A Little Tear

A little tear flowed down from his eye when I looked at him as he was being taken back to his room.

I said, “When you need to feel Heavenly Fathers arms around you, just look up and hug your pillow!”

My heart was breaking at having to say good bye to his little boy who had stolen my heart so quickly. I had known him for such a short time, yet it seemed like I knew his spirit even though his body gave way to horrible tantrums and vocal outbursts.

He was diagnosed as hopeless by the professionals, someone who would never be able to live a normal life with others. His seemingly, out of control actions and vocal outbursts, made him difficult to be around for most. But I somehow knew that over time with the right care and faith in himself and God, he would be able to lead a fairly normal and productive life.

Locked away in this home for the mentally disabled, he seemed so unreachable yet, was he not one of God’s children, just like me.

I opened my eyes. It was just a dream.

I lay thinking about the feelings that I had just felt so overwhelmingly and wondered how such an experience could be but a figment of my unconsciousness. But why had it come to me on this morning when I had been seeking for ways to bless others’ lives at this Christmas time?

Was it filled with deeper meaning for me than just a dream with strong emotions attached?

As I thought about it, I realized that if it meant anything, it was that I needed to be more forgiving and willing to put up with others flaws in order to see the special spirit that God put into every person around me.

I needed to be more observant for opportunities to bless the lives of those around me and that I need to see the good in all of God’s children and try to understand their worth.

I see that some of my children have learned that lesson far better than I have, being able to raise small ones, who have disabilities that make it a challenge with the daily activities of life. What a blessing they are and how proud I am of them as they work so hard to raise these special little bodies.

Lord, thank you for this small lesson in my life.

Time for vacation and fun

We went on our first Mexican cruise in June and had a fun experience with Mexican ports and site seeing. We experienced the towel art that Becky had told us about and found it fun.

We visited three ports, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Each with it's distinct attractions and fun.

At Puerto Vallarta we went snorkeling at the Marietas islands where we saw dolphins on the way out and a relaxing (accented by Mexican vendors selling scarves, jewelry, and trinkets) lunch followed by a rest on the sandy beach.

When we arrived at Mazatlan we hired a driver to take us through the city to site seeing. We got to see the famous divers and hold Janda the iguana.

At Cabo San Lucas a short trip ashore on the choppy water made our stomachs a bit queasy but gave a view of the city and then from the ship a view of the famous arches.

The best part of the trip was the laughing with friends, the great food that we all ate to much of and the endless ice cream that was available 24 hours a day.

The new me.....

The end of last year at work we had a bad bit of news on our account. We were informed that the new Medi_Cal account contract was to be awarded to a different company. Of the 16 years I have been working in California, it has all been with the California Medi-Cal account.

I really enjoy the people and the area and was counting on the new contract being awarded to my company so that I could spend the next 10 years right where we are in Loomis.

It seems like the best plans do not always go as well as we would like them to.

Our company has protested the award to the other company and the process may turn around, but we will not know until the first part of March if there will be any change in the state's plans to award the contract to the other company.

Kathy said that I better start looking a bit younger if I need to interview for a different position of a new job somewhere else. She has been experimenting on my new look.

Well, Do I look younger ?

Snow in Loomis

It finally happened !

We woke up this morning to snow an the ground at our house in Loomis, California.

OK, so we shouldn't get excited but it is the first time this has happened in the sixteen years that we have lived here.

Mom even went out and built a snow man. It was so pretty to drive to work in snow covered trees and landscape.

Some of our favorite pictures from Liz's wedding:

Rod’s Stew Recipe

I thought I would share the recipe for the beef stew that our family likes so much. So here you go:

1 2lb. London broil steak cut into small ½ inch cubes
4 Whole medium sized Carrots, sliced into thin round slices
1 Medium-sized Onion, chopped
1 Garlic head, peel cloves and slice into small pieces
4 Celery stocks, sliced into thin slices
1 Bell Pepper (Red or Green), chopped into small pieces
2 Quarter of water
3 Tablespoons of beef seasoning
2 Tablespoons of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Cube the London broil steak and brown in it an open pressure cooker until brown and the juices are coming out, then seal the lid and put the weight in place and bring to full pressure and cook for ten minutes after the weight begins to rock.

Cool the pressure cooker and remove the lid, then add the rest of the ingredients. Replace the lid and weight and bring to full pressure again and cook for five minutes after the weight begins to rock. Again cool the pressure cooker, remove lid. Thicken with cornstarch or flour.

It tastes wonderful served hot with fresh hot corn bread (you will have to get your recipe for that).

Enjoy..................

Blessed By His Hand

I lay back in my big leather recliner and closed my eyes, letting the energy flow downward to my stomach. I felt like my life would continue for a few more hours. I didn’t want to move a muscle, laying with my head back and breathing deeply.

A few minutes earlier I was shaking from hunger as I helped put the finishing touches to dinner. Then after saying the blessing to close the fast, the taste of the chili and chips smothered in cheese, guacamole and sour cream with a garnish of chives, was heaven to taste and it was hard not to eat like a ravenous wolf.

My body has never liked the feeling of hunger. Fast day has always been a little hard for me because I don’t like to be hungry. Go figure.

As I lay back, I thought of all my blessings in such abundance. The comfortable home and the sound of little voices and laughter in my ears gave me a sense of fulfillment and a feeling of gratitude for my sweet companion and family. Just thinking about the blessings that the Lord has so freely given me made me feel loved and special.

Sunday afternoon after breaking a fast and being weak from hunger can be a difficult thing to associate with spirituality, but it does bring me closer to the spirit as I recognize more fully the need for constant dependence on physical nourishment for survival.

I suppose that is why it is difficult to get a testimony that fasting is one of the Lords commandments. However I have learned that after a trial, the sweetness of the gospel is more evident and it is easier to feel God’s love for me.

I am grateful for his hand in my life.