Sue's 60th B-Day Favorite Things Song

 

Favorite Things - Word's by Natalja

Her Favorite Things

Girl trips with daughters and lunch with her sisters

Bells with her kids and with Tom her old mister

Her testimony can give our heart wings

These are a few of HER favorite things

Stories of grandkids and hugs from her grand kids

Housing the pets that they get for her grandkids

Pictures of grandkids with her other grandkids

Her kids having grandkids and "Someone nudges me"grandkids and grandkids

---MUSIC STOP---

Alex: "Okay, I think they get it" . . . . . .

Nat: . . . . . "yeah okay, but we all know it's true" . . . "lets try that again."

Gath'ring around the piano brings us near

Mem'ries of family and parents are so dear

BYU sports gives her feet extra springs

These are a few of HER favorite things

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when we're feeling sad.

We simply remember our favorite mom and she makes us feel so glad.

Her Not So Favorite Things

Guinea pig messes will sure make her queazy (and rats make her . .)

Papa's experiments make her uneasy

That jazzy music could make her ears ring

These are NOT SOME of her favorite things

Parakeet feathers and catching dad sleeping

"Who is the favorite child" - - - tabs we are keeping

Being camp cook for a lifetime it seems

These are NOT SOME of her favorite things.

When the KIDS FIGHT.  When the BABES CRY when we're feeling sad

We simply remember our favorite mom and THEN WE DON'T ACT SO BAD

We simply remember our favorite mom and she makes s feel so glad.

Our Favorite Things

Cookie Day, Passover and Music Makers

Her Mexican food has no shortage of takers

Making up songs like this to make us sing

These are a few of OUR favorite things

Shutterfly books and her themed family parties

Her gift giving proves that she's truly a smarty

Being there any time we take a swing

These are a few of OUR favorite things

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when we're feeling sad.

---SLOW---

WE'RE PROUD TO BE some of her favorite things and she makes us feel so glad.

A Change of Heart

A Change of Heart

May 31, 2020

It's been a great week.  I'm not sure how it all happened or what made it all happen, but I'm different today than I was last Sunday.  I feel renewed and capable of becoming who I want to become. 

This week I've been going through and cleaning out my file cabinets - particularly the drawer with all the lessons, talks, programs and presentations that I've given over the past 40 years.  I didn't expect it to be such an inspiring project, but it surely has been.  I do know that whenever I teach, my lack of confidence sends me to my knees.  I beg the Lord for help and I humbly seek His guidance, so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that those folders full of my thoughts and ideas are really not mine at all, but are the thoughts and ideas of the Lord.  They're filled with truth and testimony and as I've read over many of them, I've been filled with the Spirit.   I'm so grateful to the Lord; grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, and grateful for our Heavenly Father's plan for us.  I want to be better and do better.

Also this week, I started tracking my diet and exercise patterns.  I tried to make a few adjustments toward being a healthier person and I've had more success than usual.  Some years ago, I recognized that when I have control over my appetites, it has a huge and positive affect on my spirit;  I'm happier, more confident, and better able to feel close to God.  This week supports that theory.

It's difficult, but always helpful when I can stick with a morning routine of scriptures, prayers, a conference talk and meditation.  This week that routine has worked.  I've been interested and uplifted by the scriptures and talks from our leaders.  I've felt heard by the Lord, and my efforts to seek revelation " . . . day after day, month after month, year after year [until I] grow into the principle of revelation" (Russell M. Nelson) have been very real and especially rewarding.  My mind has been opened to inspiration.  My heart has been softened towards people that I've been hurt by and felt bitter toward.   I've felt free, purposeful, and at peace.  My heart feels changed.
                                                                                                 
Tomorrow I go in for an angiogram - a procedure to make an assessment of my heart and possibly enlarge some blocked and constricted vessels.  I'm extremely nervous, but excited to address problems and be free of fear and limitations. 

So here I am.  I find myself looking forward to a possible physical change of heart, and looking back at an absolute spiritual change of heart.  It's a new beginning - a new opportunity - a  new vision of my future.  You might say - a new heart.

The Power and Gift of Grateful

My Gift of Grateful

4/30/20

Honestly, today has been a rough day.  There are so many things in my life right now that are out of my control and not very fun.  I'd say that most days I handle it all pretty well.  I try to stay happy and busy, but today has NOT been one of those stellar days.  It was only 11 am and I was already feeling so emotional that when Becky called and asked how I was doing, I had to ask if I could call her back so that I could cry a while and then gain my composure - and I did.

We had a good upbeat conversation, then I made some lunch and opened Facebook to read while I ate. The first thing that popped up was a post someone had made about the scholarship fund that Adam has created to give Westwood High School alumni the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of other WHS graduates.  I was familiar with the scholarship, but I went to the website to learn more.  As I read, I became more and more impressed by my son.  This scholarship is to help students from our neighborhood High School, who want to continue their education, but whose grades don't qualify them for a scholarship to any of the 4 main universities in Arizona.   I sensed Adam's sincere desire to help others.  His enthusiasm and many hours spent, had led him to the creation of something  worthwhile and meaningful.  It's very typical of Adam, really, to be involved in projects that help people and improve our community.  I suddenly felt the distinct feeling that these thoughts were a gift from  Heavenly Father; a personal message from Him that yes, life may be challenging, but that I am blessed beyond belief; that my children are strong, faithful, and intentional contributors of good in the world.   Truly, my children are my joy, and their  faithful lives are a daily reminder of the Lord's kindness to me.  The sadness of my day quickly paled in comparison to  their goodness and their righteous desires.  Heavenly Father's gift changed the climate of my day from cloudy to sunny.   Oh, the power and Gift of Grateful!