17 November 2017

Jane:  I made Thanksgiving Dinner place setting favors tonight.

Ray:  Celebrated a day I look forward to every year.

Cali: Scripture study with the family. 

Inman:  Learning to have family prayers like the rest of them.

Abe:  Reading bedtime stories 

Grace:  Got my hair done today after waiting way too long.

Henry:  Enjoying family date night pizza.

Hazel- got to spend some good one on one time with my mama.

Ty:  Getting excited for Thanksgiving in South Carolina!

Michelle: A candid from Eliza.
 I believe I was reading a book after being woken up from my nap.

Afton:  This is my favorite page from the Thankful Book I've been
making at school.  This page says, "Today I am thankful for my parents." 
(Please note those are poofy sleeves on Michelle ;0)

Eliza: Every day I anxiously await Afton's return from school.
This afternoon she helped us have a picnic in the backyard.

Kathryn:  Another candid from Eliza. 
I enjoy sitting on my mom's lap for some morning snuggles and girl talk.

And we did live after the manner of happiness . . .

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi listed several of the activities (2 Nephi 5) that he and his people were doing and summed up their lives with “...(we) lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27)

This is Nephi’s outlook even though he and his family were told to “...flee into the wilderness...” and start a new community to save their lives. They weren't popular or safe.

I love Nephi’s list. I agree with Nephi’s list. I want to share Nephi’s list. I think it's useful to anyone that wants to incorporate more happiness into their lives.

For the last few weeks, I have posted Nephi's insights along with a comment and picture about how that behavior has also brought me happiness.  This post concludes the series.

Zeph and Ezra, visiting this summer

Service

2 Nephi 5:18  ". . . I did for them according to that which was in my power."

"Hey Gramma, I got a good idea.  How 'bout I wash your car for you?"

Zeph and Ezra scrubbed it for an hour, then slide all over the car with their bodies to dry it.  It was sweet.  Zeph saw a need and did "that which was in his power" to help.  Not only did it provide us both with entertainment for an hour, it really did help.  

When I was a teenager, I remember President Spencer W. Kimball saying that when we serve ". . . it is easier to 'find' ourselves because there is so much more of us to find."  I believed it then and, after years of being blessed by service, I believe it even more now.  Service, though seldom convenient, does make us happy -- even happier. 

I am grateful the Savior did "that which was in his power" for us.  It wasn't convenient.  His example reminds me to give a more whenever I think I've done enough.

This video shares the a bit of the beauty of service . . .

We did live after the manner of happiness . . .

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi listed several of the activities (2 Nephi 5) that he and his people were doing and summed up their lives with “...(we) lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27)

This is Nephi’s outlook even though he and his family were told to “...flee into the wilderness...” and start a new community to save their lives. They weren't popular or safe.

I love Nephi’s list. I agree with Nephi’s list. I want to share Nephi’s list. I think it's useful to anyone that wants to incorporate more happiness into their lives.

For the next few weeks, I'll post Nephi's insights along with a comment and picture about how that behavior has also brought me happiness.

Recently Ty was training at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane. 
We took advantage of him being so close and went to the temple together.
The only thing better than going to the temple is going to the temple with family.

Temples

2 Nephi 5:16  And I, Nephi, did build a temple and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon . . . 

Going to the temple feels like going home (which makes perfect sense since the temple is literally the house of God).  The Lord visits His temples and, like cologne lingers long after Calvin has left for a meeting, the Lord's influence lingers in His temples as well.

In the temple I learn truths that help me to understand life more fully and participate in sacred ceremonies and ordinances.  

In the temple I find answers to questions and am able to receive inspiration and comfort about things that may be troubling me.

In the temple I am able to serve others that cannot serve themselves.

In the temple I find happiness.

And we did live after the manner of happiness . . .

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi listed several of the activities (2 Nephi 5) that he and his people were doing and summed up their lives with “...(we) lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27)

This is Nephi’s outlook even though he and his family were told to “...flee into the wilderness...” and start a new community to save their lives. They weren't popular or safe.

I love Nephi’s list. I agree with Nephi’s list. I want to share Nephi’s list. I think it's useful to anyone that wants to incorporate more happiness into their lives.

For the next few weeks, I'll post Nephi's insights along with a comment and picture about how that behavior has also brought me happiness.

homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers on homemade bread

chickens eating the  wormy broccoli that's gone to seed

a favorite picture from the archives:  Atlas feeding the chickens

another favorite picture from the archives:  Zeph and Altas feeding the cows

we even grow our own mousers

Raising animals and growing a garden

2 Nephi:11  And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly ; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance.  And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.

Gardening and raising animals is good for the soul.  There is nothing like giving your chickens scraps and coming back later for an egg.  It's recycling at its best.

Gardening and animals not only provide food, but chores for children to learn to work, and opportunities for them to learn the law of the harvest and that they reap what they sow.  A garden with animals was where Heavenly Father put Adam and Eve to help them learn and grow.

I remember one gardening experience we had.  We were growing it with my sister's family.   It stretched between our homes. Both families worked and worked on the new garden spot.  We planted, watered, hoed, and waited.  We fasted and prayed for the garden's success.  We not only needed chores, we needed the food to stretch our incomes.  It was a most pathetic garden.  It was planted in once-sterilized soil and was struggling to grow.  

One day as I walked by that garden on the way to my sister's home, I prayed asking God why He hadn't blessed it, after all, we'd done our part.  I got a sweet rebuke, "You should have seen it if I hadn't blessed it."

Though that garden wasn't pretty, it produced like no other before or since.  The frost was uncharacteristically late that year and the beans produced enough for three families to eat and can all they wanted.  The corn did the same.  

When the Lord blesses us, be it with beans or chickens or a cat that has eight kittens, we prosper exceedingly and find joy and happiness.  I'm certain of it.

  

We lived after the manner of happiness . . .

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi listed several of the activities (2 Nephi 5) that he and his people were doing and summed up their lives with “...(we) lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27)

This is Nephi’s outlook even though he and his family were told to “...flee into the wilderness...” and start a new community to save their lives. They weren't popular or safe.

I love Nephi’s list. I agree with Nephi’s list. I want to share Nephi’s list. I think it's useful to anyone that wants to incorporate more happiness into their lives.

For the next few weeks, I'll post Nephi's insights along with a comment and picture about how that behavior has also brought me happiness.

Calvin and Ty butchering a hog two weekends ago

Calvin teaching our nephew Jake and neighbors, Rowdy, Raef, and Ryder
how to cut up a side of pork.

Calvin teaching our neighbor Britney how to make and bag sausage

homemade sausage pizza

homemade Canadian bacon pizza

Industry and preparedness

2 Nephi 5:17  And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.

Industry

There is a deep feeling of satisfaction that comes from producing our own food.  Once it's on the shelf or in the freezer, the work and inconvenience is soon forgotten. We find happiness in growing and preparing food and sharing the food and know-how with others.


Preparedness

2 Nephi 5:14  And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us, for I knew their hatred towards me and my children, and those that were called my people.

The cousin to industry, preparedness brings peace and stills fear.  One way we like to prepare for uncertainty is to keep our shelves stocked with food.  By taking advantage of the Fall grocery sales (butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, shortening, oil, canned goods) we are able to buy more food for less money.  Knowing we have 30 bags of chocolate chips will help me weather a crises ;0)