Fun Day!!

Jeff and I went to the "Measures of Faith" Food Drive and 5k Fun Run today! We had a good time and I was happy that I walked it in 63 minutes (that was a 21 minute mile...I was hoping for a 20 minute mile but...)! We had a great time and my wonderful friend, Jane, after running the course in 30 minutes, walked back to meet me and walked the rest of the way with me...she even gave me the courage to jog across the finish line! I love my wonderful encouraging friends and my fabulous husband who didn't even break a sweat and walked the whole way with me (bad knees and all..hehe)! I am now nursing two REALLY BIG blisters on the bottom of my feet but it was so much fun and I loved seeing all my friends from the stake!!! It is a great day to give service to the Food Bank of NC and fellowship with lots of others who share my same values and love of service! Jeff and I left from there and went to my friend, Jackie's house to help her get ready for her son's wedding next week! We were happy to do a few things that she wanted to get done! Jeff is now taking a shower to get ready to go to a baptism and I am going to put my feet up since walking on them with these blisters is extremely painful...I may try to go to the baptism anyway!! It has been a great day and it reminds me again of how much fun it is to serve others....I think we are happiest when we can do for others!!! Life is good!!!

Very Thankful!

It is with a very thankful heart that I write this post. Yesterday, Jeff was able to get a contract job that can last as long as the end of the year or until he finds a more permanent job or it could possibly turn into a permanent job. Either way...we feel very grateful for the blessing of the Lord on our family. My heart has been full of prayers and I have spent much time in the temple, reading my scriptures and pondering. Jeff has remained full of faith and has believed this whole time that the Lord is leading us along and He is always with us. We are so grateful for the many friends and family who have been praying with us and are immensely grateful for the love we have felt from so many. We are blessed beyond what I can even comprehend at times. The Lord is pouring out blessings from Heaven to us not only temporally but spiritually as well. Jeff and I both have felt a great deal of strength and we know that we are being lifted and carried thru each challenge that we face. The Lord has blessed us so much and all I can be is thankful! I have a testimony of the power of prayer to lift and help us when we face difficult times and I know that as long as we remain faithful and obedient to what we know to be true while consistently repenting of our mistakes along the way that the Lord will lead us along and help us thru our journey here! I am so thankful for my Father in Heaven and His all powerful hand that holds us up and helps us here on earth. I am not only thankful but humbled by His love and mercy to me and my family. I will continually strive harder to please Him and live more obediently His commandments.

Great Week-end!!!!

This has been the greatest week-end! Kim and Jerry and David came up this past Wednesday and stayed thru the week-end. We have had such a good time getting the chance to visit with them. On Friday, Jeff and I went to the temple with Momma, Nathan, Kim and Jerry! It was so wonderful to get to be in a session with my family. Afterwards Kim and Jerry treated us out to lunch and we got to spend a great afternoon! Yesterday and today we had the privilege of watching all the sessions of general conference. I have come away from this conference so uplifted and so determined to be better and try harder! I am thankful for all the messages that spoke of the Lord's love for us and how to better strengthen our families. I am thankful for the messages of hope and faith to help us when we face challenges and how to manuever thru difficult times in our life. I loved the closing remarks of President Monson when he quoted one of my favorite scriptures...."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
I can't think of a better way to sum up all that was said in this conference! I love the words of our beloved prophet! His counsel to look to the Lord and his light as we face the crumbling morality of the world around us gave me courage! It has been a wonderful week-end full of good counsel and I feel like I can face the future with faith and hope. I loved being able to spend this time with my family and I know that the Lord is in control! What a great way to start a new week!!! Happy Easter everyone!!!

Gratitude and Stress!!!!

Well, first of all, I am grateful that we are finally home after 32 days in the hospital. I am so glad that Lauren is feeling better and that she was able to overcome her stomach pain. Many prayers were sent up in her behalf and they were all answered. We are grateful for each one. Now, we face yet another challenge....Jeff is once again faced with unemployment. The economy has hit his industry particularly hard and rebounding from it has been extremely difficult. Jeff is blessed with many talents and abilities and the Lord continues to bless him as he uses his talents for good so it is very hard for me to watch him once again struggling to find a good job that appreciates his talent and ability. He has had so much to shoulder in the last few years that my heart aches to see us once again face another uphill climb! I am trying to face the future with faith and complete trust in the Lord but I am finding it hard this time around. We are going to the temple tomorrow and I am hoping that I can sit in that beautiful house of the Lord and find the strength that I feel is lacking in myself right now...it is so important to me right now to get to the temple...in every stressful situation in my life in recent years I have gone there to find my center and to strengthen my faith when it feels like I am faltering so tomorrow I will sit within those walls and I will ask the Lord to strengthen my family and give me courage to face our very uncertain future. I am looking forward to general conference this week-end. It will be a boost to me as I listen to our prophet and the general authorities remind me where to find my faith and I will be strengthened. I know that the Lord is aware of my family and I know that He will not leave us alone....He is always there. I also know His promises are sure. Faith, I have to remember, is an action word!