Yard Help

I've been lamenting for days, weeks - ok, really, for months about my yard and the work involved.  Lately it's been about the tree suckers that I haven't stayed on top of and have sprouted up all through the ground cover in the back yard where trees were cut down this summer.   And the trees - or lack thereof, have been my other lamentations:  do I plant new trees? what kind and when?

Well I've gotten help the past few days on all of those issues.  Met with Diane, an expert at J&L Garden  and Nursery yesterday.  She suggested planting some tall shrubs and bushes in the bare spaces; then proceeded to suggest other plants and flowers for the rest of the back yard!  And told me what to do with the stumps - "Brush and Stump killer".  She also suggested I don't do any of this now, but wait until Spring!  Yippee!  One huge burden off my shoulders.  I felt great pressure to do it now for some reason, maybe because I knew trees were cheaper in the fall.

Lovely tree stump - one of dozens

                                                               Lovely tree suckers growing in the ground cover

Then - my boy Erick devoted his whole day to helping me with the yard: cleaning out planting areas (the overgrown tomato plants, ground cover areas, ) cutting down all of the tree shoots, trimming the vines around the pathways, stacking the wood, cleaning out the shed and getting things ready and in order for Winter.  And much more.  We worked together and got almost all of it done!  He stayed with me to the end.  I still have some things left but I feel SO much better about everything now; the rest seems manageable.
 When we were cleaning out the shed and wondering what to do with some of the things and even what they were, Erick made the comment, "lets just wait until Dad comes back to decide what to do with it."  So that became our mantra whenever we didn't know what to do with something.

Speaking of Doug - I truly believe he has been a part of this yard business and putting people in my path to help me.  One of my inner thoughts has been 'if only Erick could/would take Doug's place in the things Doug was so good at - yard work, repair work.  If only he had the desire, the know-how, the time and the willingness to just come and do - well, that would solve all my problems.  I wouldn't have to call on a neighbor or an in-law, or other family to help.  Oh well, I'll take what I can get and today I'm very happy for the help. I see the Lord's hand in my life today - as well as Doug's hand. :)

Lord's Hand in Earthly Yard Angels

If I took pictures of every time someone helps in some way with my yard there would not be room for anything else.  I've been so blessed by good neighbors and family who continue to give service relating to my yard.

 Ward Yard Clean up Day. I was one of the lucky recipients

Trimming branches

Repairing my fence that had  been blown down by the major wind storm

 Getting rid of the old fence - make way for the new

Grandchildren, Emma and Jill & neighbors

One of the families in the ward doing service

  Erick removing branches on "Kris clean up day"

Dave fixing incessant sprinkler problems

Kate and Steph, her roommate, sacrificing their weekend to do service

 Painting and getting ready for farewell luncheon

 Darling grandchildren hard at work

 Madie raking leaves - loved this surprise

Christian hard at work!  

Humbled and Grateful

Where do I begin to share how I've seen the Lord's hand in my life today?  It started this afternoon as I was leaving church.  
          As I was walking out the door of the chapel Brother Farr approached me and said, “A thought came to me out of the blue as I was sitting in church today - it wasn’t anything I was thinking about or what was on my mind... but the thought was that God wanted me to give you a hug - from Him.  So he gave me a hug and said, this isn’t from me, it’s from God.”  I was so surprised and overcome and tears immediately welled up in my eyes.  When I got home I went to my room and fell to my knees and thanked the Lord for that message, knowing He had heard my prayers of asking if He is aware of me - little old me amongst the millions of His children on this earth. I’ve asked it often over the past several weeks and months.  Knowing in my head that He did love me and was aware of me (because He's God and has to) but I couldn’t reconcile it in my heart.  I’ve been particularly hard on myself lately for ‘’wasting time’’ - not being productive, being lazy and unmotivated. So I felt - through Brian’s message and hug, that God was patient and loved me anyway, in spite of my imperfections.  I also prayed to not let doubt creep in - and to feel that it really was a message from God.  And was reminded of Brian’s words - “this thought came to me out of the blue” and also knowing what a spiritual giant he is and I trust his inspiration and being in tune with the spirit.  
       Then, moments later a neighbor and friend came by to give me a book and her thoughts about the presentation I am to give to the RS sisters at our RS retreat next month.  She talked about priorities and balance and feeling overwhelmed and and thoughts I could share with the sisters about all of those things - little did she know - (or maybe she did) that she was speaking directly to the concerns and feelings I’d personally had.  We also talked about my concerns and decisions to make about my back yard and she - being the ‘’gardner of the ward’’  gave me some ideas and suggestions and who to call.

         Shortly after she left Brother Farr called me and said he had a quote he’d like to bring down to me.  After our hour long conversation I have to say he was the Lord’s spokesperson in my behalf this day and a witness that God is indeed aware of me and so is Doug.  This is the thought he shared:

        “I believe that our departed kindred and loved ones are far more mindful of us and solicitous for our salvation day by day, than they ever were in the flesh... because they know more.   Joseph F Smith”
       We talked.  He asked to see the back yard and offered his help in my tree and yard issues.  (I really think this all is from Doug!  I've been lamenting to him all week - ever since the dream.  I think he was tired of me bugging him.)  Every story Brian shared about his own personal life and his experiences as a bishop, related perfectly to my situation and feelings of the past few weeks.  

So what have those feelings been?  Here are a few:

What lies ahead?  What does my future hold?
What to do with the back yard - there are many decisions to make about the tree stumps and tree selections and just cleaning and clearing before winter sets in
is there anyone who can help me?  and do I even want to do it?!
I”m lazy and unmotivated.  What’s wrong with me?  Why can’t I be more productive?
Can I just feel Doug’s presence and advice on all these decisions and things I need to do?
Of all the millions of thy children, do You really know me?  My problems aren’t nearly as big and critical as so many others’.  How can I really ask for personal help?
I need help and guidance on the presentation I’m to give next month
I should be doing more genealogy
I should be a better missionary and not be fearful of sharing my testimony
I need to be reading my scriptures more regularly
I need to not waste so much time - on my computer particularly
I need to go to the temple more often
I need to serve more
I need to be a better mother and more supportive of my kids and grandkids
       Well, just about every one of these lamentations were addressed in my conversations with Brian and Susan today.  

      AND - another neighbor just now called me and asked if I "knew anyone who would want some potato cheese soup" she had made and her kids wouldn't eat leftovers."   Of course I volunteered myself to take her soup ...

   I can't deny the hand of the Lord in my life today. 

Dream

I had a dream the other night that Doug came back.  I saw him and ran up to him and threw my arms around him and just started sobbing.  I told him I was so happy he was back and now he could help me know what to do about the tree stumps in the back yard and selecting trees.  I felt a considerable weight being lifted off my shoulders knowing he was here now to share in the decisions and responsibilities.  

The dream has stayed with me for days.  It seemed so indicative of the weight I’m feeling - 

I am reminded of this scripture:

...”come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”...Matthew 11:28-30.   

.. “these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  

...John 16:33

Trip to Italy, Greece and Turkey. God's Hand is there!

 I felt the hand of God in my life the past 2 weeks in the opportunity to go to Europe with my sisters.  To see the places where Paul walked and taught, where Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived after Christ’s death.  To see the ruins of ancient cities, the cathedrals and basilicas, the magnificence of the art work of Michael Angelo and Divinci and many others.  The amazing mosaic work on floors and chapels. The statues and the beauty of the land everywhere.  And to share it all with my sisters was a real blessing.  

 Ancient Ruins - even before Christ's time!

 Notice the sky.  A downfall was lurking - we got caught in it

 God's Hand in the Sunset!

 The beauty of Pompeii

 Ephesus - amazing ruins

 Michael Wilcox bringing the experience to life as he reads from the scriptures that Paul preached from this exact spot - fearlessly - to people who were less than receptive to his message

 Trevi Fountain - 3 Coins in a Fountain

 The beauty of the country side in San Gimigiano.  God's handiwork in nature

Loved the window sills in Italy

 Amazing amazing paintings in cathedrals

 Loved this little view from a gondola ride in Venice

 Amazing, breathtaking chapel and cathedral out of mosaic!!

Picture taken from our cruise ship.  How could one deny God's hand in this??

God's Hand in new iPhone?!

I've wanted an iPhone for years and finally made the big step today on the new iPhone 5c.  But that's not where I saw God's hand.  It was in my conversation with Andres - the t-mobile employee who helped me.  He's helped me before and I asked specifically for him today.  He's honest, personable and goes above and beyond the call of duty.  I was there quite awhile while deciding IF I should get the phone, then WHAT color I should get, then transferring all the info from my old phone to the new one - so... we had an opportunity to talk.  I found out he was in his junior year of college in psychology and human development.  I exclaimed that that was my under graduate degree too.  He brightened.  We talked about the field of psychology and social work, what might lie ahead.  He said, "I'm so glad you came in today.  Before you came in  I was feeling overwhelmed with school and doubtful about my future and my life.  Talking to you has cleared some things up for me and brightened my day.   I'm feeling so much better now.  Thank you."  I left feeling that the Lord loves that young man and put me in his path at this particular time and day.

God's Hand in Raspberries!!

More than I know what to do with - I've made jam, syrup, vinegar, cobbler and have eaten them plain.  YUM!

CHARITY lesson

Gods hand was in my lesson today!  He inspired me in my preparation, the sisters were receptive and the spirit was felt!  Sunday, September 1, 2013

Park City Retreat

Wow - I saw God's hand in the  beauty of my surroundings - The blue blue sky, the cloud formation, the mountain side.  And appreciated the opportunity to spend a few days at the Marriott Mountainside resort.

Too Many Tender Mercies to Capture

How does one capture 'how I've seen the Lord's hand in my life today' over the past 779 days?  I truly could have documented 779 tender mercies and regret I haven't acknowledged - at least here - how I've seen the Lord's hand in my life each day.  Especially after Doug's death.  I have 3 pages of Tender Mercies following his death and how I saw the Lord's hand in my life each day.  It's been an incredible year and a half.  The last time I wrote was when I posted the pictures of the sunset when Doug and I were in St. George in July 2011.   I do have a missionary blog however, that  I started when we went on our mission.  That ended shortly after he passed away.  http://dkplummersplace.blogspot.com

So I'm picking up starting today.  Today I'm in Park City and how I've seen His hand in my life these past few days is through clear inspiration on the lesson I'm to teach in RS this Sunday.  The lesson is on charity.  This is how my lesson starts:

I am reminded every time I teach a lesson in RS how aware the Lord is of the sisters in the Woodland Hills ward.  I had another topic in mind to teach this month but it just didn’t seem to come together and as I prayed about it and asked if there was something else I should teach the impression came clearly that I should teach a lesson on charity. It seemed so right and fitting.  Charity so coincides with some of our past lessons –   Forgiveness – how can we truly forgive ourselves and others without charity?  My last lesson was on our divine nature and God’s love for us – the pure love of Christ for us, his daughters.   In order to possess true charity we must come to know and understand our identity – who we are – we are daughters of a heavenly father who loves us and we love him. As women we must never lose sight of our divine identity and the fact that our influence – our love- our pure love – is powerful and paramount.    And charity the pure love of Christ never faileth.

So today I'm grateful for CHARITY - the pure love of Christ, and for His help in preparing this lesson.

The Lord's Hand in the Sunset

I've seen the Lord's hand in my life so many times every single day. I am reminded that I need to write it all down in this blog I've created, but then, there's so much, I don't know where to begin and how to condense it - then I end up not writing anything at all. :( ... baahhh...

So on this quiet Sabbath morning in St. George Utah I see the Lord's hand in the gentle rain that is falling, the sweet smell in the air and the gorgeous sunset last night. His hand is all around me.

These pictures are all from the same night sky in St. George Utah, July 9, 2011

Health

Today I'm grateful for good health

Happy Father's Day to my most wonderful amazing dad. So many reminders of him this weekend being in St. George - Paula's, Chuck-A-Rama, the red hills of Southern Utah. I really miss him. Wish I had some pictures of him to post. was the best dad and grandfather to his own children and grandchildren in addition to ALL children. I miss him.





Happy Father's day to the father of our children. He exemplifies strength, courage, faith, spirituality, integrity, hard work and perseverance among other things. I'm a lucky girl

63 years of a wonderful life. Have been blessed with a great family and friends. Had a great birthday on Monday. I feel so lucky and blessed.

Beautiful scene. 
The temple seemed to blend in with the snowy white day.

Saw the Lord's hand in my temple experience today.

Fasting and praying for healing blessings.

Grateful to the guy who cleaned the snow off my car last night. I was dreading the thought of having to go out in the cold at 10:30 pm after my group and facing a car covered with snow. Lo and behold, a colleague was brushing the last of the snow off my windows when I went outside! I drove home grateful and happy.