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Day after Thanksgiving...

I'm sitting here on the couch in my front room with my sweets. I went to the Houston Temple today. I did three loads of laundry, with some more to look forward to tomorrow. We've been watching some football on ESPN.com, but it's not working now...

After the Temple we ate at Cheddars and Douglas Franklin was our server. He did a great job! I gave him a healthy tip... :-) Nothing in life makes me feel quite so good as being around people I love and sharing what I have. In this case it was a financial sharing, but it feels good all the same. It reminds me of Jacob chapter 2 - we should be free with our substance so that all may be rich like us...

Ammon has been learning a Manheim Steamroller piece for the Stake Christmas Festival in a couple of weeks. He's also playing organ for Sacrament Meeting tomorrow. The kid is a total prodigy! I'm so proud of him...

We bought a gas log for our fireplace but neglected to get the flexible pipe required to connect the gas log to the gas outlet. So we'll have to go back tomorrow. Alas for after-Thanksgiving shopping... Garth Road is a complete mess. Luckily no one knows about North Main... (Shhh.... it's our little secret...) :-)

Life is never dull. It also moves inexorably into the future; we can no sooner avoid our fate than understand it. But things also have a way of working themselves out. I have confidence that if we are patient, loving, and humble all will ultimately work for our benefit.

That was my take-away from the Temple today: there IS a plan for us. We are moving in accordance with that plan, and things are in place that are not random, but for us. For me. For you. For our families. And for His work and His glory. The creation of this earth is an example of that. He did not start with plants - there was nowhere for them to grow, no light for them to photosynthesize by, and no water to help provide nutrients. The plants were followed by animal life, which needs said photosynthesis and its by-products (oxygen being chief among them) to grow and survive. And after all of this, God's greatest creation was placed here. We are the handiwork of Divine Design, and we are not left to ourselves. We are the end products of the Creator's design, all points and efforts leading to and culminating in our present day. WHAT A THRILL IT IS to be alive in such a day as we are in! What a complete blessing! Ah, I cannot tell you even a part of what I feel!

God be praised for His matchless love and grace!

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