Ten Things of Thankful: Easter Edition

The full moon sets over the mountains, with trees and a lake in the foreground

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and blossoms are starting to appear on the trees. I spent last weekend glued to my television, as I listened to the April general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This coming Sunday is Easter, a joyful holiday of hope. All in all, there are so many reasons to be thankful. 

• Conference was filled with messages of hope:

With billions of words online and in a marketing-saturated world constantly infiltrated by noisy, nefarious efforts of the adversary, where can we go to hear Him?

We can go to the scriptures. They teach us about Jesus Christ and His gospel, the magnitude of His Atonement, and our Father’s great plan of happiness and redemption. Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval. As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face. (Russell M. Nelson)

We still have hopes that have not yet been fulfilled. Even as we speak, we are waging an “all hands on deck” war with COVID-19, a solemn reminder that a virus 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand can bring entire populations and global economies to their knees. We pray for those who have lost loved ones in this modern plague, as well as for those who are currently infected or at risk. We certainly pray for those who are giving such magnificent health care. When we have conquered this—and we will—may we be equally committed to freeing the world from the virus of hunger, freeing neighborhoods and nations from the virus of poverty. May we hope for schools where students are taught—not terrified they will be shot—and for the gift of personal dignity for every child of God, unmarred by any form of racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice. Undergirding all of this is our relentless hope for greater devotion to the two greatest of all commandments: to love God by keeping His counsel and to love our neighbors by showing kindness and compassion, patience and forgiveness. These two divine directives are still—and forever will be—the only real hope we have for giving our children a better world than the one they now know.(Jeffrey R. Holland)

• Eight new temple locations were announced during conference, including Dubai and Shanghai! 
• My local community offered a contest to children, to see who could come up with the next light design on the mountain. The winning entry is now set up and illuminates the darkness, reminding us of the love here in Utah.

The outline of the state of Utah with a heart inside is made with lights on the mountainside

Same view as above, only zoomed out to give perspective of the size

• Youngest daughter had a birthday this week, and we were able to don masks, set presents at her doorstep, ring her doorbell, and see her from a distance for a few minutes. 
• The moon this week was gorgeous! 
• We might be social distancing, but that doesn't mean we can't check in with friends via phone calls, texts, and online means. 
• Online shopping allows me to continue planning my backyard landscape and garden. Lilacs, berries, and fruit trees will be arriving soon, and seeds have already come for the garden vegetables. 
• I ventured to Costco for the first time since this started, to pick up a prescription, and was pleasantly surprised at how well Costco is helping keep shoppers safe. Playing "Don't Stand So Close to Me" outside while guests waited to enter was a whimsical touch (pun intended). 
• Drexel, in a very rare moment of naughtiness, snagged an ink cartridge box, took it outside, and promptly destroyed the brand new cartridge. Fortunately, the cartridge was inside a plastic wrapper, so the mess was contained. Nevertheless, Drexel was past due for a bath, so a day or two after the ink fiasco, I decided to give Drexel a bath. This is when I realized that I do, indeed, have a very good dog. He hopped right in the tub, stood there patiently the entire time, did not shake water all over, and waited until invited to exit the tub. 
• John has been busy constructing raised bed garden boxes and figuring out and digging trenches for the watering system to each box. He is also a formidable opponent when we play Splendor. I'm loving our simple, at-home routine. 

That's it for this week. I hope you each have a peaceful, joyful weekend. Happy Easter!

What are you thankful for this week? The Ten Things of Thankful welcomes you, so come join us!

Joining me this week:
MessyMimi's Meanderings
Recording Life Under the Radar
Minda Goes West
A Season and a Time
the Wakefield Doctrine
Carin's Gratitude

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter