Count my many blessings, Salmon is one of them

Today being Sunday, the Sabbath is a day of rest. I realized today how important it is to go to bed no later than midnight on Saturday. I have made it a habit to lay around after breakfast and get ready for Church leisurely by one o'clock. Not so today. I was awake until the wee hours of the morning, 2:00 am! I was scheduled to go to Tithing settlement at 10:50 am., with my home teachers coming at 11:30. No problem. I was ready and down at the ward on time.

But, there were fire trucks, and police cars around the church building and people were coming out as if it was time to go home. Priesthood/Relief Society for the ward that meets at 9:00 am were leaving early. I went in to hang up my coat and someone asked if I was there for church. I said yes, but then explained I was there to see the Bishop for Tithing Settlement. The gentleman from that ward said everyone was evacuating the building because of carbon monoxide poisoning. The fire dept was there checking all the rooms.

Evidently something had gone wrong with the furnace from the night before. It was discovered somehow and everyone was leaving. I checked at the bishop's office before I left and he was gone, as were the ward clerks. I got my coat and started home. I saw the bishop and his counselors standing outside the building talking to the policemen as I drove home. I didn't know if we were having our meetings in two hours. My home teachers came and went, so by then we were ready to head back to church. Since we had heard nothing to the contrary, we decided to just GO!

The announcements indicated there was indeed a problem with the ventilation and checked out satisfactory for our ward to meet as scheduled. Thank goodness. I count it as such a blessing to have been there today and the spirit was strong. I don't know how I would have felt had we stayed home. But, if we knew ahead of time I told Aaron I would go to Cascade II ward in that case. He wasn't as sure about going there. It does not matter now.

I just rescheduled my appointment for next week to do my tithing settlement. I am grateful to have the opportunity to have tithing to pay, and a the blessing tithing has always been for me and my children.

Windows of Heaven, The Blessing of Tithing

I honestly can say we have not gone completely without the necessities of life. We have always had a home to live in, plenty of food and more clothes than we needed. All of us have enjoyed good health with very few set backs in that way. I attribute that to tithing. Back in the years we lived at BYU married student housing, we did not have some of the struggles others had in being able to provide for ourselves.

We also had the means to take care of our needs temporal as well as physical. When Tara was almost three, she had surgery on her kidneys. She was in the hospital during the holidays. I know we were watched over and she came through it valiantly. She sure had a lot happen to her in her young life. Even so, we had no worries of excessive medical bills and were able to have her taken care of locally instead of going up to Salt Lake to Primary Children's hospital.

We had the guidance of the Holy Ghost to aid us in our time of decision. Again, I believe it was through our faithfulness in our tithes. I would do some beauty work at home, cutting hair, and doing perms for people. I always paid tithing on that money as small as it was at times; there always seemed to be enough to buy gas for the car when needed, or have bread and milk in the house to feed our family. I was blessed in my work besides with our overall healthiness. I remember when things were bare in the cupboards I prayed and asked for help. I would then no sooner have someone's haircut to do and I could get enough to get us through those times. I understood too how it is for young marrieds with small babies and survive pay check to paycheck. It made me sensitive to my own children when they were at those stages in their lives.

I am so pleased with all of my children and how they manage to provide for their own families. It does a mother good to know it is an act of faith to pay tithing. It takes faith rather than money to pay tithing. The windows of heaven surely pour out blessings upon us with no room enough to contain all those blessings. I know, I have lived it.

We had Alaskan salmon for dinner tonight. Candice prepared it. Aaron usually does, but today his feet were hurting he could hardly walk. So we took care of making dinner and he watched Parker. I love fish. I used to eat halibut out at restaurants. But I changed to salmon. Not sure why or when, nevertheless my children don't all embrace the joy of salmon. Aaron was no exception. He left on his mission to Oregon. Salmon country no less. He said he went six months out before he decided to at least give it a try. Ever since then he loves it! His mission president's wife prepared it for the outgoing missionaries and he was there for those times when they were leaving to go home. He learned how to make a brown sugar glaze that tastes so yummy. He did make us some of it tonight to go with the tender, juicy salmon.

Aislyn even gave it a try and liked it!! That is pretty good for a six year old. Ella was not as impressed with the taste. She tried it but didn't want another taste.

Back to lesson I learned about going to bed earlier than 2:00 am on Saturday night. I was so tired by the time we finished dinner. No nap today or time to rest either. I helped with the dishes, not wanting to leave a messy kitchen to close the Sabbath.
There was a fireside this evening at the church with Robert J Matthews, former temple president speaking on his feelings about Christ(mas). I know it would have been very uplifting, but when I was as sleepy and tired as I was I chose to honor my tired body and not overdo it.

I also decided to do my journal entry here before it got too late and go to bed earlier tonight. I know it makes a difference in how I can manage the week if I do take care of myself by taking a nap on Sunday, and it gets me ready for the week. My body needs a rest from my labors which is why and how I honor the Sabbath.

Grandma McIntire and her example:

The dishes all done, the house picked up from taking the extra time yesterday somehow makes our Sabbath a little more restful and meaningful... I will interject something here that Grandma McIntire taught me. She never, right, never went to bed at night with any dirty dishes in her sink. Sometimes she would stay up until 1:00 am making sure her kitchen was spotless.

I know she would be pleased with me sharing this about her and how I value her example. She demonstrated hard work and a good work ethic. She was very organized, had things figured out and done systematically. It helped me teach my children what was expected since I had to learn that myself much later than they did. She was my role model.

I know she has blessed many generations and we can call her blessed. Amen.

Faithful servant of the Lord--

I just read in the paper today, that our former BYU 102nd ward Bishop Seymour P. Steed, passed away this week. He was 86 years old. I remember how kind he always was to me and our family. He was our bishop when Tracie was born. He was finishing his doctoral degree in marriage and family, psychology while our bishop. Now that is amazing. God bless him.