What a Friend.....

Isn't it a great thing to have a friend? You know, the kind of person you can sit down with and talk to. One who listens and talks back to you too? (That's called a conversation, by the way.) A good friend is one to whom we can express all our deep and innermost concerns and in return is not judgmental of us. A true friend is one whom we can call up anytime of the day or night and unload on them. A true friend is also one who can call and unload on us as well. And we can offer any advice....or just listen if that's what is needed. See, in order to have a friend you need to be a friend. True friends understand each other and have like interests.

I was challenged recently to count how many friends I have. As I started counting my acquaintances and people I talk to on a daily basis, I surprised myself as to how many actually met the above criteria. There are many, many more definitions of a “true friend” but it was a very worthwhile exercise for me to contemplate who were really my friends. I am now motivated to be more of a friend to all my friends.

I have such a friend that I can take my cares and concerns to and still listens to me. Yes, I need to listen more too in order to fulfill the true meaning of a friend....You know, carry on that conversation?  The book my friend has written has in it, all I need to know.   My friend has lots to teach me about maintaining the friendships that I do have also. Thank you Lord Jesus for being my friend.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Thanksgiving Day

Autumn is, and always has been my favourite time of year. The changes in the weather. The beauty that comes in nature. The slower pace in life. The birthdays that so many of us have in the Fall of the year. And especially the time we can take to be thankful on a special day set aside for that purpose: Thanksgiving Day. I have taken some time this year to be thankful for my family who put me up (and put up with me) as I traveled so many times to visit them this year. I am thankful for all my friends that love me and give me support. I am thankful for a measure of health as I progressively get better. But I could not have all these blessings if it wasn't for the grace and mercy of our Creator God. To God goes all the thanks!

Another thing to be thankful for is the terrific weather we have been having, especially for this time of year.  As I was leaving Butte in the morning to travel to my Thanksgiving dinner I was greeted with this scene as I pulled out of town.  Try to tell me that there is no God!!!!!!  

On this Thanksgiving Day I had given some thought to traveling back to California (which would have been the fourth time this year!) to be with my family once again. As much as it would have been nice to be with family at this time of year, I just couldn't see having to travel again! Again, I am so thankful that I do have so many friends here that I was blessed to spend the day with!

Thankfulness

With Autumn comes a certain aire of thankfulness as we contemplate the many blessings that come to us from the hand of Almighty God.  I especially think of the blessings that I have received by way of my family and the many friends that I have.  Without them and their support, it would have been a lonely and uneventful year.  As it was, this year held so many positive events and emotions for me that it would take hours to list them all.  It is for that reason that I started this new blog of my LIFE here in DAKOTA.  I hope to chronicle many more events in my LIFE as time goes on.

With Autumn also comes the aire of thankfulness for the changes of the seasons.  The smells in the air are such a blessing as the leaves begin to fall and the air becomes more crisp.  And with the crispness in the air also comes the first snowfall:  so pure, so white, and so quiet that one can truly pause and give thanks.

With Autumn also come a certain smell in the air.  Only this smell comes from the inside of the house.  I need only let  my family and friends have one guess as to what this delicious odour might be!  Everyone now seems to be standing in line as the stack of lefse starts to build.  I am so thankful that I am able to share this wonderful treat with so many.

IT'S GONE ! ! !

I hope that all of you can see from my previous posts how much my family, especially my grandchildren, mean to me.  I love my travels out west to visit with them as much as I can and I especially love it when they come up here to visit with me!!  (insert HINT here)  I will never stop saying this....... "God has blessed me over and over again.

I will be posting, in the near future, the travels that I made to California in the spring and the summer of this year, 2011. I will also give a little review later on of my trip to Canada and Alaska. So stay tuned!

In the meantime, I have been trying to upload a video to my blog but have been having no success at all and much frustration.  (Where's my techo grandson when I need him?)  But finally I got it to work, so here is the video that Steven took of me this summer, 2011, when I was visiting them in California.  I know, many of you (and I won't name names here) have been waiting, hoping, and praying for this day!!!   SO HERE IT IS!

Birthday Blessings

I must digress a bit here and talk of a day about which I had much apprehension.  MY 65th BIRTHDAY!!!!     I still find it hard to believe that I am now one of society that is on Medicare!!!   I actually never thought that day would ever come!  Furthermore, I thought that whenever I reached that age, I would be some kind of "old foogie" or something.  In reality I must thank God that I feel younger now and, as many of my friends describe me, ACT much younger than I have in the past several years.  I thank God, my family, and my really close friends for that attitude change in my life!

The main reason for that change are all the blessing that God has brought into my life.  Without God's blessings and grace, life would be quite boring and fruitless.  Starting my third year of being alone has been a real experience for me but God has sent his blessings my way time and time again.  I have been blessed by his traveling mercies of thousands and thousands of miles this year by car, RV, plane, ship and bus.  I am blessed by my family and friends, all of whom have, and continue to support me.  I am blessed by good health even though I have reached that dreaded "Medicare age".

I am blessed by a new look as well since I am loosing enough weight to warrant a new wardrobe and I am now sans beard and pony tail.  Finally, and most importantly,  God has blessed me by giving me some very good friends that he brought into my life.  Yes, I am truly blessed!!

Thanks to all of you again for your love and support.

Lego My Boy ! !

And then there's Danny!! What a guy! I am so blessed by him because of his enthusiasm and energy. He is so much like his cousin Leo in that they have such a love of weapons including swords, lasers and light sabers. He has a vast knowledge of anything Star Wars related. This includes toys, books, movies, games, and Legos. I have a bit of knowledge of Lego toys from years past but I am of the Tinker Toy and Erector Set era. Any of those toys takes a measure of engineering and mechanical skills to work with. This little guy has all those qualities. Sitting on the floor with him watching him build space ships and transporters out of Lego parts makes me wonder and visualize what he will be doing as his life progresses.

Will he be an engineer? A scientist? An astronaut? I know one thing for sure: Whatever God calls him to be he will excel, as long as he applies himself,