314. Today I am grateful for the neighbourhood I live in

I love the neighbourhood I live in! It`s mainly families that live here and the people I have come across are very friendly and welcoming. People generally keep their homes looking nice with pretty gardens. It`s also by the river valley which makes it an attractive area to live. From my home I see tree lined streets and a picturesque view of downtown up the hill.  

313. Today I am grateful for summer

As I have mentioned I love the turning of the seasons and enjoy each season for different reasons but summer is definitely my favourite season. I love the warmth, long days and going outside without having to put a jacket on. I enjoy wearing flip flops and Capri’s or shorts, lightweight clothing and summery colours. My skin is not as pale and I can enjoy many outdoor activities. I love summer so much ... I just wish it was a bit longer.

312. Today I am grateful for Prayer with Fasting

On the first Sunday of the month, members of the LDS church are encouraged to fast for the first two meals of the day. A fast is done for a specific purpose whether it is personal or involves others (such as the whole family or ward) and is accompanied with prayer for that purpose to be fulfilled. My fast this past Sunday was a neat experience for me and without getting too personal I did receive an answer in a unique way through a dream. When I woke up I thought to myself, `what a weird dream`` but then almost immediately the explanation came to me. As we learn from Joseph of Egypt and other Biblical experiences, God does use dreams to guide us, warn us and to reveal his purposes.  

311. Today I am grateful for a day at the lake with friends

I am grateful to have been able to spend a day off at the lake with a friend and her family. Not having my family here, it`s nice to be included in other peoples family activities. The weather threatened to storm but ended up clearing up. I had cute babies to play with and friends to catch up with. It was an enjoyable day for sure.

310. Today I am grateful to live in Canada

As we celebrate Canada’s 145^th Birthday I want to share my gratitude for living in such a wonderful country. I love being Canadian, as I shared in this post. I love how diverse and beautiful each province is. I love the image it has; Canadians are welcome in every country. J I love that it is a bilingual country although the extent of my French is understanding what food labels say when turned to the French side (although the pictures often help too).  We have attractive looking money and compared to many other countries, our economy is looking pretty stable. I love our flag, our anthem and our pride ... Yet humility. I love Canada!

309. Today I am grateful for angels

Particularly hard days for me this week were Wednesday and Thursday, in between those days in my time zone was my Grandma’s funeral in Scotland and I really struggled with not being there. On Wednesday I signed on to the internet with my home page set to www.lds.org and saw a link to Elder Scott’s recent Conference talk, “How to Obtain Revelationand Inspiration for Your Personal Life”. It seemed to have come as an answer to my prayers. I have continued to read it several times throughout the week, particularly this section:

 “Another example of revelation is this guidance given to President Joseph F. Smith: “I believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them. … We are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors … who have preceded us into the spirit world. We can not forget them; we do not cease to love them; we always hold them in our hearts, in memory, and thus we are associated and united to them by ties that we can not break. … If this is the case with us in our finite condition, surrounded by our mortal weaknesses, … how much more certain it is … to believe that those who have been faithful, who have gone beyond … can see us better than we can see them; that they know us better than we know them. … We live in their presence, they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than ever. For now they see the dangers that beset us; … their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves.”

Relationships can be strengthened through the veil with people we know and love. That is done by our determined effort to continually do what is right. We can strengthen our relationship with the departed individual we love by recognizing that the separation is temporary and that covenants made in the temple are eternal. When consistently obeyed, such covenants assure the eternal realization of the promises inherent in them.”

It reminded me of one of my all time favourite Conference talks, which was given in the October 2008 (was it really that long ago?!) Conference by Elder Holland, titled “The Ministry of Angels”. He speaks of both Heavenly and Mortal angels and that both have the same purpose to help in times of need. While reading over this talk again, this part is what I most needed to hear at this time:  

“My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. “[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.” On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.”

I know that my Grandma will always be there for me and continue to care for me as she watches over me.

308. Today I am grateful for quiet walks in the park

I have been taking walks in the park close to my home often and it’s nice to be out in nature and have that time to reflect while getting some exercise too.