Author: Jeanne

Born in southern Idaho. Attended Brigham Young University. Worked as a transfusion service medical technologist at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah for 45 years. Married Robert & have 3 children, 7 grandchildren.

Debris

Jeanne 1 Comment

Last weekend was General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I was impressed with a challenge given by Russell M. Nelson, President and Prophet. He spoke of the renovation taking place on the Salt Lake Temple. Apparently there is considerable excavation as they dig down to the foundation, and much debris to be screened for historical finds and then the remainder to be throw out as trash.

Our lives accumulate debris. I hope it’s not as bad as I sometimes see in every corner of my house…lurking unfinished projects, ‘things’ I’ve long forgotten why I saved them in the first place. Going through them is usually overwhelming, and exhausting to be prioritizing so many things at once. Do I really have time for this? Am I still interested in that? Why do I have so many of those? and, Oh, is that where that is!

President Nelson challenged us to identify debris in our lives and eliminate it. Just like cleaning up a discouragingly cluttered room, the thought of looking inward for a clean-up, is not exactly exciting. It would be interesting to see how we spend our time each day. We all have things we consider of supreme importance, and I suspect they aren’t cleaning the house, or games on our phone, or watching TV, or reading facebook posts.

I suppose the first step would be to identify what those really important things are and if we are really getting around to them, or, are you like me, and keep saying, “I’ll get to it next week….” I’ve said that about a couple of projects for more than a year now. So, I’m going to try to clean up. Unfortunately, it’s probably going to involve some habit breaking and changing, and that’s hard.

I need to post a poem about it. But I don’t have one. Do you? Somebody post us some lines about our debris.

Listen to the General Conference message on www.churchofjesuschrist.org

WHY FISH

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For some people, it’s fishing. Some really get into gardening, or walking. Some of us travel. Photography, art, singing. Hobbies. My Dad always said that everyone needs a hobby. His was building radio-controlled airplanes and then flying them. He also played the guitar and taught me. That became a passion for me for many years. What is it for you? What beckons you? What is it that is so compelling that you even forget to eat?

Fishing brings us to lazy rivers, streams & bayous, or lakes wide & deep,
Or sand & waves, or oceans wide, with dreams where large fish sleep,
Where small & large, thick & thin, black to white, fish wish to stay,
With live bait, flies & lures, we fish night and day.

And when at last, we catch a fish, from a bass to silver king,
We have a fight from great to sleight, that makes our spirits sing!
Some fish for food, some fish for sport, some catch & then release.
Some fish to relax in our Creator's art.  God's canvas brings us peace.

As we hold this life force within our own two hands,
It's up to us to free that fish, or cook it in a frying pan.
If I decide to keep this fish & take it's life away,
I take it's life reverently & before we eat that fish, we pray.

We thank God for all the miracles of fish to meats on land or sea,
From fruit to nuts, peas to melons; all here to set our taste buds free.
We thank God for everything we smell,  touch, taste, hear, sense & see.
For the Gifts to talk & walk, & sing praises unto Thee.

We are grateful for every living thing:  mammals to birds, shrimp to fish.
We thank God for Jesus the Christ.  He grants us each worthy wish.

Innocence

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I’ve been thinking about our society and how we relate to each other. I see tons of mistrust, judgement, apathy, anger, depression, hopelessness, sadness, pain, disappointment, discouragement, and the list could go on. You’ve seen it too.

We could all argue about the causes of all this, and we all have different solutions. And it all just makes me tired and want to go to bed and forget it all, but, when I’m trying to go to sleep, I keep thinking about it. Wondering.

There are some days that I never laugh or even smile. But, there are some days that I do because of what I see.

I see my grandson. He always has a smile for me, and he hugs me in his own special way. We point to noses in his animal books. We laugh at the pig puppet. He squeals when I chase him. He says words that I don’t understand, but they are sweet, and they are innocent–totally accepting. He doesn’t know about COVID. He’s never been bullied. He doesn’t even know what country he lives in. He doesn’t know that you need money. He doesn’t know what the plan is for the day.

He lives in the moment and loves it. New objects are a delight. Old ones are too. Anything you plan is fine. I see a peace and calmness in his face, and, for a few minutes, all the world is great, and problem free, and happy.

I just can’t thank God enough for this precious miracle in our lives. Blessings really do come in little packages.

Gratitude

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This is the last and 5th psalm of Thanksgiving:

Gratitude is the gateway to Christ's pure charity.
Let's strive to be grateful for all we know, taste, touch and see,
Like rainbows & different flowers, insects, mammals, reptiles, 
birds, fish, lands and sky,
Let our hearts by filled with gratitude, and let us share it by and by.

#givethanks

Be Grateful

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Psalm #4 

Be grateful for each pain we have that gives us greater light.
Heartaches from our dear ones can help us gain insight.
Let us be more grateful, for everything we learn and see.
Remember, just past death's door, we join in God's eternity.

Giving Thanks

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This is the 3rd psalm of Thanksgiving….I think I missed a day. Yesterday I was feeling a bit down, you know, when everything goes wrong, and you can’t seem to focus on anything, and you don’t feel like doing anything, and you feel guilty for it?

And I thought about gratitude and knew that was the gateway out of my depression…But….Knowing something and doing it are 2 very different things. It’s easy to be grateful when you feel good. Tell me what you do to be grateful when you don’t especially feel like it?

Let us try giving thanks when life burns and stings.
Through many kinds of emotions, God's hope gives us wings,
To fly above life's turmoil and feel God's healing Son,
And warm us & friends, as we grow and live as one.

The Gateway

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This is the first of 5 psalms of Thanksgiving, one to be posted each day for the next 5 days.

Gratitude is the gateway for all who truly see.
Grateful eyes see past life's woes into eternity.
When we see & hear through all life's trials, with all our soul & heart,
We do become more clear & true, as gratitude becomes a  practiced art.
The true joy & gratitude are found in the simple things of life.

Thanks Giving

Jeanne 1 Comment 
Thanks Giving is for giving thanks from the last unto the first,
For what our family is to us, we strive to tell in humbled verse.

From Roland  unto Grandpa, we'll give each soul two lines,
And hopefully we'll say some things where truth with love entwines.

Roland Gene  is the newest babe to join us here on earth.
Roland rolls us in joy and laughter.  His heart is of great worth.

Allie-Mae Venice is sweet & honest.  She touches us deep within.
Allie fills us with her love.  Her warm heart helps us win.

Jetta Rose Renee is full of energy.  Her smile warms our hearts.
Jetta's kind, caring ways touch us deep, as she does her special part.

James David  has fun-loving honesty reaching deep within his soul.
We feel his heart & like his smile & love to watch James grow.

Asa Joseph Aaron is a thoughtful son.  His courage grows within.
Ace's honest integrity will keep his soul from sin.

Parleigh Ann Deseret is a gifted soul in art and writing too.
Par's honesty and courage will safely guide her through.

Ammon Abraham is a thoughtful soul, wise beyond his years.
Ammon has a wondrous mind.  His good choices cast out all fears.

Now we move to our children & every special spouse
That gives us joy & love, as we seek for God's house.

Evamarie Richardson, our last daughter, is a Mom, clear and true.
Eve's greatest joy is for Ben & James, to help them to grow true.

Benjamin H. Richardson is a loving Dad and a true mate.
He tries his best in all he does for a good home to create.

Valoree Dawn Carver is a special, caring friend to all our family.
Val tries her best, as wife & Mom, as everyone can see.

Joshua Brian Carver is a great Dad & husband to his wife.
Josh helps us when he can & lifts our worldly strife.

Aaron Abraham Anderson is a good Dad & mate to his wife.
Abe loves & serves his family beyond all earthly strife.

Taryn  Wooley Anderson is a great Mom.  Taryn's children love her so.
We're thankful for out daughter & friend..  She helps our family grow.

Jeanne Rich Anderson is a grandma, a mom & wife,
The greatest gift Bob will ever have is Jeanne, as my eternal wife.

Now Robert Earl Anderson has left his part to me,
Bob adds the spice in abundance to this, our family.

Attitude = Gratitude

Jeanne 1 Comment

The countdown to Thanksgiving Day (November 26) ought to spark an attitude of gratitude and turn our hearts to reflect upon the blessings we enjoy, even though 2020 has been characterized as a year of disaster. We have been conditioned to almost expect unfortunate events–to the point that we fail to recognize the ‘good’…the things all around us that bless our lives.

Yesterday I was swept away with the spirit of decorating for Christmas as I saw neighbors and family doing this in abundance. As I opened boxes and once again beheld items of sentimental importance…little things: a train, a string of bubble lights, miniature houses and battery lighted tiny trees…all, exactly the same as I left them last year. There was a ‘sameness’ that brought great joy and comfort. Despite the 2020 disastrous events, there was still happiness, just as it always has been, and, for a few short hours of decorating, I forgot the dark 2020 world outside, and all was well.

Gratitude = attitude in all we strive to do.
If we're caught in Covid-19, this title still holds true.
Some see this pandemic through sorrows and swollen eyes.
Our prayers are for all who mourn.  Our hearts feel your cries.

We are an older couple.  We strive to live each day.
We call and text our loved ones and help in our own way.
Jeanne decorates for Christmas as we prepare for family,
In hope and prayer that all are well to join us.  We will see?

We stay at home the best we can to keep us virus free.
We read the scriptures every day to keep our sanity.
We work together on some chores.  On some dreams, we work alone,
But help each other when we're asked, to make our house a home.

We pray each dawn and eve and over every meal.
We feel God's love and comfort as Christ becomes more real.
Gratitude =  attitude.  Thank Thee Lord for good and bad,
For all life's experience with each lesson, happy or sad.

#GiveThanks