I have been way too long in between posting here, not because I am not learning but because I don't find/make the time. But reacently I am learning about keeping my mouth shut. notice I said "about" not "to keep my mouth shut" although that is happening more and more. I am not sure if it is age or experience or both. but I feel latly less and less like sharing my oppinions and feeling with people outside of a small select group of friends. not because I feel I can't but because I feel less desire and kind of like why bother? I use to have this need to be heard, to talk and get all my feelings out, and it gets less and less. I like the quiet more and more. some times I think its more important and or effective to shut up then to stand up.

Our bishop frequently reminds us that we are spiritual beings down here having an earthly experience. Today in Sunday school a sister who had gone through chemo and radiation talked about her memory loss due to "chemo brain." She forgot all kinds of things, and described it as feeling like you are getting Alzheimer's. But she said it was interesting that she didn't forget the things of the gospel.

Todd has forgotten all kinds of things, memories from childhood, even pivotal times in our life together, but even in the first stages of recovery from his stroke, he still knew the truths of the gospel.

It occurred to me that the things we are "learning" here on the earth are not new concepts to us at all, but things we are, in fact, remembering. Our spirits know, and the Holy Ghost bears witness, and then our mortal minds know and we gain a testimony.

One for Mary :-)

Here is my closer thought: Heavenly Father NEVER gives us more then we can handle. Is that short enough to count as one of yours Mares?

been a long time since I posted. Here is my thought.
What is THE most important thing in your life? for me it is my family. leave a comment with yours, I am interested in your responses.

Service is love

Today we were sitting in church and Don was rubbing my back. I had some tense places and it felt really good. I told him he was performing an act of service. He said he was just being loving. But, isn't that what service is? Love.

The Kitchen Is Closed

Last night we were over at Todd and Amy's. It was starting to get late but Oliver was giving signs that he wanted to eat something. He went in the kitchen and opened the fridge door. Amy went and closed the fridge door. She said, "The kitchen is closed." I laughed and said, "Your kitchen gets closed?" Amy said, "I promised myself I would never say that."

The thing I promised myself as a kid I would never say as a parent was, "We cannot afford that." Now, tell me, did I ever say that as a parent?

Grateful for prompting

Yesterday morning, I went to the temple with an Elder from the North Star Ward who was receiving his own endowment. When I came home, I parked on the street rather than deal with the dog and the gate, got the mail and came in the house. I decided to call one of my daughters. I looked for my phone. It was in my purse which wasn't with the mail or the temple bag. I went back and looked for it in the car. We don't want to leave anything valuable in the car on the street as there have been some recent break-ins in our neighborhood, four on our street alone which I am aware of. It wasn't in the car. I double checked in the house and still didn't find it. I tried to think back over every step because I was baffled about what had happened to it. I went back outside and looked by the mailbox. It was in the gutter by the mailbox and not easily seen except from the street. It would have been a disaster if someone nefarious would have found it. Not only did it have my ID in it but also my credit cards and worse of all, the keys to both cars and the house. I felt very grateful that I started to search for my phone the second I was in the house or I might not have missed it until it was too late.