(Just a note to say I will not be blogging for the next few weeks. My husband and I are moving, but I will be back online for sure.) 

Sisters laugh at the silliest of things while at the same time wrap each other in the tenderest of emotions.

From left to right: Laura, Cheri, Mom and me!

Today I celebrate my sisters! No, I don't think it is 'Sisterday' or anything, but today seems like a good day to reflect on my love for my two sisters. It has been two years since we were in a near fatal car accident together and I am so grateful we were given more time here on this earth to laugh together.
We all grew up in the same household with our Dad and Mom and two brothers. We had a very  normal up bringing in a very normal Los Angeles suburb.......  My older sister was the 2nd oldest living child in our family, I was the middle child, and our youngest sister was the baby of the family.
We were a water-skiing family. Every summer we went up to Northern California for two weeks spent at Lake Shasta. The rest of the summer weekends were often spent at Salton Sea. We were silly California girls wanting a great tan so we laid out in the hot summer sun with our bodies covered in baby oil mixed with Mercurochrome.
In the winters we would go up to our mountain cabin in Forrest Home where we often had to hike the quarter mile to the cabin in knee deep snow. The hike was always worth it because the road was left clear for the longest and most exhilarating toboggan ride ever.
We went to Church each Sunday, and the testimonies of the Savior that we gained from that regular association with the scriptures and Christ's teachings, has strengthened us each as we've traveled our different roads.
My oldest sister traveled to my house last night, and my heart is full of love and thanksgiving because it is time for our annual 'wheeze fest'. We will be joined by our youngest sister in a week, and for the first time we will also be with our brother for the annual "sibling" trip. Since he never has been able (or willing - can you blame him) to join us - we are going to converge on him this year!   
We had our share of trauma and drama, but through it all I have come to realize that no matter what, my sisters will always be there to laugh with me and to hold me in their tenderest emotions.

It doesn't matter who we are, what we've experienced, or how we live our lives; we all have the same hours in a day to choose what we will do with those twenty-four hours. We are blessed to live in a time when gaining untold amounts of information is easy. At the same time, we have tremendous responsibility to remember to live in the here and now and govern the time we spend accessing all that information. We have the choice to ignore the bad information, sort through some information, keep some of it, and be quick to see the difference between the good, better and best of it.

Choice is a gift from our loving Heavenly Father and is part of our very beings. We don't often think about choice in our day to day life but our choices determine a myriad of activities, causes, relationships etc........ Whenever we choose to 'Do Something,' we are choosing 'Not To Do Something Else.' We can't get away from results of action or inaction.
That being the case, it is important that we are spending our precious gift of choice and time, on those things that will help us grow and develop the talents and skills to accomplish our goals in life. There is so much knowledge that is good in the world, so much more than we as individuals could ever come to understand and capture for ourselves. It is important for each of us to look at our lives, our interests, and our goals as well as the lives of our immediate family, and choose to spend time on those things that are 'best.'
That is not to say that we should ignore the world around us. On the contrary, we need to be in the world but not of the world and gather knowledge of many different things. But all too often our 'hyper-focus' on a subject or way of life weakens the choice, that God gave us to choose to spend time serving, loving, sharing, strengthening those we love. We miss the beauty of the simple things of life (and love). When we are hyper-focused, even on things we see as our 'cause,' our spirits can be dimmed to the wonder of life.  Christ is our exemplar and with all the important things that He could have been focused on during the short years of His ministry, the scriptures are replete with incidents of His praying, seeking His Father, loving, sharing, teaching, kindness, tenderness and charity. He had more information than we can imagine, yet there was never a time when He was too busy, or too focused, that he didn't stop and "smell the roses" so to speak.
When we seek information and combine it with knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and live daily to use all that knowledge in our lives, we will be led by the spirit to information that will help us and our families grow to our fullest potential. Along with that knowledge we can be guided in choosing the best way to spend our twenty-four hours and which information is good, better and best.

You all know I LOVE music in almost all it's forms. I love to sing but I don't play a musical instrument, so I would definitely have a difficult time playing this instrument! I have seen this video before, but my cousin Cliff just sent it to me again. Since I enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share it here. Music can bring laughter to the soul as well as dispel the darkening chords of discontent. Wherever you are on your life journey, I hope you will enjoy this. Good Blessings to you.

I was traveling last weekend. As I beheld the beauties of the earth, I was filled with awe at the 'grace' of God. When I saw this beautiful video, I knew that I wanted to share it as my blog post Tuesday.(Click on the picture if the arrow isn't showing and it will bring it up.) Good Blessings to you.

Another Independence Day has passed. The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holiday's. I have always experienced reverence, and deep love, when reading and studying of the United States of America. When I was in college, I had the blessing and opportunity of increasing that love, by singing in a great American singing group, "The Grand Land Singers."...

We were young college age students who, not only sang about this great country but, worked with hundreds of elementary schools, teaching the basic principles of the Constitution of the United States of America.... Our dear Connie Rogers inspired a program called, "Project Patriotism." (Later changed to, "Discover Your America.") These two programs helped us in implementing a week of fun activities, learning about and celebrating this great nation, with elementary school kids.

We ate drank and slept Grand Land Singers. (Sleep was optional.) We practiced each Tuesday night from 7-11 and Saturday mornings from 7-10.

We usually had 1-3 performances a week many which were hours away from our base which was in Cerritos, California. We traveled by bus or plane to cities all over the United States, but most of the time we all drove at our own expense to the varied performances.

We sang for Presidents to paupers; anyone who had a love for our great country; President Ezra T Benson, Presidents Nixon and Reagan, Charlton Heston, Debbie Reynolds, Bob Hope to name very few of great people we had the opportunity to meet and perform for.

We preformed hundreds of thousands of people in many different venues; Cherry Blossom Festival Washington DC, The Rose Bowl, Bob Hope's Teluca Lake Home, Disneyland, Freedom's Foundation Valley Forge, and thousands of schools.We received the George Washington Medal of Freedom, 5 different times.

I am so grateful for those Grand Land Singer opportunity's, memories, and friends. We are friends still, this many years later, (and I mean MANY) because of the bonds that were built by standing for something bigger than ourselves.

This Nation is bigger than any one person. As a Democratic Republic we rise from where we are, to be better, because that is who we are. This nation was blessed by God Himself.

George Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention while sitting in a chair with a 'Rising Sun' carved upon it. (The chair remains in Independence Hall.) Benjamin Franklin said as the last members were signing the Declaration of Independence, he looked back at the president's chair. "I have," said he, "often and often in the course of the session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the President, without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting sun; but now at length, I have the happiness to know, that it is a rising sun......."

                                          

With happiness, I too look back at all those who lived and died that I might be a recipient of the rising sun that has shown over this land. May we as individuals, here today, have the same strength of character to stand firm against tyrants who see the sun as setting over our land of the free. 

God Bless America.

Wednesday July 3
This week we celebrate the Independence of our great nation, the United States of America. Our children will receive lessons on freedom, but many will be taught from books that come from the well oiled machine of socialistic rhetoric seeping from the land of the free. We will have our parties, but they likely will be in the shadow of the dark clouds of uncertainty that rumble from the deep abyss of hidden agendas from many leaders of our country. There will be parades and music, but there will be those who beat the drums of immorality and use 'tolerance' against those who stand for values and religious freedom. The fireworks displays will catch hundreds of thousands of pairs of eyes, while we watch with those same eyes, the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, slowly yet systematically being taken from us and being crushed under the feet of those who have the  responsibility to protect that same constitution.  
Is the hope that once emanated from Old Glory still vibrant and alive, or is it now tattered and torn as many other symbols of our freedom have become. More importantly are we tattered and torn beyond our ability to be ready to stand with all those who given anything and everything so that this nation could remain, "One Nation under God, with Liberty and Justice for All?" God Bless America!

July 2, 1776 was the day when the Continental Congress voted for independence. The written Declaration of Independence was dated July 4, 1776.

Following are parts of, this blessed document, The Unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.  .......

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;   .......

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,that saved a wretch like me....I once was lost but now am found,was blind, but now, I see.T'was Grace that taught...my heart to fear.And Grace, my fears relieved.How precious did that Grace appear...the hour I first believed.Through many dangers, toils and snares...we have already come.T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...and Grace will lead us home.The Lord has promised good to me...His word my hope secures.He will my shield and portion be...as long as life endures.Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me....I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now, I see." (The words, "When we've been here ten thousand years...bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise...then when we've first begun," were later added latter by an unknown author.)

The words of the folk hymn known as "Amazing Grace", were written by John Newton. (1725-1807). John was spiritually converted during a terrible storm at sea while he was involved in the slave trade.

How many storms do we need to experience in our own lives before we are spiritually converted? There are many of us who go through the motions of our faith in God. I fear there are many of us who keep up the facade because we really never have really known true conversion.

Oh yes, there are many parts to conversion with the most important being seeking to know God  by studying His word and keeping His commandments. But even when immersing ourselves in God's word, trying to find 'conversion' may still seem allusive. 

The Savior taught, "that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."(Alma 37:6)  Bringing His words into our lives, and focusing on the small and simple things of spirituality, will guide us to the greater things, the awakening of our souls, if that is our desire. But desiring is key.

Be aware of small and delicate wild flowers, a beautiful sunset, morning mist, the smell of pine, the sound of children's laughter, the bond between two friends, an aged man and wife serving each other, neighbors gathering to help neighbors, tears falling for a loved one, generosity, benevolence, charity, faith, hope, humility, grace, love, empathy, friendship, etc.  These things are found in the quiet simple things of life.

God's 'Amazing Grace,' is that conversion comes from gathering the good and simple things one step at a time. Conversion isn't a destination it is a journey through life, of epic proportions, collecting all the gracious gifts that God has blessed us  with.  Good Blessings.