Update to my last post

I received a second "Christmas Jar" on Christmas Eve. It was a really cute jar that had been decorated and had a ribbon and said... TO: April FROM: Santa. The Lord works in mysterious ways, that's for sure. When I counted it a few days later it contained $118.05 mostly in change. I am definitely so blessed!

So blessed

I haven't posted for a little while and I have received many blessings. When I moved here all of the ladies in the ward were reading The Christmas Jar. I'd never read it before so I borrowed one and read it. It was a great book about giving to others and generosity and love for others. In it a family decided one Christmas to save their change in a jar and then give the jar to someone for Christmas. By the end of the book, the "Christmas Jar" had come full circle. The woman they gave the first jar to ended up bringing them one in the end. Anyway... I have a point... :) A few weeks ago a lady from my ward came to the door and asked for me. When I got to the door she handed me a small jar full of change. She said she wanted to give me her "Christmas Jar" because she felt like I was amazing and trying so hard to be a good example to my kids. I was surprised and extremely grateful. When I counted the money there were a $50 bill and 2 $20 bills in the jar along with the change. It was a total of over $120. It was immediately appreciated and most of it used. I can't thank her enough for thinking of me.

Since the 12th of December I've also been blessed to receive a small gift and story each night. Someone chose my little family to do The Twelve Days of Christmas for. It's been fun and exciting to wait for the doorbell each night. I hope in two days I will be able to find out who the sweet little elves are :)

And then tonight. I had already received my little gift for the day and the doorbell rang so we knew it was a person... hee hee. My dad answered the door and then said it was for me. I went to the door and our bishop was standing there with an envelope. He said the Stake President had given it to him and said that every year someone in the community is very generous and ask each ward to choose someone to give it to. I was again overwhelmed. He left and I opened the card to find $500 cash inside it. I promptly went into my room and had a good cry and a prayer of thanks.

It's just so amazing to realize that people are thinking of me more than I know. That people are aware of my and my situation and want to help me out. I know I am so greatly blessed and I am so very grateful for every single one.

Small and simple things

So I have quite a few days where I just feel a little bit pooey (for complete lack of a more appropriate word). I get down in the dumps and feeling sorry for myself and wonder what will help me get out of it this time. Well, here's an example of the small and simple things that Heavenly Father uses to tell me I'm important and special and I am doing a good job and that He has a plan for me.

A couple weeks ago I was feeling crummy again and I prayed before bed asking that maybe I could find something in the scriptures that night that might help raise my spirits a little bit. I think it was before I was even done praying that I felt I should read in the Doctrine and Covenants. I hadn't read in there for a long time so I picked it up. I turned to Secton 25 where Emma Smith is given the revelation and told to make a book of hymns, among other things. It's a beautiful section and I love reading it but that's not what it was that made me feel better. The particular scriptures I picked up had been my seminary scriptures so they are just full of extra stuff. Right at Section 25, I have a "glue-in" from seminary. (A glue-in is a small paper with a thought or something that goes with the scriptures on those pages). This is what it says...

"To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling.
The righteous woman's strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times....
Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help save the home which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife."
-- Spencer W. Kimball

That just made me feel really good. I am trying to be a righteous woman and how important is that for my family, my children especially.... Especially at this time in our lives. It just gave me the courage to keep doing my best, keep doing what I should do, being a good example and trying to teach my children what's right. It made me feel proud of myself for trying to keep on doing what's right. You've got to love the small and simple things.