Small and Simple Things

My dad forwarded this to me. There was no author listed, so I took some literary rights and tweeked it a little and added a couple of scriptures - so if anyone knows who the original author is - please let me know! Enjoy!

Whispers
Author Unknown

A man whispered, "Father, speak to me," and a meadowlark sang.
But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "Father, speak to me," and the thunder rolled across the sky.
But the man turned his back to the storm.

The man looked around and said, "Father, let me see you," and a star shone brightly.
But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, "Father, show me a miracle," and a life was born.
But, the man did not notice.

The man whimpered, "Father, I need your help!" and an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.
But, the man deleted it and continued to call out.

In desperation, the man cried out, "Touch me, Father, and let me know you are here." Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.
But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

A wise man doesn’t miss out on Heaven’s blessings just because they aren’t packaged the way that he expected.
“Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works….” Alma 37:41

Heavenly Father is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted.
“…And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.”
1 Nephi 16:29

Listening to Little Ones....

I hope Amber doesn't mind that I share this, but it touched my heart. Ciara started school this past Wednesday and Amber was able to go with her and stay with her. It was a shortened day and the next day would be a full day 8:20 - 3:20 all by herself. That night Ciara was saying her prayers and asked Heavenly Father to help her so she wouldn't cry at school. After she finished, Amber asked her if she thought she might cry tomorrow at school. To which Ciara said with simple confidence, not any more, Mom. I prayed and Heavenly Father will bless me. What faith, no!?

Angels Among Us

I have always believed their are angels among us - both the two legged variety and the four legged ones! I was checking my email this morning when this story caught my eye. I have read other stories where pets and animals play a key role in peoples' lives and it always touches my heart - deeper than just the emotional level if you know what I mean. I truly believe animals were created to bless us - not just to feed us and help us to work, but to bless us spiritually as well. I wasn't sure how to create a link to the site so I copied and pasted the story here. Unfortunately the picture of RaeLee (pronounced Riley) didn't come through - suffice it to say, his is a very cute mid- sized tan dog. Enjoy!!
Lost and Found Dog Saves Life of Boy with Down Syndrome
by Helena Sung (RSS feed) Aug 11th 2009 5:00PM
Photo: St. Petersburg Times / ZUMA Press
Do you believe in canine guardian angels and the kindness of strangers? You just might after reading this story. Early one morning, Yolanda Segovia's neighbor, Stacey Savige, knocked on her door and asked her to temporarily take in a stray dog she had found. The scruffy terrier mix had no collar or microchip. Segovia eyed the pooch -- burrs sticking to his belly and mud caking his fur -- and reluctantly agreed to foster him for the day. An erstwhile hairdresser, Segovia hasn't worked since 2006. At 47, she is a survivor of breast cancer and cervical cancer. A divorced single mother of two, Segovia shares her Port Tampa, Florida home with her 10 year-old son Azaiah and 21 year-old son Christian. Her elder son has Down Syndrome; he cannot speak or bathe himself, and he has had heart surgery and a kidney transplant, reports the St. Petersburg Times. Azaiah immediately took to the dog, whom he named RaeLee (pronounced "Riley"). Segovia and her sons bought the dog a collar, leash, ball and brown bed from the dollar store, and all that day, Azaiah played with the dog, laughing gleefully whenever RaeLee licked his face. "Don't fall in love with him," Segovia warned.Segovia and Savige made 4,000 FOUND flyers with the dog's picture, stuffed mailboxes and put an ad on Craigslist. When no one called, RaeLee stayed the night at the Segovias' house. His dog bed was placed in the living room, but when the boys climbed into their twin beds, RaeLee dragged his bed down the long hallway and bunked with the boys in their room.By Saturday -- four days later -- no one had called to claim RaeLee, and he was still living with the Segovias. The honey-colored terrier had started responding to his new name. He almost never barked, loved playing rambunctiously with Azaiah, and was tender with Christian. One afternoon, the dog settled himself on the floor near Christian as he watched a "Barney" video in his room. Segovia was outside watering the plants when the placid moment was shattered by the sound of RaeLee crashing into the screen door and barking crazily. Alarmed, Segovia opened the door, only to have the dog race back through the house towards the boys' room. Segovia followed, screaming when she caught sight of her son. Christian was "slumped over, his body writhing in a seizure, blood streaming from his nose and mouth." RaeLee stood next to him yelping, but suddenly went quiet when Yolanda reached down to hold her son. "If he hadn't come to get me," Segovia said, "the neurologist said Christian would have choked on his own blood and died." The dog, she decided, was a keeper.But the next day, Segovia and her sons were heartbroken when someone called to claim the dog they had come to love. Randy Cliff, 34, who lived six blocks away said he had been searching for his dog -- real name Odie -- for over a week. Odie had lived with Cliff, his wife, their four children and infant granddaughter. Savige cried, telling Cliff, "That dog saved my friend's son."When Cliff came to collect his dog, RaeLee a.k.a. Odie, leapt off the Segovias' porch and into his arms. Christian watched from a window. Azaiah stood on the porch watching the man hug the dog he knew as RaeLee. "We're going to miss you," he said, tearfully. Looking up, Cliff took in the scene -- Christian looking scared, Azaiah looking downtrodden -- and asked, "Is that your brother?" Azaiah nodded yes.With a sudden change of heart, Cliff put the dog back down. "Maybe Odie was supposed to find you," Cliff told a stunned and delighted Azaiah. "Maybe you should keep him."And that is how the kindness of strangers -- Savige for rescuing a lost dog, Segovia for taking him in, and Cliff for giving up his pet to a pair of brothers who needed the dog more -- brought RaeLee to live with Azaiah, Christian and their mother.

Lessons From The Strangest Places....

My bed was made and I was on to folding laundry so I could follow up with cleaning the carpets when I heard it. The TV was on. Not because I wanted to watch anything, I just like the "background noise" sometimes. "Live With Regis and Kelly" was on and they were discussing the flooding in North Dakota. Which, by the way, includes some family members of friends of ours, so any prayers on their behalf would be appreciated. Anyway, they were commenting on how the community in one small town had pulled together and the schools were even closed so everyone that could was out bagging sand. Then she said it, Kelly, "You really see what a community is made of when they are faced with adversity." Hmmmm, I pondered, that's true with individuals too, which launched my mind on an inventory of all the truths I have been blessed to learn and experience about adversity. Amazing how the Lord continues to bless us and teach us.....even from the oddest places......I love it when that happens...those unexpected golden moments...one of my favorite things!! Thankfully my "lesson" carried me right through my chores and I was finished before I knew it.

Eternal Blessings

Here are a few pictures from Saturday at the temple. It was a beautiful perfect day! We were surrounded by family, both relatives and ward family, and there were many more who were there with us in spirit. Again, George and I would like to let each of you know how deeply grateful we are for your love and support. We both feel such a great sense of peace knowing we are sealed for time and all eternity and an equally great sense of excitement for opportunites to continue serving the Lord together.


George and Julie Wells - sealed this day 2.21.09


At the temple doors



The Billings Montana Temple

Eternal Blessings

This morning we are preparing to attend the temple. Today George and I are being sealed for time and all eternity. We are very humbled to be given this opportunity and thrilled for the experience. We know it will deepen our firm commitment to each other and open many doors of service opportunities, which we are thrilled about. I will post some pictures on Monday, maybe even later today if there is time. We want to thank all those who are so supportive of us in this. It means the world to us to have your love and support! Pictures coming soon!!!

Family Milestones

ELLA'S BLESSING
Well, we were fortunate to attend Ella Lorraine Swenson's blessing on Sunday January 25th in Idaho Falls - certainly a milestone for their little family as well as ours. Ella looked like a little princess - in fact that's what her Uncle Derek calls her, "my little princess." Several of Nate's family were able to attend and George and I were there. It was a really quick trip, but worth every moment on the snowy roads. We would not have missed it!

Ella in her special dress from Grandma Kayanne!



A very proud Papa and a sleepy Ella!


Is she a tiny might or what?!?!



Heather, Ella, and Nate


Sweet kisses from mom and dad.



A beautiful mom and her daughter!



Family....what could be better?



Being a grandparent is the GREATEST!!!



Three generations of love....I think this is my favorite picture of the day.



Ooooohhh yeaaaaa ....back into soft clothes!

Gratitude

I have found that gratitude has been something that has always come easy for me. A silly thing to say or even think about I suppose, but I have always been.....well.....thankful for that. Even in the hardest of times I have always been able to find things I am grateful for. As a new year starts and things look a little bleak in many respects I am grateful for all that I have. I am especially grateful today for the kind thoughts and acts of others. This past Christmas was great. I was thinking of the wonderful gifts I received and I thought about how I was just as grateful for the thought that went into them as the gift itself. Matt and Chantile got George and I a cool lantern / radio / cell phone charger that you crank up, so no batteries are needed. They knew we have been trying to follow the counsel from our church leaders and be prepared. Kind thoughts and acts. Amber and Zane got us a foot massager. They knew how it could be a good stress reliever and how George and I both have trouble with our feet at times. Kind thoughts and acts. Joe and Tabby got me a beautiful book with collections of Greg Olson paintings that go with the song "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." I took it to share with my nursery kids the very next Sunday and they were mesmerised with it. The best part of the whole book was Griffin's little signature in the front. Kind thoughts and acts. LJ got us a gift certificate to Pizza Hut. He knows how busy we are and how we often get a bite to eat on our way home at the end of a long day. Kind thoughts and acts. Perhaps the gift that touched my heart the most wasn't for me or from me. I received a call a few days before Christmas. Vicky, my sister, had an unusual excitement in her voice. She had read Amber's blog about wanting a certain nativity set but lamenting that the expense was going to leave her wanting it still. Vicky happened to have the set and packed it up and sent it to Amber. Vicky's joy about the surprise was very contagious and I found myself giddy with excitement to see Amber's face when she opened the package. Well, a comedy of errors pursued with incorrect zip codes (MY FAULT!) and UPS sending it all over the country, but finally the package arrived. And it arrived on a day that I was babysitting so I could see Amber's face first hand! Tender mercies for sure!! Well, needless to say she was thrilled beyond words. I found it hard to hold back the tears as a spontaneous cheering erupted in the room. Zane was snapping pictures, Ciara was dancing around singing, "I love it, I love it!" Dalin was squealing with delight, not knowing perhaps what was really going on, but feeling the spirit just the same. It was wonderful. It was an amazing Christmas gift for everyone. Kind thoughts and acts indeed. I am grateful for that. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who gave us the ability to have emotions.

My Heavenly Father Loves Me

I know my Heavenly father loves me and if I am watchful, I see that love clearly everyday. Yesterday was no exception. I have had a difficult time sleeping because of a six day run of migraines - yea. I had committed to babysit for Amber on Wednesday but was feeling pretty yucky so I changed it to Thursday. The commitments I make to other people to do things are very important to me. Amber offered to find someone else, but I love seeing the kids and every mom knows how easy it is to find a babysitter last minute. Wednesday night was another sleepless night - well, does 3 hours count? But at least I didn't have a migraine - YAHOO!! As the sun began to rise I figured I would quit torturing myself and get out of bed. I knelt down for my morning prayers and pleaded with Heavenly Father to give me energy and strength and to help the kids to understand that Grandma wasn't at her top form. Oh, how my prayers were answered. The kids were great. Dalin didn't make a peep when I layed him down for his two naps and slept a little longer than he usually does. Ciara was content to draw and play quiet games with me. Dalin had a new "trick" and knows to fold his little arms when we say prayer. He just figured it out the night before, so when I sat down to feed him his breakfast and he folded his little arms, my heart melted and a powerful sense of peace spilled over me. He's only 11 months old - amazing, no?! The timing of him learning that couldn't have been more perfect, tender mercies of the Lord - they are everywhere - we have only to look! I know my Father in Heaven loves me. Nothing is too trivial for Him. When I need Him, He is there. If it is important to me, I know it is important to Him. I love my Heavenly Father!!