I shared this picture on Facebook and wanted to share it here as part of my tribute.

Footprints
Also Known As "I Had a Dream"

One night I dreamed a dream.

I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."

The Passion of The Christ (movie)

I really feel that these two pictures go hand in hand. Christ carried ALL of us when He was forced to carry His own cross to his death. It is the symbolism that is true with the the long loved poem from above. He has physically carried us on that day and continues to carry us everyday in our lives. He carries  us during our hardest, toughest, loneliest and quietest moments. I wonder if I make CHOICES that could lighten his burden from me, and give him rest. The physical burden was so great and I'm sure that the spiritual burden is just as demanding for my Lord and Savior to carry. I pray that I can make those choices and walk beside Him through this journey of life.

 I LOVE MY SAVIOR and hope to show my respect for him

 for all that he has done and sacrificed for me.

(Adversity)

I have, like so many others, gone through some very difficult times (more than once). While my posts, the research and work that I am putting into them, is truly helping with all the things that come with ADVERSITY, I thought that I would share with you some of my thoughts. I tend to do exactly what I have done with my blog, not dwell or "talk" about the problems that are going on in and around my life. As I've stated before I withdrawal, take care of the ones that are in my care, and reconsider where I am in my life and what if any needs to be adjusted. I have been doing a lot of the adjusting lately, hoping that it will not only help me but my family. One of the major adjustments has been our focus on Christ in our lives, family and home, another is the focus of our family first and the rest afterwards. We have a daily morning and evening family meeting, we have family night once a week, we have family game night once a week, and family movie night once a week. I hope that with some of these adjustments and focuses as well as others and with God's and Christ's assistance we will all be stronger for the effort we are putting in now. Strength will help us all through the adversities in life that we no doubt will all have. These are just some of the strength words that give meaning to the ones that endure, even if it's just to the end of each day as I like to say.

Perseverance, constancy, determination, drive, endurance, immovability, moxie, persistence,  purposefulness, steadfastness, tenacity, attentiveness, commitment, dedication, diligence, honor, honesty, and love.

Here are some photos and quotes that I thought shared and showed this message, including Christ and his one true adversity he had to endure, that we will never have to know because of his true and everlasting love for US his sisters and brothers.

“Adversity is like a strong wind. I don't mean just that it holds us back from places we might otherwise go. It also tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that afterward we see ourselves as we really are, and not merely as we might like to be.” 

― Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha

"I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature." John D. Rockefeller

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all." Dale Carnegie

"All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man has taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first." Ralph Waldo Emerson 

"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying. "Here comes number seventy-one!" Richard M. Devos 

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, 'press on' has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race."
Calvin Coolidge

He is there to help us, guide us, stand with us, and endure with us till the very end. He gave ALL that he had for us, he BLED for us, He cried for us, He prayed for us, and He gave his life for us. All he asks in return is for us to follow him and know him. He is close enough that if we just extend out our hand for Him He is there to receive and assist us. Have we shown our respect to Him, have we shown Him even the tiniest bit of the Love he showed us? He hasn't asked much of us but does expect ALL from us, like any parent or elder brother would expect. My hope and prayer is that YES we have and that we continue everyday to endure through the adversities of this life with his help, and show our LOVE for him by doing so.

I was thinking that I would take the pictures of Christ this month and put them in chronological order according to his age. I have found that to be more difficult than I first thought, as well as that I just couldn't do it. I am being guided through this experience and I really need to stay true to it and post what is inspiring me at the time and moment. I do have a special woman/friend in my life that has a chronological picture order for me and I can't wait to get it and share it, I really do want to see them all together like that. However in the mean time I am going to continue to post what is inspiring me each day. I found this one last night and truly fell in love with it. How could I not with my boy, I just smile right back at it!!!

 My dear friend Lindsay came over today with her little guy (not so little lol.. he is the same age as Chris and taller than Jimmy already) and stayed for several hours. It was so wonderful to have all the boys together and watch and listen to them play as well as be able to do some VERY much needed catching up. I could just imagine one of the boys going right up to Christ and playing with him just as this little boy is doing!! I included the artist's statement because I could't say it any better and agree with every part of it fully!!

"Innocence" by: David Bowman

This is David's artist statement for his piece:

"The Savior tells us we need to become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God. I’ve often wondered what it is about little children Jesus loves most, and I think its their innocence. They are clean slates, seeing the world and others through untarnished eyes. Their hearts are pure, without the baggage of cynicism and self-doubt. In this piece, I’ve tried to imagine how a child would act upon meeting the Master for the first time. Without reservation or inhibition, I think he would simply want to play with Him. He would be at complete ease, allowing his pure little heart to soak in the love and laughter of His pure, infinite heart. Its no wonder Christ delights in these little ones and sets them up to be our examples."

I hope that I can live up to their examples!!

The very moment every parent cherishes...

The Nativity Story... (movie version)

The moment your new born child is wrapped in blankets (swaddling clothes) and nestled up to you, a moment as a Mother (parent) you will never forget. I wonder how Mary looked at her Son and Savior as he grew, and then up to the moment she knew that his mortal experience was over. Did she remember this moment that forever bonds a child and his Mother, or the moment that the spirit told her that she was caring God's child, the Savior to the world, or the moment that he began teaching her and the Elders what God's Love truly was and so on. I venture to say that she remembered ALL of it!! His whole 33 years!! EVERY minute, EVERY detail, no matter how small it seamed, just as any of us would as we saw our SON die a horrible painful death that we knew we could not stop. 

And then THIS very moment would be the thought that I would cherish and hold fast to... 

**I'm going to dedicate the next month to Christ in all that I do to make a conscious decision and thought of Him as many times during the day as I can!! I'm going to see how many pictures touch me of him and share them. So I'm starting tonight/this morning, I guess, and see how the next month goes and really celebrate his life and sacrifice he made for me!!**


This was my Facebook post on Friday November 25, 2011 at 12:46 (I've been having a hard time sleeping lately)... I have decided to see this through and to the best of my ability share my experience with my family, and document it here on my blog. I do use pictures a lot, I feel like I can get my thoughts combined with my feelings out in pictures, but I know that it is more than just a picture it is my soul, my spirit.


I hope that my family and friends will get something from my sharing and that my living testimony of Christ will be documented as well as grow over the next month, as I try to stay focused on the TRUE SPIRIT of the SEASON.

Baby Jesus in Manger by: Simon Dewey

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary Did You Know". 

I have been thinking about the song a lot and really listening to the words, and how they relate to me and my life. I have the words to the song here:

Mary, did you know

that your baby boy will one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know

that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know, 

that your baby boy has come to make you new? 

This child that you've delivered, 

will soon deliver you. 

Mary, did you know 

that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? 

Mary, did you know 

your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? 

Did you know, 

that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? 

When you kiss your little baby, 

you've kissed the face of God. 

The blind will see 

The deaf will hear 

The dead will live again. 

The lame will leap 

The dumb will speak 

The praises of The Lamb. 

Mary, did you know 

that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? 

Mary, did you know 

that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? 

Did you know, 

that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb? 

This sleeping child you're holding, is the great I AM.

"Christ My Son My Savior by: Simon Dewey

I know that she knew, but can you imagine, DID she REALLY know!?! Can you imagine the worry and the awesome responsibility that she felt, knowing and preparing for 9 months for the time she would deliver the SAVIOR to the WORLD, that she would raise him and instill in him all that he would need for his mortal life, that she would have to watch her Son and Savior Die on the cross, and that she would then know that he lived again!!


Did the mothers of the Stripling Warriors know that as they were teaching their son's that they would one day free them from danger and slavery? That they would honor their parents and heritage in a way that God had no other choice but to protect every last one of the 2000. Did Albert Einstein's mother know that her son would be considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century? Did George Washington's mother know that her son would be the first president of the new country, The United States of America? Did Abraham Lincoln's mother know that her son would be instrumental in changing the history of our nation and begin the process of the new birth of freedom? Did Emma Hale Smith's mother know that her daughter would marry the Latter Day Prophet of God's gospel being restored to the earth by him. That she would do so at great sacrifice to herself and her family. Did Joseph Smith's mother know that her son would be God's voice and would restore Christ's gospel back to the world for all. Did she know that she would see her Son tortured, tared and feathered, suffer, and die because he never faltered in his testament of Christ and never denied who he was and what he was ordained to do. That he had the character and faith to stand as a witness to the the truth, and brought back to the light that which had been lost and forgotten.


Do we know what our Son's and Daughters are destined to do or be? I know that I do not, I have not been let in on the secret destination of their lives. I hope all things for them and know that through our Lord and Savior all things are possible. I hope the best for them and hope that God will lead me and direct me to help mold them for what their unlimited futures hold for each of them. Am I living up to the responsibilities that God has given me? Will my son's be counted among the Stripling Warriors of our time? I'm afraid that they may have such a battle fought in their lives, and I hope that I can plant that foundation that they need to withstand all that they must and stand as witnesses before man, and have the faith to testify of God and his truth. This is my hope and that I will live up to those responsibilities as have many of the mothers God has trusted with his children before me.

For many years I have needed and wanted to have a family motto, but in my ever to search to make it just right (perfect) I have always came to a HUGE brick wall. Well this weekend it came to me, partly because I prayed for the inspiration to have something help us at home right now and partly out of pure desperation. This is what I came up with during a "family mtg" again on Saturday, we've averaged 2 each day for the past week...

I will RESPECT myself

I will RESPECT my family

I will RESPECT my home

I will RESPECT others around me

I am a visual person and have always loved putting my thoughts to photographs... here is what I came up with tonight while I couldn't sleep, because Chris still hasn't been to sleep yet tonight and just got through asking me if he could just get up and get dressed for school now.......... mind you that was at MIDNIGHT!!!!!! UUGGHH!!!..... 

See DESPERATION!!!!!

*note that I have included one of my best friends paintings in my collage and haven't had a chance (since it is midnight after all) to ask her permission to use her photo, so I might need to change the collage.