THE ENSIGN...and...SOME CUTIES.

There are many magazines out there that one can subscribe to, but this is the one that affects my life in the most positive way for good. The articles and helps in it always touch and uplift my spirit. I would like to share a little article and a couple of thoughts from it.

THE GRAPEFRUIT SYNDROME

(This story is about and by Lola B. Walters)

My husband and I had been married about two years..long enough for me to realize that he was a normal man rather than a knight on a white charger..when I read a magazine article recommending that married couples should schedule regular talks to discuss, truthfully and candidly, the habits or mannerisms they find annoying in each other. The theory was that if the partners knew of such annoyances, they could correct them before resentful feelings developed.

It made sense to me. I talked with my husband about the idea. After some hesitation, he agreed to give it a try.

As I recall, we were to name five things we found annoying, and I started off. After many years of marriage now, I remember only the first complaint: grapefruit. I told him that I didn't like the way he ate grapefruit. He peeled it and ate it like an orange! Nobody else i knew ate grapefruit like that. Could a girl be expected to spend a lifetime watching her husband eat grapefruit like an orange? Although I have forgotten them, I'm sure the rest of my complaints were similar.

After I finished, it was his turn to tell the things he disliked about me. Though it has been more than half a century, I still carry a mental image of my husband's handsome young face as he gathered his brows together in a thoughtful, puzzled frown and then looked at me with his large blue-gray eyes and said, "Well, to tell you the truth, I can't think of anything I don't like about you, Honey."
Gasp!

I quickly turned my back, because I didn't know how to explain the tears that had filled my eyes and were running down my face. I had found fault with him over such trivial things as the way he ate grapefruit, while he hadn't even noticed any of my peculiar, and no doubt annoying, ways.

I wish I could say that this experience completely cured me of fault finding. It didn't. But it did make me aware early in my marriage that husbands and wives need to keep in perspective, and usually ignore, the small differences in their habits and personalities. Whenever I hear of married couples being incompatible, I always wonder if they are suffering from what I now call the Grapefruit Syndrome.
~~~~~~~

I love that little story, here's another thought from the Ensign...

THE GIFT OF PRAYER
by Richard G. Scott

"Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father....

"It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with the worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer.

(I so believe every word of this and I know my prayers are heard and answered. One last thing I wanted to share with you out of this magazine, the Ensign. As this world rolls along with it's many worrisome things that are happening, hold on to this good and true thought.)


Your future is not determined by the conditions around you. It is determined by your faith, your choices, and your efforts. Yes, you live in challenging times, but so did all the people in the scriptures that went before you. You don't have to be carried along in the current of the times. The Lord can and will help you set your own course. The challenges you face will serve to strengthen you as you move forward with your life. Each of you has a bright future, a future you cannot now fully comprehend.

There are no better days than these days, because "these are your days" you are here on this earth at this time for a reason. You have what it takes. You have skills, knowledge, and natural talents given to you by God.

The reason I am confident about all of this is because I know that the Lord lives and loves us. He is the reason each of us have a bright future. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Because we are children of our Heavenly Father and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ...I know our futures are bright.
~~~~~

This magazine is so very uplifting and will help you to look at life in a hopeful and more positive way. Anyone can order it...go online to: ldscatalog.com
(or) you can call 1-800-537-5971 to order
(or) by mail: send $10.00 by check or money
order to: Distribution Services
P.o. Box 26368
Salt Lake City, Utah
84126-0368

We went to visit our littlest grands this past weekend...

Sophia in a little gold angel dress we gave to her.

I think she likes being in just the bloomers the best!

And we had to go and check on our little grands, Caleb and Ella.
They have been in the hospital with RSV and pneumonia! They
were there 2 days and nights...it was so scary! They got a fever,
and within about 2 days they got so sick. They are dong a bit better
now and are at home. It was great to get to cuddle and comfort them.

It's a bad time for sickness right now...everyone take real good care of
yourselves and your families. It seems like some real strong viruses
are out there. I will be glad for Spring to come!