A Beautiful Life

Yesterday I learned that a dear friend of mine passed away, after a five-year battle with ovarian cancer. What an example she has been to me from the first moment I met her, over twenty years ago. Even when she was hurting and sick, she was gracious and loving. They have a large family and she was able to maintain peace and serenity in their home with her gentle nature. She was very musically talented and passed that on to her children. I doubt that there was one bit of gile in her - she was loving and gracious to all. She was one of those people that you just liked to be around because you knew she accepted you no matter what you did wrong and didn't love you any less than when you had done everything right. I know that she was respected by all those who met her. She was probably closer to the Savior than anyone I know. She will be missed by all who knew her.

What a Surprise!

I started this blog a while ago, thinking I was just writing entries for ME and that no one could see them - like a journal. Today I was invited to view a friend's blog and I always look to see the different people's blog's that are on the side column and there was one called "Flanagans", so I went to it thinking, "I wonder if I can see some pictures on there of the writer" - what a surprise to realize it was ME!!! I just had no idea it was out there for anyone to see. It's a good thing I had rather tame journal entries and not personal ones!

Life Can Be Fleeting (2) or Was It Worth It?

Sunday afternoon we received a call from a young woman stating that she was the niece of Jack Phillips of Indiana. Jack had been one of Steve's original partners in Summit Solutions. He was a soccer player. He was retired. They (he and his wife Darla) were selling their home in Indiana to go live in the one they had recently purchased in Florida. He took a flight to Minneapolis and back Saturday morning so he could earn credit toward his frequent flier status. After returning from Minneapolis, he went to the soccer field to play. He never returned - he died on the field. He was 63. Wow! It really makes us stop and think. Steve has wanted to get out of the businesses that he owns, but now he is really primed. He said this week that he didn't want to go out of this wolrd working. I imagine that this all has set some wheels turning in his mind.

We sure don't know when the Lord will call us home. I guess it should be motivation to get our spiritual house in order (I can't even get my physical house in order!). I have to get to the point where I am thinking what is more importantly ETERNALLY.

Measuring on Ourselves

Today in church, as I listened to what was being said, I don't know who said it, but it finally dawned on me that we are only measured on OURSELVES. I know that we have been taught this over and over, but it really sunk in today, and not because someone said something profound, but that my heart was ready to hear it.

I know, in my heart, that we will be judged by what we did with our lives. I know that it will make a difference for where we ultimately end up, but I also know that I have control. Our worthiness is based on US, we are measured against US. We are not measured on how well we measure up to this sister here or that brother there, just on OURSELVES.

So, I guess I had better get busy making some better choices!

Winning the Bus Trip

Tiffany and I go to the First Saturday Block of the Month club at our local quilt store, Quilter's Quarters. Twice a year there is a bus trip that goes to a number of other quilt shops in a 3 or 4 state area. Yesterday when we came into the store they handed us drawing tickets, just as they always do. Before they started showing the new things, they drew a ticket - my ticket - and announced it was for a free bus trip from 25 to 27 September. I was momentarily very excited and then it dawned on me when it was and what else was happening on those days. We have our General Women's Broadcast on the 26th, my 60th birthday is on the 27th and the 27th is also Sunday. When my face fell and I said I really couldn't go then, they told me I could use it for the trip in May. I was quite happy about that until Steve and I were on our way home from Kansas City that night and I was thinking about going on the trip in the spring. Then it dawned on me - I wanted to be in Korea for Kayla's baptism when that trip would be! Boy, am I hard to please!

Today I had pretty much decided that I would just go this month and not worry about the spring, but the more I sat in church and thought about the trip and the testimonies that were borne and the lessons that were taught, (and the fact that I don't have any money to spend - even though my meals, transportation and lodging were all paid for - and that I don't need one more piece of fabric - I just need time to do the things I already have!) I decided that I would give the ticket to someone else. I just need to find the appropriate person to give it to. I actually felt much lighter all day today after I decided that. The Lord does help us feel good when we make the right choices, I sure can testify to that!

Raise the Podium

Today was Fast and Testimony Sunday at church. It's been a while since I have borne my testimony. I think that comes with being spiritually low.

One of the missionaries assigned to our ward right now (Elder Jordan), is very tall. When he went up to bear his testimony today he said he always liked it when they raised the podium for him - it needed to be raised all the way up. He also commented something else about raising it but I didn't really hear him as my thoughts were wandering to the following: How would it be if, when we got up to bear our testimonies, the height of the podium was like a spiritual thermometer, up if you were at a spiritual high and down if you were at a spiritual low. Maybe that's why I haven't born my testimony lately - the podium would have to be very low to accomodate me!

It's time for me to have to have that podium raised!

Life Can Be Fleeting

In the middle of the week I received an email saying the husband of a friend of mine died. I don't know that I had ever met him, but I felt so sad. They had been in Utah for a family reunion and he died out there. I think that my sadness came from the realization of the fact that situation could be one that any of us could find ourselves in. I'm not fully sure why this particular one affected me though, because I've had friends that have died suddenly. I think it's partly a matter of the state that my family is in right now. There are issues of forgiveness, (or non-forgiveness I should say) going on and it is hurting everyone so much. I guess when I think of the fact that that family was together for fun and laughter, not knowing this was going to happen. They had a wonderful time of love and fun to remember his last days. If something were to happen to Steve or I in the near future, I wonder if some of our family would even bother coming home. And then you add to that all the wasted days and weeks and months where people won't communicate. It's just a sad situation in my life.