19 great things in my life...

Suppose you were to read an entire book each week for the next seventy years. You would read 3,640 books. That sounds like a lot but in the Library of Congress are more than 27,000,000 books. Futurist Alvin Toffler said "that books are spewing from the world's presses at the rate of one thousand titles per day." That means that in seventy years there will be an additional 25,000,000 volumes. Even if we read continually, we could not read more than the smallest fraction of the books in print. Therefore, we should not waste time reading anything that is not uplifting and instructive.
-Elder Joe J. Christensen

Jesse found this quote a few years ago and it freaked me out! I love reading but it really made me realize that I need to be more careful in the things I am reading. So this list is kind of important to me because of the 3,640 books I will read in my life these are ones that are worth reading more than twice.

Books I read over and over and over....

19 - Book of Mormon

18 - New Testament

17 - The Chronicles of Narnia

16 - Jane Austen yep all of it absolute die hard

15 - A Christmas Carol

14 - Pathways to Perfection first church book I remember reading besides scriptures.

13 - The Belgariad Series

12 - The Malleron Series

11 - The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox

10 - The Peacegiver

9 - Be thou an Example

8 - Frankenstein

7 - The Portrait of Dorian Grey

6 - Jane Ere ok haven't really gotten all the way through but I love it anyway.

5 - The Screw Tape letters

4 - Jesus the Christ

3 - Little Women

2 - The Little Princess

1 - The Secret Garden
 What is your favourite book that you read over and over?
xoxo
Barb

20 great things in my life....

 Today's theme will be movies 20 great movies that I like in no special order.

20 - Anne of Green Gables

19 - Fiddler on the Roof

18 - Pride and Prejudice (BBC version with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy mmmmm)

17 - Two Weeks Notice

16 - Sound of Music

15 - My Fair Lady

14 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

13 - Man from Snowy River

12 - Chocolate

11 - You've got Mail

10 - The Natural (Robert Redford mmm)

9 - James Bond (Love them all but hard to beat any of the Rodger Moore ones)

8 - Star Wars

7 - Indiana Jones

6 - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

5 - Amazing Grace

4 - The Englishman that went up a Hill and came down a Mountain

3 - White Christmas

2 - It's a Wonderful Life (only the Jimmy Stewart version)

1 - Waking of Ned Deivne

Which ones did I miss??
xoxo
Barb

21 great things in my life...

Today is my son Ryan's Birthday so today's focus will be around 21 great things Ryan has brought into my life...

21 - RYAN

 20 - Air guitar solo's  awesome

19 - Video Games - whether it be PS2 or Wii I am grateful that he gives me a way to enjoy them.

18 - Comics or graphic novels as they are called now

17 - Doing things for people (like taking pictures) especially when you don't want to.

 16 - Ryan actually hates basketball but he played on his school team for me last year.

15 - Belly laughing at things, yes he was pretending to be a rat.

14 - Examples Ryan has shown me how to be a good example to people and how to care for people. This is his cousin Andy at his baptism all the cousins love Ryan.

13 - Animal facts he knows a lot about animals

12 - Youth day in our Stake we have a yearly tradition of playing softball thanks to Ryan I got to watch last year.

 11 - How to live in a messy bedroom? I don't know how he does it but it doesn't bother him at all.

10 - How to never take life too seriously

9 - Bottle rockets so cool.

8 - Love of Xmen movies

7 - Physical fitness Ryan ran his first 5k last summer and did great. 

 6 - Greater appreciation of dinosaurs

5 - Ryan struggles a lot in school but he always is trying his best and is quick to apologize when he has forgotten something or done something wrong and goes about trying to set it right. His humbleness is amazing.

4- Ryan is a wonderful brother he often has to do things which wouldn't be his choice but is very patience with his little sisters.

 3 - A reason to have a lot of baseball caps around

2 - To see things outside the box really who would think of posing beside the giant smiley face like you were getting spit up.

 1 - The capturing and disposal of small rodents.

Thanks for tuning in,
xoxox
Barb

22 great things in my life...

22 - Waterton  I REALLY LOVE THIS PLACE!

21 - Snow

20 - Christmas ordnaments

19 - Trees all kinds

18 - Apples a main stay at our house

17 - Japanese oranges (christmas oranges especially in the toe of my stocking)

16 - Sunrises

15 - Tai chi especially done on hill tops!

14 - Herbal tea

13 - Crocheting

12 - Watermelon

11 - Christmas lights

10 - Hoodies there is nothing that makes me warmer than when I am wearing a hoodie

9 - Clouds so many poems and thoughts and parts of our language are centered in and around clouds that I love them mostly I love that they always keep me looking up!

8 - My thighs ok let me explain they aren't skinny or beautiful but they are powerful I have always thought they are the strongest part of my body and that makes me love them.

7 - Keyboards I love the way keys feel under my fingers it makes me feel fancy when type.

6 - Collies had a couple growing up and I love them they always make me smile! (My dad just bought a pup and he is soooo cute)

5 -  Shooting things yes I love target paratice whether it is pop cans, TV's, pumkins or gophers.

4 - Sleeping in on rainy mornings, only on rainy mornings I hate sleeping in on a beautiful sunrise morning it makes me feel like I have watsted half a day. Rainy mornings however feel like a gift  from Heavenly Father telling me to slllllllow down. Drink some herbal tea and read a book.

3 - Red heads I love them all I have had some very special red headed people in my life.

2 - Dancing, no I am not good at it but turn the music up loud enough and my inner Elaine comes out every time. (Yes click on Elaine and watch the video I promise it will be your laugh of the day)

1 - Pictures I they really are worth a thousand words.

xoxoxo
Barb

23 great things in my life...

23 - My Mother in law of course. I am really blessed to have a mother in law whom I actually consider a really wise friend more than a "mother in law." She is talented in every way I am not and still loves me. I love her a lot.

22 -  Nail polish I don't have it on all the time but I love it when I do.

21 - Moon

20 - Stars

19 - Carpet

18 -Dishwasher by far my favourite appliance.

17 - Running water

16 - Socks especially cute crazy ones

15 - Yahtzee

14 - Envelopes they hide good and bad things

13 - Jazz music especially Diana Krall.

12 - Magnets I know they can be scientifically explained but they are just really cool to me.

11 - Canoes

10 - Chief Mountain the top one is a nice picture, the bottom is a picture from my front porch. Yep that is how lucky I am. I prefer the bottom because let's face it the models in the bottom one make the picture.

9 - Drawers they hide and hold lots of stuff

8 - Letters

7 - Stairs because I kind of hate ladders

6 - Stoves, cooking over an open fire not as cool as you would think

5 - Hot chocolate

4 - My slippers or I should put my Caribou Clothes slippers

3 -  The book series Tennis shoes among the Nephities 

2 - Sewing machine don't use it a lot but when I do I like it

1 - The Calgary Temple I was able to take the kids through the open house it is beautiful to learn more about temples click on the word temples.

xoxo
Barb

24 great things in my life

24 - My Father in Law (it is his birthday today) I don't know if it is really rare or not, but I have  a very special relationship with Ralph. I love, admire, appreciation and respect him just as much as anyone I know. I know that he loves me, and might even respect me sometimes. When I am not being naughty. He makes me feel smart and appreciated. He is one of the greatest blessings in my life.

23 - Northern lights, they are a bit of magic in my life.

22 - Chairs sitting on the floor would get old fast.

21 - Living by a pond with an island.

20 - My hair straighter  yep really love it that much.

19 - Christmas music

18 - Fresh air

17 - Rubber maid containers

16 - Jeans thank you MR. LEVI.

15 - Warm winter boots  Jesse bought me these Muck boots and I love them!

14 - My nose, I am a smeller. I read a story once about a hobo who for lunch would go sit beside restaurants for lunch and just smell his lunch I think I should try this. It would probably help with the weight loss.

13 - World book encyclopaedias my parents had a set when I was young it was one of our favourite things to do, look up random facts.  Did you know that crocodiles  carry their young in there mouths?

12 - Growing up on a farm

11 - Christmas trees, we put up ours on November 12 every year out of respect for the dead or Remembrance Day

10 -  Hair elastics - pure genius -

9 - Sheep I love sheep don't really like cows.

8 - Poetry

7 - Ensign

6 - Small schools 

5 - Nativity Sets

4 - Pinterest (sad but true I got put on the Relief society committee and felt obligated to join up.)

3 - Gutairs and the fact that my husband plays them.

2 - Porch swings nothing better than sitting on my parents front porch.

1 - Remembrance Day is my second favourite holiday of the year, might sound weird but I love paying respect to those who have and still do give their lives for my freedom.

xoxo
Barb

25 great things in my life....

So I miss, this I miss blogging.  Things are not going well in the weight department or for that matter the depression department. Don't get me wrong I am fine, I am fighting, but I don't feel the joy that I use to feel right now. I am working on it. Still going to LDS addictions program, back in group with lifestyles, trying to weigh in weekly in at the clinic, and it is STILL HARD. I wanted to update you on this journey just so you know it isn't all buttons and bows. This is hard, but I am not going to give up.

 My idea for celebrating Christmas this year just for me is to blog about  25 things great things in my life and then tomorrow I will tell you 24 great things about my life and so on...

25 - My Home my father in law, father, husband, brother in laws, brother, friends and even more family helped build it. It is small and squishy and I love it.

24 - Toilets all kinds.

23 - My toes seriously, have you ever thought about how it would suck not to have toes. Read this blog the other day and it made me grateful for my toes.

22 - Computer I  love my computer it is an Apple iMac I was always a Microsoft girl but I love my Mac.

21 - Living on a gravel road.

20 - Not living a long way from the highway. While living on a gravel road is wonderfully romantic it is nice to have a highway only a mile away from your house it is easier to run and bike on.

19 -  Having a bed.

18 - Having a down comforter on my bed.

17 - My fireplace.

16 - Reading I love reading.

15 - Staplers I don't think they get enough credit.

 14 - Sun

13 - Journals

12 - Dishwashers

11 - Paper all kinds.

10 - Canada I really can't say enough how much I love my country, and how much I love being Canadian.

9 -  Grass without thistles especially barefoot on grass mmmmmm few pleasures equal.

8 - Being from a small town.

7 - Classical music

6 - Canadian Geese announcing  the arrival of spring and the downfall of autumn.

5 - Anne of Green Gables (enough said)

4 - Shelves

3 - Teddy bears

2 - The hope and dream of adventure

1 - You yes you who ever you are I love you. I don't think you would be reading this without somewhat knowing and caring who I am. So thank you! See you tomorrow! Merry Christmas!

xoxo
Barb

Great Advice

So my nephew Alec wanted to take a notebook to his chess tournament, so that he could write down things that he learned! This is what he came back with.  

My thoughts on this is at what age did we forget these things? Or maybe is was an incident in life that made us stop doing this? Somewhere in my head I can see my Heavenly Father with both of his loving hands on my shoulders saying"Have fun and take your time!" Then giving me a little shove and adding "Go get them, you can do it!"

xoxo

Barb

Dark days and Happy endings

Hi, are  you still there?

I am still here and still fighting.

I feel somewhat like Enos this morning and so let me quote him.
"And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins."    -Enos :2

While the rest of the summer was fun, I was constantly wrestling with my weight and it has gone up too 207 pounds.

This is not good. 

So this fall I have gone back to lifestyles and weighing in once a week. I also have started to attend an Addiction Recovery Program facilitated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I am tempted to blog about each of the 12 steps but it is too much right now.  I feel like I will be doing and attending these meetings for a while so don't worry I will eventually be blogging about it.  In the mean time if your interested in some incredible reading material see this link for some. Also, check out this book He Did Deliver Me from Bondage these have been very helpful for me in the past month as I have been climbing out of a dark hole.

Now for the happy ending part. 
Sara, I think you all know about Sara (if not click here to get the first part of the story), and I made our annual trek to Calgary last month to do all of her tests and check ups.  To our great delight her doctor released her from the Oncology clinic which means we don't have to go back there anymore. After 10 years of traveling back and forth we are done. 

As I was working through my addictions work book this week I was on Step 3, which is Trust in God. One of the questions was about Alma and his people when they were being persecuted by Amulon for the full story click here.  

14 And I will also ease the ^aburdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as^bwitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their ^cafflictions.

 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did^astrengthen them that they could bear up their ^bburdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with ^cpatience to all the will of the Lord.

The question went some like how would you feel about the Lord just easing your burden instead of taking it away?
I had been pondering on that a while, when the answer came to me somewhere between laying in bed and falling asleep. 
There I was reminded of the night before Sara's surgery to remove her right kidney and tumour, that night was passed in awful fear and pleading until about 2 or 3 in the morning right outside her hospital room was a patch of grass and I went out there to talk with my Heavenly Father finally after explaining to Him that I didn't want Sara to go "Home" I wanted her to stay with me, I finally was able to utter the words... 

"nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou ^fwilt."

Heavenly Fathers will was that Sara come out of that surgery. As the weeks and months and years passed by with visits to and from the Children's Hospital in Calgary. I was a changed women.  The first couple of weekly and monthly visits were very difficult as it would be for any one to have your baby tested, prodded and poked, but it was also difficult to see all the little bald heads, sometimes I would even think of concentration camps. It was hard, but I continued to pray for help. I was given new eyes to see and ears to hear. Instead of concentration camps I saw smiles, and tinkle in the eyes of children doing hard things, I saw parents and volunteers reaching out to each other, and my "burdens on my shoulders felt eased." As the years went by we ALMOST started to look forward to our visits, being able to donate toys, and others ways to help, and "our burdens were made light ." As Sara grew we would plan our girl get aways around nails, haircuts, school shopping and visits to the Ronald MacDonald house, and "we felt like the Lord strengthened us so that we could bear our burdens with ease so we could submit cheerfully and with patience." 

It had been 10 years of bondage and travel when we were released, and I again felt like Alma's people.

21 Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their ^athanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their^bburdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God.

 22 And they gave ^athanks to God, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their God.

The Lord has already given and shown me the answer to this question. He will ease the burden of my addiction on my shoulders. He will make my burdens seem light. He will strengthen me so I can bear with this burden. He will help me submit cheerfully and with patience to His will and eventually I will be lead out of bondage in His time and His way.  I do believe He will do this so that "I may stand as a witness for Him hereafter and know with a surety that the Lord will visit people in their afflictions." Can I trust in God to deliver me from bondage? 

YES!

But I will still have to pray all the time like this, 

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine ^aunbelief."
xoxo
Barb