Thankful Every Day 30

I'm very grateful for

itself.

And, so ends 30 days of gratitude.

It's a good exercise in opening MOI's eyes to the many things I have to be grateful for.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for so many many blessings.

Thankful Every Day 29

I am very thankful for our three sons and two daughters, their spouses, and our grandchildren.

There are lots of them.

They mostly live too far away.

I'm thankful for each one of them; they are each unique in their own special ways.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for family.

Thankful Every Day 28

Today, I'm so grateful for

BOOKS!

All kinds of books,

fiction,
nonfiction,
humorous,
long,
short,
happy,
sad,
and
most especially:
Picture Books.

To sit and enjoy a good book is one of life's really great pleasures.

I love books.

OH, yeah, books, baby.

Missionary Moments

He was big and loud.

He walked into the Employment Center, threw up his arms, and in a loud voice declared,

"I'm looking for a job as a bar tender!"

There was sort of a hush which fell over the room.....and then he broke into a huge grin and said,
"Just kidding!"

I personally loved it and was glad for a moment of laughter in a place where there is too little of it.

Today, I met M; she has no bottom teeth, is about 45 and has lost her home, driving privileges, children, excellent job,  and she has been clean for 30 days.  She is hoping to get hired by the DI while getting her life back in order.

The DI program is phenomenal.  It takes EMPLOYABLE people, teaches them skills, then sends them out to find jobs in the real world.  It is a marvelous program with great success.

The people in the DI program are recovering addicts, extremely shy people, people that other stores won't give a chance till they get some skills, etc.  These employees can work at DI for a limited amount of time and in the time they are there, they take the career workshop and continue to look for employment outside DI.  All the while they are learning cashiering, stocking shelves, pricing, sizing, display techniques, etc.  Oh, it's so great.

RAH talked to a homeless man who is looking for a part-time job.  So sad; he lives in his car, which he doesn't really use for transportation.

I called a lady to tell her about a job and she told me about the job she currently has.....she is miserable.  She tries to get people to sign up for all kinds of aid with Medicaid.  She doesn't believe in it, yet it is her job to get people to use it.

One of my favorite people at the center will not be coming back any more.  She and her husband had to quit their callings early because of his health.  I will miss dear marvelous Sister C.

Another week, another series of interesting people.  And, another week of being so thankful for the blessings of a home, car, family, Gospel.

Thankful Every Day 27

People (outside of my family) in my life who have inspired me in so many ways...

Lula, Carol, Barbara - high school.
Nancy, Sharon, Lauralee - college.
Diana, Carolyn, Pam, Beverly, Judi, Joan, Linda, Deloris - Rexburg
Ruth, Susan, Lily - China
Pauleen, Dorothy, Linda, LuJean, Pam - St. George

I have been so richly blessed over the years to have had women in my life who have lifted me, encouraged me, motivated me, taught me.

Oh, it is a good thing to have:
FRIENDS!

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for placing good women in my path.

Thankful Every Day 26

Oh, so thankful for EYESIGHT.

Nuff said.

Thankful Every Day 25

I am thankful for Sabbath Days.

I enjoy meeting the Saints in church and hearing the music, the lessons, the talks.

It's so amazing how the church is the same world wide; it's always like coming home.

I have met in:
hotel rooms,
private homes,
cruise ship meeting room,
also... churches of varying sizes.

Meeting Room in Guangzhou, China: it was a suite of hotel rooms..after church the members love to hang around and visit; there are so few members in the city of 11 million, that they love to be together.  One girl took a three hour bus ride each Sunday to meet with the Saints.

and they each had the Spirit of the Lord present.

I have gone to church in:
Jerusalem,
Russia,
China,
Harlem,
Whistler, Canada,
Palmyra, New York,
Wales,
England,

and lots of places in between.

This picture was taken in the front room of the Dounald Thomas home, where we met for church for two months.  It was good; there wasn't a nail-biting ride hour-long ride to the hotel; it was just across the lobby and up one floor from where we lived!

I have loved them all.  I have met marvelous people in each congregation.

One of the most remarkable and marvelous families I have ever met; the Chows. Very often, she would bring us something from Hong Kong, where she worked: fresh strawberries, a pie, etc.  Her boys bore their testimonies each Fast Sunday...they were just good to the core.

I have truly been blessed.  I love the Saints and the Sabbath.

Thankful Every Day 24

Today, is a very private thankful post.

So, I'll just put it in initials:

i.a.t.m.c.d.n.l.w.m.

Thankful Every Day 23

I'm thankful for our

H.O.M.E.

I love having an office that I can come into every morning early when the entire household is asleep.

I love having a lovely yard that RAH maintains and keeps beautiful.

I love having a big enough kitchen that we can fix food and feed several people at a time.

I'm thankful for a garage to house our cars and keep them out of the sun.

I'm thankful for a large living room where we gather to sing, play, laugh, talk.

I am so grateful for our home.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this blessing of a home!

Thankful Every Day 22

I'm grateful for RAH.

He always helps with the turkey; now that is a man for you!

And, he does lots of other stuff too.

I'm grateful.

Thankful Every Day 21

I am so grateful to be living in St. George, Utah.

I love it here.

I love the weather, the people, the weather.

So, pretty much, I guess you could say that I like the weather here.

Thankful Every Day 20

The music was absolutely THRILLING.

I was transported.

And, I was grateful I could hear it.

I was thankful I could hear my grandson sitting beside me chattering away.

What a blessing to be able to hear.

More Sad Stories; It Must Be Monday!

Mondays are always busy.  Today, there were times when job seekers were waiting around for a computer to use and a missionary to help them.

So, here's today's happenings:

Bishop C and his wife will be released early from their calling as transient bishop; his doctor is ordering it done; it is an extremely stressful calling and he has heart issues, so must get away from the stress.  I will miss his incredible wife; she is such a delight.  Best of luck to you both, dear people.  You will be missed.

2 newly-released prisoners came for help; they desperately need jobs....but, many employers are reluctant to hire them....

M needs a job.  She and her 4 children just arrived from Hawaii.  They are staying at the Dixie Care and Share.  Milk is nine dollars a gallon in Hawaii, so she moved here for lower cost of living...but, will she be able to get a JOB?

D came - again...he has so many psychological issues.  He told Allen, then me, that he HATES to work.  He likes to drive truck; he can just SIT all day.  However, he has anxiety disorder, so he can't get a job.

R needs a job; he lost his last 3 jobs, which just doesn't look good on a resume no matter how you try to tweak it.

M was awesome.  He also just moved here from Hawaii, but he has skills and job experience.  He should be able to get a job.  He was refreshing; funny, laid back, interesting, happy, positive.  

And finally G; he has a job, but wants a better-paying job to support his three sons.  Here's hoping!

That was Monday.

Thankful Every Day 19

I will be eternally grateful for my marvelous, righteous, good parents.

I'm not good with words, so I won't even try.

But, I am so thankful for my parents...Merrill and Dorothy Gee.

Our home was happy and filled with love.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the blessing of having such remarkable parents.

Thankful Every Day 18

Today, I am very grateful for our great neighborhood..

There are wonderful, fun children:

A Summer Day in July 2012

Halloween 2012

And wonderful, inspiring men and women.

It's a safe, pleasant, GOOD place to live.

And, I am grateful!

Thankful Every Day 17

Oh, I love to read the

S.C.R.I.P.T.U.RE.S.

They are filled with words of wisdom, advice, insight, stories, plots, people.

And, most often, they speak to me in my personal life.

They speak to my SOUL.

So, today, I'm grateful for the marvelous sacred books called scriptures.

Thankful Every Day 16

WEDDINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weddings are such a celebration of new;
new beginnings
new family
new love
new apartment living
new life.

In the past few months, we have had 3 weddings in our family.  And, we have had 2 incredible wedding celebrations.  Do you know how fun wedding celebrations can be?  Okay...let me just say, there is nothing like a fun wedding party and to have two within just a couple of months...

Let the fun begin!

First, Jeremy and Carisa on Coronado Island in July:

Next, Jared and Janessa in Hurricane, Utah:

(You will notice that our beloved son and daughter-in-law, Jordan and Janna, are not in this photo; so sad they could not be with us this day to share in the fun!)

Truly, there is nothing like a wedding

I'm thankful for weddings....such happy life-affirming events!

Thankful Every Day 15

F.O.O.D.

Glorious food.

Sometimes - NOW - when I am eating, I think of the people who come in to the LDS Employment Center.  I am reminded how just paying for FOOD can be such a challenge.

I am grateful for this staple of life and that I have such a rich abundance of it available to me.

Thankful Every Day 14

Eyesight and Hearing....

they will probably get worse.

But, for now, I am so grateful that I can see and hear.

What a great blessing.

In Case You are Wondering....

what I do every Wednesday afternoon for an hour and a half....

I go to a MAC USERS forum at Dixie College.  There I am with my back to the camera listening intently to Roberta explain Contacts - formerly Address Book.

As you will notice, we are all old.  It takes us twice as long for things to sink in.

But, it's just so FUN to learn things about my Mac.

I highly recommend this class to anyone over 75!  (tee hee)

Thanks, Jeremy, for the Mac Mini...it gets used EVERY DAY!

Thankful Every Day 13

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for an:

INCOME.

we are not rich by any means....

But, it's plenty and it's consistent.

Allen worked hard for it over many years.

I'm grateful for it.

Today I heard another horror story of a life's savings investment gone awry.

I just hate those stories.

They reinforce my humble gratitude for a pension.

And, for a husband who has been a conservative NON spender all his life.

Thanks, RAH, for keeping us solvent and for having a job all those many years.

Monday Again

Today's sad story revolves around:

alcoholism
suicide
job loss
overwhelming credit card debt
an out-of-control spend-thrift husband
drug-addicted daughter
prostrate cancer

and, all of this is in one family; broke my heart.  I was so discouraged and it was only ten in the morning!

A man and his girlfriend came in to see the transient bishop.  He was pleasant, suffered greatly from Parkinson's disease and announced that he was headed to Salt Lake to join the church.  Good for him.  I hope it's not because he needed money to support his cigarette habit, which was overwhelmingly evident by the smell.  I hope it's not because he needed food and clothing, which he asked the bishop for.  I hope it's because he genuinely can know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church.

Later in the morning, an awesome person came in.  Jacob restored my spirits.  But, he wasn't looking for a job, so maybe that is why he was so pleasant. He was a newly-called ward employment specialist.  And, he wanted to learn all about things and how he could help the unemployed in his ward.  He was inspiring in so many ways!

Just before I left, I talked with a 70 year old man.  He worked in Hollywood for many years as an actor, moved to Utah in the 1990s and has had some acting gigs in Southern Utah.  But, he needs money and a JOB.

Mondays - always a jolt back to reality!

There's a Name For It....

...reading in bed, that is.....

and, it's something I really love to do!

Thankful Every Day 12

TECHNOLOGY!

I'm thankful for:

computer,
cell phone,
ITouch,
IPad,
ITunes,
FaceTime,
Email,
GPS,
Back-up Camera in Car,
Digital Camera,
App Store,
On-line Shopping,
On-line Genealogy,
Church Website,
Flash Drives,
Back up storage,
Kindle e-reader.

Have I missed anything?

I'm grateful for it all.

Of course, I recognize the downside of technology; I'm very sorry that people get hooked on it, that people use it for evil purposes, that people abuse it, that people use it to steal identity.

But, I am grateful for the good things about it!

So, excuse me while I go do some genealogy on familytree.org.

Thankful Every Day 11

First of all, let me say that I HATE war!

It destroys lives, families, cities, homes, and so much more.

Having said, that however, I am eternally grateful for the young men and women who serve in our military, including our son, Lt. Commander, Dr. Jeremy Hackworth

He's had his turn in Afghanistan as have so many others.

The loss of a life of any soldier is tragic.  The wounding of any soldier is tragic.  Theirs and their familiy's lives are forever changed in ways we cannot imagine.

Today, I give honor to all who serve and have served.  Thank you so much; it is not an easy choice you have made.  But, it is an honorable one.

Here are Google's and Bing's tribute to VETERAN"S DAY.

Thank you again all, for your great service and sacrifices over many many years of America's history.

I am thankful.

Thankful Every Day 10

What a wonderful world!

Holy smokes, what a world...with its colors, its varieties.

I'm so thankful for this beautiful world in which we get to live....

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your amazing creations.

Lucy and the Banana Bread

This is how I used to mash the bananas for banana bread:

It took awhile and was tedious.

And, then....SHE came to visit this summer:

And, SHE taught me to mash bananas this way:

Good-bye fork, hello potato masher.

 Thanks, Lucy.  I think of you every time I make banana bread now!

Lucy, on the day we were outside doing chalk drawings....she got more on her than on the driveway, but, hey, that's what made it FUN!

Thankful Every Day 9

Today, I am so thankful for

In reading about the Sandy hurricane/storm victims in the East, I realize just how critical ELECTRICITY is...

I mean, think of what a person does in one day:

shower - hot water from electricity
curl hair - using electricity
eat breakfast - blender or stove using electricity
work on the computer - using electricity
listen to music on the radio - gotta have electricity
watch a sports show on tv - need electricity
iron some clothes - yep, I need electricity
wash and dry clothes - electricity is once again needed
read at bedtime - electricity so I can see

Everything we do during the day is dependent on electricity.

So, today, while the sun shines, I'm so very grateful for that marvelous invention

e.le.c.t.r.i.c.i.t.y.

Thankful Every Day 8

I've always appreciated that RAH had a steady job over our married life.

But working at the Employment Center has taught me something......

his job is and has been SUCH A GREAT BLESSING!

When I see:
82 year old man
65 year old man
32 year old single mother of two
35 year old single mother of four
55 year old woman with mooching husband
21 year old convicted felon
homeless

people...

all needing one thing:

INCOME.

I realize how incredibly grateful i am for the three letter word...

a JOB.

So, that is what I am so grateful for today...jobs and income.

Thank you, Heavenly Father for RAH's job over many years.

Four Years Ago....

on this very day...the day after the Presidential Election - 2008,

RAH and I were in Alexandria, Virginia on a home exchange.

We were sitting in the family room watching the evening news from Washington, DC.  The news reporters were showing the reactions of people in the Nation's Capital after hearing the news of Barack Obama winning the election.

People were ecstatic!  America had elected its first Black President; it was an historic moment and we were right there where it was all happening; oh, it was exciting.

As the new reporters showed the enthusiasm and excitement of the throngs of people in the streets of DC, they began to interview many of the people in the streets.

I'll never forget one young Black lady who said:

"This is the happiest day of my life...a Black President!  I'll never have to work another day in my life!"

I sat there stunned....was that what she really thought it meant to elect a Black President?

Sadly, that statement was a foreshadowing of things to come and of attitudes that permeate our country...it is not just Blacks, however.  I do not mean to imply that.  But, the attitude of, "I don't have to work.  The government will now take care of me."

It's frightening...
It's scary....
It's not the America I know and love.

May God Bless America!

Thankful Every Day 7

A Car....

On our mission, we meet many adults who have no transportation.

They bike, walk or take the bus....

Now, walking and biking can be very good ways to get around.

But, I'm very grateful we have a car.  We live too far to walk to places - like our mission, grocery store, to visit sylvia, etc.

I have taken transportation for granted most of my life, but I'm definitely grateful now!

A Job for Every Seeker...

I wish we could guarantee that.

I wish that there were jobs for all those who want them.

But, unfortunately, it is just not so...

The 50 year old who has experience and skills, but no bachelor's degree....
The 21 year-old one who has a felony and can't work in certain jobs....
The single 30 year-old mother of four who has health issues, no transportation and was fired from her    last two jobs.....
The 65 year old who needs to supplement his social security.....
The 32 year old single mother who just up and quit her good job two years ago and now can't get                            rehired....

....these were all from Monday and Tuesday.

And, speaking of these people who need jobs...one of the men I visited with told me about courting his wife.  He sent her flowers every day for a week, bought her a pair of diamond earrings, and won her heart.  He spent five hundred dollars in one week courting her.

I didn't ask, but I wanted to say, "Well, how many flowers have you sent her in the last ten years?"

Thankful Every Day 6

AMERICA

is what I am thankful for today on this day of voting.

And, even though my candidate is not likely to win, I love the idea of having the privilege to VOTE.

I am forever grateful to live in this incredible country.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the blessing I have to live here!

I truly do love my land, America.

Thankful Every Day 5

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

Immediate and extended.

My cousin from Rexburg visited yesterday.  She's beautiful, fun, good, funny.

I do love my family.