Time get's away!

By the looks of the picture of everybody sitting around the Thanksgiving table, who would have thought that we would add to our family 5 new spirits. All of them, such noble and sweet spirits that would make your heart melt just to look into their eyes. I know, it's been such a long time since anything was entered in our blog but we just wanted to let everybody know we are still alive and our thoughts are always with our family both immediate and extended.

I was sitting here listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, they have a way of causing one to ponder upon weightier matters in life that the thought came to me , which doesn't happen too very often, so I have to seize upon those moments as they may be fleeting, we have been charged from our last General Conference to "rescue the one", who is the one that requires rescuing? Has that "one" been in front of me and I haven't been able to recongnize what the Lord has placed in front of me or am I prepared to "rescue the one" when that one is recognized?

I have noticed that sometimes the Lord does not take us by the hand and walk us through the steps one by one but he will point us in the direction we need to be going and then allows us to muttle our way through. I do notice that in order for us to get from point A to point B, the best way to accomplish it is by one step at a time, beit small steps or large we can't skip steps or transport from A to B. All the time we have to exercise faith in our Heavenly Father and listen to the quiet whisperings of the Spirit.

It has been during those times that I have been inspired to do things that I wouldn't normally do. I have found that at times I have been "the one who needed rescuing". I am ever so thankful for those who responded to the spirit and offered words of encouragement, invitations to be more faithful and extended their hands of welcoming love. Likewise, I am grateful for the example of others who quietly show by their deep love of the Savior how we care for those around us.

I love that I have a family. I love that I have a loving and caring wife. We love our children, their spouses and our grandchildren. I love that I have brothers and a sister all of whom I deeply admire and respect. Although I do not have parents that are alive, they live through me in my actions and thoughts. I look to Grandma and Grandpa Richins as my role models for parents and they fill that role wonderfully. At times, we have all come to "rescue" each other, when we've been down in spirit, mind or body. At times, that "rescue" comes when we least expect it through a phone call or some gesture. I believe that if we are to heed the charge from our Prophet, President Monson, we need to align ourselves with the gospel as found in the scriptures.

This Thanksgiving, we will be spending it with Megan and her family. How grateful I am that we can go there and be surrounded by family. I have seen what it is like to not have a family. I have witnessed the loneliness and the hurt over the years and so in our celebration of Thanksgiving, I will be mindful of the "rescue" effort that involves all of our family and to be mindful of the true gospel of Jesus Christ as found in 3 Ne. 27:21. Happy Thanksgiving to all we love you all, from the Muaina's.