Snow

A little lighter subject for the topic today.  Yes the snow is very light.  Light snow is much easier to shovel off the driveway and deck than heavy, wet snow.  So I am happy these last few days when I get a little exercise in a light way.  I wouldn't even let your mother shovel snow, like she often does. 

We particularly enjoyed ourselves over breakfast of oatmeal this morning.  First I turned off the radio because it just didn't seem right to be hearing about planting on the Garden Show, when everything outside is white.  I played a CD with nature sounds complimenting Christmas carols.  Then we watched the winter wonderland through the patio doors.  A little breeze came up, shook some branches of the trees, and caused snow to fall, cascading down from one branch to another.  At one point when the wind blew harder, it looked like a snow storm, only it lasted for one minute.  A magical winter time while we were toasty and warm inside.

We appreciate the snow more than we might because our temperatures have been unseasonably warm; just like most of you in Western Canada.  In fact you on the prairies have often been warmer than us.  Now we've had a week of colder than normal temperatures and that's OK.

I've been reading Grandma Gubler's autobiography again.  She often describes beautiful scenes of nature around her.  I hope you appreciate the beauty around you too.  We have been blessed with variety: variety in what we see, feel, hear, taste, and so on.  When the cold or bad weather starts getting to you, remember these two things.  (1) When my sister lived in Hawaii she said the weather became boring because it was so much the same.  (2) I read that more inventions are made by people living in temperate climates like ours than by those who live in continuously warm climates.  Aren't we fortunate to live in such a wonderful part of the world?  Let's count our blessings.

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's fireworks are a little late, but it is never too late for New Year's resolutions.  Some of us ponder a little longer than others on what we want to accomplish for the coming year.  Perhaps as I share my thoughts, you can think further on your goals for 2012. 

What is priority?  Relationships: relationships with God, wife, family, friends, and self.  One of the books that shaped my thinking early in my marriage, was a small book by Paul H. Dunn and Richard Eyre called, "Relationships...Self...Family... God", 1974.  I recently re-acquired it in the paperback printing of 1990.   Course I love how the book starts with the relationship building between father and daughter and then an evening walk that discusses daughter's question, "Daddy....what is the most important thing of all?"

I want my goals to help me enrich my relationships.  That involves learning, as I read about David A. Bednar's new book called, "Increase in LEARNING, Spiritual patterns for obtaining your own answers".  It's an appropriate topic for the past president of BYU Ricks.  It includes a DVD and embedded video content featured on the Free Deseret Bookshelf app.  I discovered I can also access his answers to learning at:   http://seek.deseretbook.com/david-bednar-how-can-we-measure-our-progress/i
This particular 1 1/2 minute video answers the question: "How can we measure our progress in becoming effective learners?"  He suggests that the best time to evaluate our learning is when we worthily partake of the sacrament.  The measurement is: one, worthiness, and two, seeing how the Holy Ghost fuels our intensity and desire for learning.  He asks, "Are we inviting the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost?"  So my goals for 2012 need to include learning.

At Meridian Magazine I enjoy reading the column by Wallace Goddard.  See his article on New Year's Resolutions at:  http://www.ldsmag.com/church/article/9144?ac=1
He also suggested we reference information at the U. of Arkansas (I think that is where he teaches).  I subscribed, and like this info that came to my in-box:
"January 11, 2012
Personal Well-Being
Grow strong by challenging yourself

"Here's a great idea ...
In their book, What Happy People Know, Dan Baker and Cameron Stauth say, "The human mind, body, and spirit thrive on struggle and challenge, just as a muscle thrives on exercise. Satisfaction without effort doesn't create happiness. It creates only dissipation, alienation, boredom, weakness, and a sense of worthlessness." (p. 164)

"In other words ...
Few things give us a greater sense of accomplishment than when we work hard to complete a task. We just don't get the same feeling of pleasure when we finish a project that doesn't require much effort. The more we can pour ourselves into the things we do the more contentment and satisfaction we can find in our lives.
Here's how you can use this idea to have a better life ...
Find something you can do that you enjoy, but will challenge you. It can be exercising, reading a book, or working on a new project. When you've finished, take some time to appreciate the effort it took and the feeling of accomplishment."
navigatinglife@uaex.edu

I expect that all of us have plenty of challenges, but perhaps you can round out your life more with a different challenge; perhaps in a spiritual direction.  (Yes one of my challenges is learning to navigate more quickly through things to do with computers and the Internet.  Today I am showing I have learned to save and paste addresses.)  In retirement it is easier to accomplish nothing, as often there is nothing I have to do.  I have discovered that it is just as important today as in my youth, to know I have made an effort and worked on something worthwhile.

You may or may not be having fun yet, so I am adding, have fun through wholesome recreation.  And to that I am adding service.  One of the things that makes my community great is the large number of people who help one another, both by happenstance and through organisations.

Remember that writing down your goals increases the likelihood of you achieving them.  Reporting your achievements to a trusted person increases that likelihood even more.  See recent research that came to this conclusion:  http://www.dominican.edu/dominicannews/study-backs-up-strategies-for-achieving-goals

Happy New Year, and success in your New Year's resolutions

Birthdays

3 birthdays celebrated around here from the last part of December to the first part of January: Javan, then Carroll, then me. We took Javan and Hensie and Havie to Montana's for a fun lunch. We had just enough snow that Havie could sled down our drive way. She kept saying, "again". She even rolled her own snowman. Our weather has been very warm for this time of year with above freezing temperatures most days. Hardly any snow on the ground right now.


























Carroll was completely surprised by her birthday party. 4 of her closest friends that were able to come for lunch on her birthday were: front lt, Kay Muir, Jean Bakker, back lt, Shirley Stanek, me, Esther, Diana Moyer. Esther took her shopping, and shopping, so she was late for her own party, but she didn't know it. We ate take-out from the Sukho Thai Restaurant. Her best gifts were the nice things everyone wrote about her in cards and letters.

We celebrated my birthday lunch at the Sukho Thai Restuarant where Hensie was our server. We like Thai food, do you think? I also appreciated receiving some very special phone calls and emails from my children. Their emails are now part of my personal journal.

Grandchildren

I love my grandchildren. As they well know, my favourite place to take them is down to the creek that runs behind our home. Fun to move rocks and logs, and on a hot day, walk in the water and on the shady trails. They are good for me too. The hiking and activity is just what I need.


Some I do not see as often as others and I regret we can't get together more often.  However I do enjoy emails across the distances, and this blog is another piece of communication.   A

research study showed that communication with grandparents adds to the life of the grandchild.  The mother of Jarom and Jenevieve suggested I send my writing and forwards to these two grandchildren.  Are there any others who have their own email address and would like me to do this?

 

I love to read, just like Jenevieve shown here.  I received 6 new books for my birthday.  Minutes ago I finished reading, "Pathfinder" by Orson Scott Card.  His book, "Ender's Game" is one of my favourite novels.  I am also reading "Life's Lessons Learned" by Dallin Oaks.  It is inspiring me to write more of my life story.  I am glad that most of you enjoy reading.  One of my special times is reading to and with my grandchildren.  We keep many books here just for you. Especially during the winter, I hope everyone can find inspiration in a good book, whether it whirls you away to another land, instructs you in your hobby, or lifts your spirits.  Consider these words that were written over the entrance to the library at the university I attended:  "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."  I do not always set the best example, but in this thing I encourage you to follow my example; enjoy reading and learning good things.

Most of all I love to have great conversations with my grandchildren and to snuggle with my young grandchildren. My favourite song is, "Love One Another".  Let's do that!