on it periodically, giving me status reports. When I came back the next day he asked me to help him find another one (so the first one wouldn’t be lonely). We spent the morning checking all the window sills in the house, then we went outside to check spider webs and leaf piles. We found a few dead moths, but he thinks they are too “creepy”, a dead beetle and two live beetles. He kept the dead one and one of the live ones for his “collection”. I remembered when I was a little girl and found a cockroach trapped in an empty soda bottle. I was SO thrilled to have a pet! It is easy to forget (or take for granted), as we get older and busier, the beauties of this marvelous world, great and small. The fall leaves in their gorgeous colors are just too beautiful not to notice and appreciate (Dallin has a leaf collection, too). Take time today to see this world with child-like eyes and be delighted with the wonder of it all!

what God permits

“Do not suppose that God willfully causes that, which for His own purposes, he permits. When you know the plan and purpose of it all, even these things will manifest a loving Father in Heaven.” Boyd K. Packer from “The Play and the Plan”

pumpkin pie cake

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Crust:
1 package yellow cake mix (less one cup) 1 stick butter (softened)
1 egg
Mix well and spread in greased 9x13 pan.

Filling:
1 large can pumpkin (enough for 2 pies)
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 C milk
Mix well and pour over crust.

Topping:
1 C. cake mix
1/4 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C chopped nuts
Mix and sprinkle over filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 min. or until knife comes out clean. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.