A New Year

As I'm sure most of us are, I'm welcoming this New Year with open arms. The other night Tom showed me an article in the Ensign that really got to me. It is an article called Putting My Hands in the Lords. It is a very humbling article, one of those that puts your life into perspective. It quotes Elder B.H. Roberts who said that "those who have to contend with difficulties, brave dangers, endure disappointments, struggle with sorrows, eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction, develop a moral and spiritual strength together with a purity of life and character, unknown to the heirs of ease, and wealth, and pleasure." I love the final paragraph which reads," The challenge is to love God, keep our covenants, and live the great plan of happiness even when loved ones die and other trials and disappointments occur. It is not just the attractive, smart and wealthy who are expected to endure in faith to the end. That is expected of all of us. The challenge is to remember why we are here: to work out our salvation, alone or married, childless or with a quiver full of children; to shout for joy and then work at being joyful; to remember that the Lord stands ready to succor us through the Holy Ghost. He will go before us and be on our right hand and on our left."
I have a wonderful life and have been blessed with so much. It has been hard to witness struggles and trials of many different family members and friends but I am grateful for the examples they have been to me as they have faced them.

I have always made resolutions and met only a few, but my goal this year is to try to better myself and focus on why I am here, not letting all the worldly things get in the way. I would like to develop more patience and try to keep perspective in my life. ( I also want to learn to quilt, take time to go running (yea for a Jogging stroller and Nike Fit), and read more books)