Gilead E. Black Photo Shoot

So this little guy always has a very serious look on face so tonight it was hard to catch anything but that, regardless he is darn cute.

Gilead Emmanuel Black

Denise Black had her baby today, mom and baby are doing well.

He of course if beautiful and perfect, born around 5 PM, was 7 pounds 13 oz.

Here are the pictures:

 

Reverence Invites Revelation

“I remember a talk that President Boyd K. Packer gave in conference almost 20 years ago entitled “Reverence Invites Revelation” (see Ensign, Nov. 1991, 21–23). That phrase has remained in my heart all these years. It reminds me that we must create in our hearts, our homes, and our meetings places of reverence that will invite the Spirit to comfort, guide, teach, and testify. Because when the Spirit testifies to each of us that God is our Father and Jesus Christ is our Savor, it is that revelation that will invite true reverence born of love and profound respect.”
Margaret S. Lifferth, “Respect and Reverence,” Ensign, May 2009, 12

Topics: Reverence, Spirituality

Powder Valley

On Saturday after a morning session at the temple I went with a friend and his kids to the Powder Valley Nature Conservation.  It is a beautiful place one that must be amazing in the midst of fall color.  There is a small museum there that has displays about nature, wildlife, the water system, etc. and then there are nature trails.  We took two of the trails - one was 1 1/5 miles and the other a 1/3 if I recall.  We all seemed to have fun walking up and down the small hills and taking turns taking lots of pictures.  Some of those pictures made it into my post on nature.  Looking at them most of them are hard to tell who took them so I will not take credit for any of them in particular.  It was very peaceful and relaxed, definitely a place to go back to in the spring to see the new growth and green leaves.  We saw several sets of deer that were pretty tame, very used to humans.  Later we went on a "adventure" with the GPS to find Baskin Robins and after passing it and turning around we found it hidden in a nook of a strip mall.  It was a fun day.  I hurried home and listen to the adult session of conference which was amazing.  It was a very good day.

Caleb and Samuel looking at a display about the birds in the area.

Marlissa in front of the bee hive

Katie checking out the Habitat game

The beginning of the first trail

I am Thankful for my Sisters

I have been blessed with many wonderful sisters who are not only sisters but also some my closest friends.  I am thankful for their examples, their sacrifices, their prayers in my behave, their ability to make me feel loved, wanted, cared about and needed. 

 

I am Thankful for Nature

Most anyone that knows me well knows that I love nature.  I love being in it and taking pictures of it.  I am thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who has blessed us with so much beauty within the world.  Here are some pictures that I have taken lately or last summer.

I am Thankful for Teachers/being a Teacher

Throughout my life I have been blessed with great and amazing teachers - starting with my mom who have inspired me and encouraged me through life. I was not a little girl that was dying to teach, that was Shelly. I was not one that ever thought of becoming a professor or even teaching at church. That sounded like work for other people smarter and more dedicated than me. But I have found as I was inspired and encouraged that I love to teach. I love to watch as others learn - anything from their ABCs to the the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of my most favorite callings have been teaching - Relief SOciety (4 yrs), primary and now Young Woman.

It is nice that now as an adult I have the opportunity to give back and maybe inspire and encourage the girls and students that I work with. There is just something very freeing about sharing my knowledge and beliefs with others and I am grateful for whatever talent that I have in the area.

I am Thankful that we can all Create

Elder Uchtdorf gave an amazing talk about creating and that within each of us is a desire and ability to create. There is a Mormon Messaage made from that talk here that if you haven't seen please take the time to watch. Creating is a beautiful thing - from a simple child's picture to a child itself what an incredible gift we have been given.
My newest creation is this
but I am so thankful for the ability to express myself through the things I make, decorate or otherwise create, what an awesome gift.

Great Quote

“Live the gospel as conspicuously as you can. Keep the covenants your children know you have made. Give priesthood blessings. And bear your testimony! Don’t just assume your children will somehow get the drift of your beliefs on their own. The prophet Nephi said near the end of his life that they had written their record of Christ and preserved their convictions regarding His gospel in order ‘to persuade our children … that our children may know … [and believe] the right way’( 2 Ne. 25:23, 26, 28; emphasis added).”
Jeffrey R. Holland, “A Prayer for the Children,” Liahona, May 2003, 86–87

I am Thankful for the Scriptures

I am so very thankful for the scriptures. I am thankful for the guidance that the scriptures bring into my life. I am grateful for the peace I feel as I read the Book of Mormon and how I feel so close to the Lord as I read it. I think of all the answers I have received through reading and am so very thankful. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE SCRIPTURES!

Veterans Day in St. Louis

Today is Veterans Day and my nephew, Andrew, birthday.  Happy Birthday Andrew!  And thanks to all those who have served, are serving or have a desire to serve this great nation.

I spent the day in St. Louis with a friend.  We went to the Science Center and the park near the temple and then I attended the temple.  It was a fun day, I am tired but it was good!

Here are some pictures:

I am Thankful for the Blessing of Communication

My whole life I have talked and talked, mainly to my friends and family but I like to talk and sometimes it even comes in handy. I like to be able to communicate how I am feeling effectivly and recently that seems to be working with family and friends. I am grateful and thankful for those who talk with me, counsel me, and generally are just willing to listen to me prattle on. What would this world be without that?

I am Thankful for the Prophet

We have a living prophet. He cmmunicates with Heavely Father and Jesus Christ and through that we are bleesed to know the will and driection of the Lord. I am so very Thankful for his guidance and love. What an amazing example of service, love, dedication, sacrifice and testimony.

I am Thankful for my Bishopric

Today I am thankful for my Bishopric. What amazing men they are. Bishop James is one of the most compassionate and loving men I know. He has been my home teacher for a long time and he is the best one I have ever had. Brother Allen is so service oriented and loves everyone. He makes church fun for all of the youth and they love him and admire him for that. Brother Schramm also so service oriented and loving towards all the children in the ward. I am thankful for their examples, dedication, sacrifice and the sacrifice their families make.

I am Thankful for Music

I love music, well I love pretty and peaceful music. I love the power that music has in bringing in the Spirit, how it can calm a situation, how it can bring peace and joy. I am of course a little picky in what I listen to but I just love beautiful music and am very thankful for the hymns especially. My friend Denise was telling me how much she loves Thanksgiving hymns, me too and Christmas music/hymns are on the top of the list as well. Today I am thankful for music.

I am Thankful for Time

Everyone seems to be really busy these days - lots of crazy schedules for families and less time to do the things that matter most. Some days I feel like I have no time, this semester has been the busiest of my life and I have survived but most weeks feel like months so I have had to learn to use my time very wisely. And surprisingly it hasn't been half bad. I have found that when I make the time for scripture study, prayer, learning, friendship, FHE, service everything else works itself out.
Time is one of the only truly selfless thing I have to give sometimes and I am glad that I am learning, all be it slowly, how to give the time that everyone needs to them.
I am thankful for the gift of time.

I am Thankful for Baptism

A little update first: Josiah is doing very well, incredibly so actually. He went home the day after his fall. Just wanted make sure everyone knew so they can stop asking. :)

Today I went to Kiersten Rule's baptism, she is the grandduaghter of Brother and Sister Steed who live in Houston. Her mom, Amy was 12 when I meet her, such a sweet girl and now woman. The baptism went well and just got me thinking about all of the baptisms I have been to in my life. My own in Singapore, I remember cold water - that is about it. And then more family and fiends than I can count. It is always a wonderful day accompained by a wonderful Spirit. I am grateful and thankful to know of the narrow gate that leads us back to our Heavenly Father. Thankful for the covenants I made and the ones the Lord made with me. Grateful for the sacrament so I can be just as clean and pure as Kiersten again each and every week.

I am thankful for a ward family

Recently my friends, The Blacks, 2 year old son, Josiah, took a fall from the deck of one of the families in our ward. He fell 9 feet and hit his head on the last wooden step. Scary situation yet, the Lord put into place all the people that needed to be there to help Denise deal with the injury, take care of her other children, and get a priesthood blessing within minutes. Christy, a nurse, was there to help and stay with Denise in the hospital until Jason could come. Dan was close and came and adminstered a blessing within minutes and provided needed medical advice. Kera swooped up the other 3 kids and took them to her home with her 5 kids. So many people pitched in with cell phones, snacks and other help that allowed Denise and Jason to concentrate on Josiah. Our good bishop was there to help just at the right time with transfering to the PICU and providing addtional support. I know how much Jason and Denise appriciated the help and love shown and it just reminded me of the amazing blessing our ward is in my life.
True they weren't serving me but Josiah is as close to as a nephew as you can get and what amazing examples that others set in helping, caring, loving and serving at a moments notice.
The Savior taught that when "When you do it unto the least of these you do it unto me." What a wonderful thing to see that in action and know that we can truly care for one another and feed His sheep in times of need.