a word to you :)

i stop in a write a novel and then disappear for months and YOU are always there encouraging and loving me when i return. your comments were/are so appreciated! i shouldn't feel guilt with this- but i do. my interest in you and your life hasn't waned- i just have so little time to seek out your blogs for catching up and, well, that is hardly how i want it to be.

but again, thank you for caring- for leaving your powerfully positive words to me and i'll try to do better to do the same for YOU.

xoxo

now- onto what i haven't stopped to write about yet...

i left you in Dec with my testimony of God's love and the wonder of His works in my life! thankfully the journey hasn't been as bumpy since then but- my little family has felt just as much love :)

utah... i was able to visit in Dec with Emily and we had a fun trip! utah, for me, is a place to breath deeply and feel even deeper because i am surrounded by the love of my family. it's always too short- but also always long enough to get revived and nourished for the next leg of my journey. we had a wonderful Christmas- with the usual movies, food, parties and i was able to meet Will. not that Will will remember it- but how fun is it that technology is such that we are able to travel in hours instead of weeks these long distances?! and the baby that i wasn't there to welcome into the world can get to know me anyway- and i him- because of it? i LOVE this family. each and everyone adds joy to my life and i am so thankful for their efforts to be a part of my fond memories when i am there!


my parents gave me a beautiful drop pearl necklace as a surprise. i love it! :) em goes kicking and screaming but this trip was actually a health crisis free trip and i believe she too had fun! we came home in time to celebrate New Year's and to get our feet on the ground for our next semesters.

em barely escaped being tortured through the second part of spanish 4 and managed to get through her algebra 2 with a little tutoring help because of another round of sick days. she was transferred into a business class which she enjoyed but the highlight of the end of her sophmore year was art. she has such talent and we are excited to see her continue in the fall!

before i forget- i must write about the crazy winter we had! lots of snow fell, more than it had in years... even into april. we had so much snow fun! of course school was cancelled- for days! so we took advantage and played our hearts out... made snowmen, took TONS of photos in one gorgeous morning... and ate yummy winter goodies while watching movies and videoing (weird word!) our doing shadow puppet shows on the wall. shannon was with us a bunch as we all had a great time!

during this time frame i also as a single adult leader had the opportunity to help put together a conference for the metroplex area. this meeting was pull my hair out kind of planning and work but in the end the Lord created something pretty special.

as i mentioned, james ferrell accepted our invitation to join us and speak. he was fabulous! touched our hearts and souls with his message of Christ. he was our keynote speaker for the opening meeting and he brought the perfect message for us. but first! my girlfriends joni jensen and carlyna put together a song with a couple of other ladies that ushered in the spirit to an amazing degree. we KNEW that we were about to feel a powerful witness and it came- as to Heavenly Father's love for us. brother ferrell spoke about Christ and the atonement- painful trials and endurances... this talk was so touching that as we ended the meeting for lunch we all sang through our tears, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." i am so grateful for the Lord's mercies in our lives. the testimony i have for the Savior and this gospel's knowledge grew but interestingly added to it my testimony of the SA program and how the Lord has His hand in it! time and time again we were led by the spirit in the planning. i knew that bro. ferrell was to come and speak- the names of our workshop speakers came so freely- and their topics. it was work, but everything kept falling into place and as it did felt stamped in the approval of our Heavenly Father.

and, following the coming and going of about 450 SA's who expressed their love and gratitude for the experience- i knew why it had been so. Heavenly Father knows we are here. He wants this group of people that have been on the outter edges to feel His love and to know that He was/is there for all of us.

a really cool thing came about following the lunch with bro ferrell :) pres riding invited jay, stacy (yes they got married!) and i into meet with bro ferrell for about an hour where we were able to share our appreciation and a bit of our stories with him. by this time i had cried so much (and no sleep for days) that i was pretty much a mess, lol. bro ferrell took each of my books that he had authored and that i had brought and signed them all, too. he said that it was a privilege for him to be at our conference- and for him to meet me and then he wished me the best in my scripture journey and in life. he also signed tay and em's books- which they will treasure forever as i do. not so much the celebrity aspect of the interaction... but the message that is for us all.

i recently read The Peacegiver again. the book is full of insight into how to work through our perceived injustices to see them as potential vanities that are our sins- just as jonah did with ninevah. it's easy for us all to call "foul ball!" but, we are not the Referee in the eternal realm. we have to do better to turn out hearts to Him for guidance and peace.

i also just finished reading The Hidden Christ which bro ferrell wrote about the old testament and how the scriptures contain Christ's life story in archtypes and similitudes. frankly- i was just blown away by the book. i need to know so much more than i do!

to continue with the conference- the workshops were phenominal. the dances and mingles were fun! the food and the service provided by our stake volunteers made my heart swell in gratitude. overall- the Lord was there in His glory and we were blessed with an outpouring of His Spirit. it was beautiful! :)

following the conference i still had to get my homework done and move forward- thankfully i was able to do so with another 4.0 with the blessings of my Heavenly Father :)

speaking of school- loved last semester but had my math assessment taken which concluded that i really belong in grade school! so this past summer i took 2 courses to catch me up to speed so that i could enroll in the classes i needed this fall. i just have to laugh as i think about the journey i'm on... no room for pride here!

i'm going to have to collect my thoughts about the next section of writing and get back to this blog after i do so.

i can't close without expressing gratitude for all that our Father has given my life- so many wonderful people and opportunities for loving and growing.

i wish you the very best and much love...

me :)

a forgotten post finally published :)

i began the month with a status that i had intended to share what i was thankful for, asking you to add some of yours, with the intent to add one more item each day. well, my birthday came and the list was buried under my birthday wishes (so fun!) so i decided to just make a 'note' of it :) here is some of what i wrote to my missionary son, taylor, and below that, the list that was in the making earlier this month:

Hey Elder, i want you to know the things i am thankful for today- and everyday- but especially this week as we celebrate Thanksgiving. i am thankful for being born into the family that i was given! no one was perfect or even close to what they are today. but everyone has tried to become better people and always have had love for one another. Add the atonement and forgiving and repentance, my family has blossomed! tay, there were many difficulties once upon a time, and sometimes there still are... but the atonement is such a blessing to heal hearts and to help love and understanding grow into an amazing thing. today i love my parents more than i ever have. they call to see how i am, they pray for me, they make sure that i get to come to utah when i don't/can't spend the money, and most of all- they love you and em so deeply and so openly that it just makes me love and appreciate them that much more! despite any faults (which are few!) that any of us have- every member of our family has stayed close to the gospel and to Christ and our family is truly blessed because of it. i am thankful that i had the opportunity to be raised in the gospel. i am thankful that i went to primary, yw's, attended sacrament meetings, that i watched countless people go to the temple to be married!

i am thankful that eternal families are the focus of so many different lessons and talks. i am thankful beyond expression for the atonement and the life that Christ lived! everyone has a moment that they suffer or sin and it is such a joy to know that through Him i can heal and repent and live life joyfully. the gospel and Christ are the core of the happiness i feel, despite the hardships that i may endure. i've learned that those very hardships make me that much more important to Him because it is through those trials that i learn, grow, further root myself in the foundation of truth so that i may be helpful to His other children.

sometimes i don't know where the strength will come from, but i do know whatever i need for the task will be provided. what a blessing that is all by itself! i am thankful for the beauty of the earth- for grass and soil, for sand and rock (i especially like the red kind :) for trees, and flowers, and the scents of mother earth- the quiet beauty of a river or lake and the grandness of the ocean. i'm thankful for the amazing, vast world of insects and animals even though i don't ever think i'll care much for red ants! oh, and i love i love seasonal changes and how the breezes let us know that we are alive :) i am thankful for the home and place that we live. flower mound has been a gift of home away from home. what wonderful, sincere, loving friends we've found living here! our lives have been eternally touched and blessed because of our time spent in texas.

i am thankful for you and emily. my two babies that i love more than i ever thought i could love! there have been ups and downs and smiles, laughing, giving! yes, there has been hurt- but again, our loving Savior and Heavenly Father have wrapped us up in their arms and have led us through those times. i see the brightest future for you two! i'm so excited that your love for each other has grown this past year... and hopefully the love that we share for each other will always anchor us when times are hard. i want you to know that i pray fervently for you and em. i attend the temple and seek inspiration in your behalf. i serve in my calling with all of my heart so that you will have a positive example of service in your lives. i work hard so that you will know the value of it- which isn't money- but rather the quality of life that is gained when one is positively engaged in good works. you two are my deepest love and joy and of all i have, you are the most loved and served.

i am thankful for the gift of learning and curiosity! what a gift the world is- it's history, it's sciences, it's people, it's diversity! i am thankful for books and the creative minds that have given us music and art, and thoughtful ideas to explore- even the moments when gifts of genious in the form of humor are shared. this world is full of delight! i am thankful for my years of service in the gospel. i have grown through my callings and each one has contributed to me becoming a more thoughtful spirit. we are so blessed to have the opportunity to serve in so many ways! i have especially loved working with the children, youth, and my SA's. teaching has been a stretching experience and as usual, i have learned more from the lessons that i have taught than i suspect anyone has learned from me.

i love my SA's. i think and pray about them often. they are a group that Heavenly Father loves beyone my capacity to understand. they are the most giving, supportive, and service oriented people i know- and they do it all even though most of them have a yearning for an eternal relationship that hasn't yet been realized. i don't know that anyone knows how difficult that journey is. i see more faith from the faithful in my SA's than i ever have ever known. i am thankful for missionary work. i love what you are doing- what all missionaries are doing! such hard work! i don't know what to say, but other than the gospel, my family, and the work/school that i do, missionary work is what is on my mind... i pray for the work to continue to move forward and that you and the other missionaries are blessed with courage, the Spirit, health, and love so that you may accomplish all that the Lord needs from you.

i am thankful for the Spirit. i have been guided and blessed beyond expression because of the Spirit. i feel closer now than i have ever known! i had an amazing experience recently. i went in for a mammogram where they found a growth. further tests (2 more confirmed it) and so a biopsy was required. early on, after the first test, the Spirit let me know that i would have my answers on my birthday-and there was a calmness to it. well, when the biopsy was scheduled on my birthday, i wasn't surprised, but i couldn't understand what the Spirit had shared because i would have to wait for results. i had had a priesthood blessing, i had had my name in the temple, i had had the Bishop and Stake Presidency aware of my situation and with all of them i shared what the Spirit had communicated. so, on the day of the biopsy, the nurse explained to me that if everything was okay that i would know right at that moment- no waiting! and as you have guessed, they were able to tell as they drew the fluid out that it was benign. the Spirit is a blessing and it's guidance and help is invaluable to me! i could go on... but i will stop now :)

i hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. i hope that some family will take you in and feed you a lovely meal. even if that doesn't happen and you end up eating tuna sandwiches, you can thank your Heavenly Father for the tuna sandwich and know that you are loved... by SO many.

love you and have a GREAT week! ~mom

the following is the list that i began earlier in the month:

Rhonda: time to refocus on things to be thankful for... i am thankful for the growing experiences. (i never knew i was part of the elastic clause, lol) got one to add?
Stephanie Miller: Love it Rhonda! I am thankful for crisp fall air and the smell of a bonfire with kids laughing around it.
Rebecca Holtom Billat: I am thankful that my son is on a mission and is turning into a man before my eyes. Nothing better!!
Suzanne Cook Taylor: Yes, I have one to add. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father that little Manda is doing so well. She had her annual exam yesterday from Dr. Judd who comes down from Primary Children's Hospital to see how Manda's heart is doing. Yesterday they took an ultrasound and found she is doing extremely well! Yay, Manda!! Love you to pieces :-).
Rhonda: thinking of Fort Hood families...so thankful that America has the armed forces but even more thankful for the men and women that make it happen. very sad things happen daily- including the lack of support from their commander in chief, but these fine people still serve with their hearts. Thank you to our past and present military! @mom- that is GREAT news about mandy! :)
Rhonda: when i see others and their struggles, it makes blessings more apparent. we all have them- different shapes, sizes, and scopes... this is about recognizing and then expressing!! i am thankful for the opportunity to be in school while working and being a mom.
Rhonda: today i'm thankful specifically for VETERANS. both of my grandfathers (yes, i still have both!) served and fought in WWII- one as a Marine, the other in the Navy. i'm so proud of them and LOVE them DEARLY :D Happy Veterans Day!!!
Rhonda: what a daughter i have! i am grateful for my em, who sat by my side and helped me with an excel program assignment after her youth group activity. what a smart, cute, sweetie!

Suzanne Cook Taylor: Yay, Em!
Rhonda: thankful for the plan of salvation and temples...
Rhonda: thankful for the times when there is more peace than normal :)
Rhonda: is thankful for the people that inspire and believe in me
Suzanne Cook Taylor: Thankful for my sweet Rhonda Leilani :-)!
Rhonda: is thankful for the warmth and comfort of a home :)
Rhonda: i am thankful for wonderful friends :)

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank; people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God-It was never between you and them anyway.
~kent keith