Every man stamps his value on himself... man is made great or small
by his own will.
- J.C.F. von Schiller

Cambria...a nice Christmas jaunt over to the coast never hurt anybody!

"It is possible for Christ to be born in men’s lives, and when such an experience actually happens, a man is “in Christ”—Christ is “formed” in him. This presupposes that we take Christ into our hearts and make Him the living contemporary of our lives. He is not just a general truth or a fact in history, but the Savior of men everywhere and at all times. When we strive to be Christlike, He is “formed” in us; if we open the door, He will enter; if we seek His counsel, He will counsel us. For Christ to be “formed” in us, we must have a belief in Him and in His Atonement. Such a belief in Christ and the keeping of His commandments are not restraints upon us. By these, men are set free. This Prince of Peace waits to give peace of mind, which may make each of us a channel of that peace."
--Howard W. Hunter

Looking to the light...

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"Follow me,” the Savior said. And we realize that to follow him is not impossible. The miles which he traveled, each of us can travel, for he took them one step at a time, one journey at a time. You could walk from Jerusalem to Nazareth. You could walk to the Sea of Galilee from Nazareth. You could follow Joseph and Mary and Jesus to Egypt. You could walk to the Mount of Transfiguration and back and forth from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Bethany, the River Jordan. All these, you could do. But this is not the kind of following that he expected. He meant for us to follow his teachings and his example. Anyone with normal health can walk those miles and climb those hills and ford those streams. But it is quite another thing to be “even as I am,” (3 Ne. 27:27) as he said to the Nephites."
--Spencer W. Kimball

Gone With the Wind

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"Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the “Spirit of Christ."
--Thomas S. Monson

One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.
Sigmund Freud

Abigail Adams

"These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman."

Abigail Adams

New Charm Necklaces...

"It is often in the trial of adversity that we learn those most critical lessons that form our character and shape our destiny."
--Dieter F. Uchtdorf

When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy.

- Samuel Goldwyn

"Gratitude is of the very essence of worship. … When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives”. Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love."

-Gordon B. Hinckley

Yesterday's Beautiful Rainbow...

Great hopes make great men.
- Thomas Fuller (1608-1661)

"We live in terribly complex times. We are confronted by very serious problems. Some of us are faced with sickness, with economic difficulties, with worry and concern over many matters. Our refuge, our peace, our well-being lie in walking in the way of the Lord."
-Gordon B. Hinckley

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This photo screams "JOY!" to me! Love these bugs!!!

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To Wish Upon a Million Stars...

"Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of the heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Reflect on your present blessings,of which every man has many;not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
~ Charles Dickens

If I Were Queen of the Forest....

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To be alive, to be able to see, to walk,...it's all a miracle.
Arthur Rubinstein

"You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."
John Adams, April 1777

"Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."
--Thomas S. Monson

Many of our fears are tissue paper thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.
-Brendan Francis [Behan] (1923-1964) Irish Author

Gratitude for our Fathers

"Let us reflect gratitude for our fathers.
"Father . . . is ever willing to sacrifice his own comfort for that of his children. Daily he toils to provide the necessities of life, never complaining, ever concerned for the well-being of his family. This love for children, this desire to see them well and happy, is a constant in a time of change."

Thomas S.Monson

I love you dad! You're an amazing example of working tirelessly for the sake of your family! And you're a constant example of courage and comittment. I will always be grateful for the things I have learned from you.

Gratitude for our Mothers:

"There is gratitude for our mothers.
"Mother, who willingly made that personal journey into the valley of the shadow of death to give us birth, deserves our undying gratitude. One writer summed up our love for mother when he declared, 'God could not be everywhere, and so He gave us mothers.'
"While on the cruel cross of Calvary, suffering intense pain and anguish, Jesus 'saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!' (John 19:26-27.) What a divine example of gratitude and love!"
Thomas S. Monson

My mother loves this picture of the deer...so, this is dedicated to her. She is the greatest mother in the world and I am indeed so grateful for everything about her. Her capacity to work and to give unceasingly is amazing. Her ability to make everything beautiful surpasses no one. She is and will always be a wonderful example to me in countless ways. I love you Mama.

"Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable."

Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Consider these words written by Abraham Lincoln as part of a resolution in 1863:
"'We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in number, wealth, and power as no other Nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us.
"'It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended power, to confess our . . . sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.'
Marion G. Romney

Temple Bracelet for Chantelle

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" A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."
- Arabian Proverb

This is a quote that rings out so true for me. I'm thankful for the friends I've been blessed with, that have blown away all my chaff...into a huge pile, I might add...and still love me! Thank you sweet little birds that so lovingly step around my pile of chaff and still offer to help me fly!!! :)

The Annual Red Ribbon Parade - Say No to Drugs!!!

No words can express my love for these little angels. They make everyday heavenly!

The Waves at My Feet....

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”
-Henry David Thoreau

“The secret of success is to be in harmony with existence, to be always calm, to let each wave of life wash us a little farther up the shore.”
-Cyril Connolly

Failure is only postponed success as long as courage "coaches" ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory.
Herbert Kaufman

When we tire of well-worn ways, we seek for new. This restless craving in the souls of men spurs them to climb, and to seek the mountain view.

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.

-- Bette Davis (1908-1989) American Actress

Halloween -- 3 years ago...

Awww....

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.
- Thomas Jefferson

Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.

-- Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)

"There is nothing that we are enduring that Jesus does not understand, and He waits for us to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer. If we will be obedient and if we are diligent, our prayers will be answered, our problems will diminish, our fears will dissipate, light will come upon us, the darkness of despair will be dispersed, and we will be close to the Lord."

--Robert D. Hales

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
-Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher

The world is good-natured to people who are good natured.

- William Makepeace Thackeray

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
-Thomas Jefferson

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."

-Thomas Jefferson

You and I will never forget the horrible act of war committed against our country 8 years ago today...the memories are burned on our hearts...

...May we live this day and always so as to honor our Country and stand brave and tall against anyone who tries to tear it down piece by piece. God bless my America and yours!!!

"A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals."

--President Thomas S. Monson

Sarah Bear...yearning to run with her brothers!

Her smile beams like sunshine, which fills our hearts with love.
- Birgit B.

Baby Sarah and Mandy the dog are getting on just fine...

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Idon't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.

-George Bernard Shaw

"When I think of happiness or joy in this life, I begin with some experiences that are simple and basic. I see the expression on the face of a one-year-old taking those first steps. I think of a child loving a puppy or a kitten. If the more mature have not dulled their physical or spiritual sensitivities by excess or disuse, they can also experience joy in what is simple and basic."

--Dallin H. Oaks

True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but
through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

-- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man's life.

-- T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) American Poet

(lovely picture, courtesy of my friend Stella-thank you!)

"As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him. What a great blessing to be created in his image and know of our true potential in and through him! What a great blessing to know that in his strength we can do all things!"

--Marvin J. Ashton

A Million Moonlit Nights...

A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

- Charles Gordy
(who needs Botox?! just smile!)

What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? I was practicing for this, I was training for this.

Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher

By the Sea, Circa 1909

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"We are all fairies living underneath a leaf of a lily pad."
- Tori Amos

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.”

Anne Lindbergh

"I testify to you that God's hand has been in our destiny. I testify that freedom as we know it today is being threatened as never before in our history. I further witness that this land—the Americas—must be protected, its Constitution upheld, for this is a land foreordained to be the Zion of our God. He expects us as members of the Church and bearers of His priesthood to do all we can to preserve our liberty."

--Ezra Taft Benson

"There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the “light that is endless, that can never be darkened.” It is the very Son of God Himself. It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His “more excellent ministry” with a future of “better promises.” He is your “high priest of good things to come."

--Jeffrey R. Holland

It's nearly the 4th and I really can't believe it!

Long May She Wave!

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A wonderful article sent to me by my dear soul sister, Nancy...Thank you!

A practicing physician for more than 40 years, Elder Malcolm S. Jeppsen, then of the Seventy, said at the April 1994 general conference that he'd had many occasions to see patients who were sick or who had sustained injuries to their bodies.
"I hereby make an admission: physicians do not cure patients," he said. "This marvelous and complicated machine we call the human body has built into it its own wonderful healing mechanism. All a physician can do is provide a good healing environment."I soon learned in my medical practice that the ultimate healing process for an injured or sick body was already provided by our Heavenly Father. I also learned that a patient's attitude has much to do with healing. Those who would rely on Heavenly Father and exercise faith in the power of the priesthood often enjoyed faster recoveries.
"I have witnessed miracles! Many times when my medical training suggested a dismal prognosis, I have seen individuals fully recover. I have also witnessed others who relied with faith on the Lord and sought blessings with their prayers, which were not answered in a way the person or loved one desired.
"The Lord has given a condition for healing blessings: `He that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.' (D&C 42:48.) Even when a person relies on faith in the Lord for blessings, if it is his or her appointed time to die, there will not be restoration of health. Indeed, `death [must come] upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator.' (2 Ne. 9:6.)
President Spencer W. Kimball has written:
"If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled. . . . No man would have to live by faith. . . . There would be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death, and if these were not, there would also be no joy, success, resurrection, nor eternal life.' " (Faith Precedes the Miracle [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972], p. 97.)

Trying to get moving...

I can't tell you how much I feel like a big blob of nothing these past few weeks. I've laid in bed and watched alot of movies. Pride and Prejudice, TWICE. (the long version)
I've learned something really cool about my body though....it WANTS TO HEAL. It's working hard to heal the damaged nerves that were so recently messed up with this last attack on my spinal cord. My feet are stiff and feel like burning ice. I decided yesterday to just get over the anger I've felt at times toward my feet and legs or my body. Even in this situation - it's all miraculous....working overtime to find ways for me to be able to function normally again. I've even noticed that i get hungry more often - like it's needing more food for energy. Which of course, I'm happy to oblige it. The body is truly an amazing gift. A work of art - even in it's imperfection.

Okay...so, enough about that.....
I started my Fourth of July charms yesterday. I love the old vintage flag postcards. They are cute....and it feels good to do some "normal" things again...

thank you to all my friends- for your prayers and thoughts and support.
I miss you all. I miss cleaning house. I miss walking around Target.

Yay! I can walk again!!! Haven't been able to since the day after Memorial Day. So, this is good!

it was scary and humbling...but that's life sometimes.

Things are better. Still doing my daily injections which the UCSF doctor says will take about 3 months to become totally effective in blocking relapses like the one I just had.

Thank you for all your love and outpouring of friendship during this time. whew! another hurdle!

Tomorrow, June 12th is the last day of school for my kids...and it is also Sean's 9th birthday! Can't believe it. I know, we all say that. Amazing that time marches on so relentlessly. We don't ALL say that...just those of us that are OLD. (I always thought that was such an OldLady thing to say...now I say it almost every day!)

The Medicine I love the most....