Blessings

I have been so overwhelmed by how many blessing we have received in our lives.  Especially since we have started in on our Army adventure.  From our very first move, we moved into the most wonderful Ward (our church congregation) with such a great group of people that were truly there for each other and friends to each other.  When it came time to move I thought "Well I had better prepare myself that the next place might not be as magical as this place has been."  Then we move and THAT Ward proves to be even nicer and caring than the last!

The same has held true for our move to Japan.  Such a wonderful group of people!  It is the smallest congregation we have been a part of, but everyone is so aware of each other.  Truly wishing to help each other and be there for each other.  I had barely sat down the first Sunday when three different ladies came up to introduce themselves and welcome us to Japan!  I am a firm believer in that you need to be a friend to get a friend.  Good friends don't always just magically present themselves to you, that sometimes you need to work and put yourself out there.  So I am always prepared to do this when we move to a new place and it has been so wonderful that everyone is so outgoing and kind that it has been so easy and wonderful to make new friends!

I have had a few chances to interact with the sisters of the Ward when there have been activities and I have had SO much fun making new friends and getting to know them better.  I am so excited for our time here and I know that I will make friends here I will cherish my whole life.

Sometimes when I go to church on Sunday it is because I am in desperate need of spiritual uplifting in my life.  I can feel myself struggling keeping it all together and the peace and comfort I feel attending church gives me the boost I need to keep on trying and know that Heaven Father loves me, knows I am doing my best and is proud of me.  Other times I am feeling like I have everything under control and I go to keep my life on the right track.

On Sunday as I was sitting during Sacrament meeting (the first hour of church services) I had the most wonderful experience.   We were singing an hymn called Because I Have Been Given Much.  Bianca was sitting with me and I was just enjoying being at church.  It wasn't like I was looking to have some magical spiritual experience during the service, I was just happy to be there with my family and to learn and grow.  Then we got to the last verse of the hymn, which goes...

Because I have been blessed by thy great love, dear Lord,
I'll share thy love again, according to thy word.
I shall give love to those in need; I'll show that love by word and deed:
Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

I have sung this hymn for as long as I can remember.  I have it memorized and can sing it by heart, so it's not like these lyrics were new to me.  I often go on auto pilot during this song because I don't really have to think about the lyrics, I just KNOW them.  But when that last verse came, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  An overwhelming feeling of warmth and love washed over me.  I could just feel that Heaven Father knew ME.  He loves me SO much and is so aware of the desires of my heart.  I just felt like everything was going to be okay, that He was watching out for me... that I am not alone.  I could not even finish singing the song, I was so overcome with emotion.

Anytime I think back on it, I feel those same feelings.  He loves me, He knows me and everything will be okay.  I did not go into my church meetings on Sunday desperate for something spiritual to happen, but Heaven Father KNEW that was what I needed, right then.  At that moment.  I continue to be in awe of the way our lives have been blessed.  We are not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but we try hard...together as a family to grow in faith and love.