Gratitude

This past week there have been many things to be thankful about.
On Monday Brain and I went down to Arlington ( about an hour away) to help split and stack wood for a couple that was in need of help. His company sent him to China for two weeks and so the job landed on his wife's shoulders. Splitting and stacking wood can be a huge job and very tiring, especially when the wood is in big chunks and wet. About 1/3 of the way through the job we ran into a large piece of wood that was very wet and unyielding. Debbie went to the shed and brought back a fence post driver to see if she and dad could get that log to split. After taking several whacks at it she realized that that wasn't going to work and went and found the axe. Debbie went to take the fence post driver back into the shed and must have leaned it up against something the wrong way because it came back down and hit her right across the Achilles tendon and down the side if the heel. When she came out of the shed the blood was spurting from her sock. I motioned to Dad to kill the splitter and told him to call 911. I ran into the house and got a clean towel to wrap Debbie's ankle in and told her that she needed to lie down. She wasn't keen on doing it but she eventually did lie down and I elevated her foot and ankle while applying direct pressure. The ambulance got there and transported her to the hospital but eventually sent her to the cities for further evaluation. To make a long story short- she is home and is taking it easy. From my perspective- I am glad that I had first responder training so that I knew exactly what needed to be done. I am grateful for the Gospel and that Brian was able to give her a blessing to comfort her in her time of great need.

Wednesday morning I went to visit my Dad in the nursing home. He loves to attend the devotionals that they have there and listen to the message being taught. How grateful I am to have the whole truth. The message that the minister gave was complete and good as far as he has knowledge but I wanted to tell them all that the puzzle wasn't complete and that I had the missing pieces. I held my tongue because I didn't want to confront the minister and cause problems in the room. I am grateful that the Gospel has been restored. Some how I need to get that message out there.

Wednesday was just a good day all around and any way you sliced it.

Brian and I have been working hard this week to get our farm cleaned up in case we have to leave the area to find work. Both of us have had a gut level feeling that tells us that that will likely be the case, however we did not want to have to try to clean out the barn and the shed over snow banks this winter so we have been getting rid of junk and moving other stuff into the big shed to sort and separate it where it is warm and more accessible. That task is almost complete. Not the sorting and separating , but getting the barn and the small shed cleaned is almost done. It hasn't cost us a fortune either and that is the best part of the whole thing. I am grateful that Brian and I are able to work together on a common goal. That makes life that much better.

Getting the news that another one of our children ( Christopher this time) has graduated with his Master's Degree is another big blessing. I am so grateful that the church has stressed the importance of education. I grew up in a home that the only thing to be stressed was getting a job and working hard. Education has made a huge difference in the lives of our children compared to the lives of some of the other children in our extended families who have not had the importance of education stressed in their homes. How grateful I am that I could raise our children in this church, where guidance is given for a life time and not just until confirmation. I am so grateful that God saw fit to introduce me to a man that could bring the Gospel into my life. What a great blessing that has been to me!