Catch up...

Haven't blogged for a while, mostly because of Jessie's birthday present - she asked us not to get her presents but instead... actually I think it's easier if I just paste the instructions she gave us :)

For my birthday this year, I'd like to make a couple of requests, and I'm hoping that you all love me enough to fulfill them for me :D

1) I would like you to use any money you may have thought about buying me a present with on yourself. If you were not planning to buy me a present, do something nice for yourself....ON MY BIRTHDAY. not a day before and not a day late. Take yourself and a friend to the cinema (3 weeks to sort a babysitter...), or buy some fancy ingredients for a posh meal and rent a movie, or run yourself a nice bath. or buy yourself that t shirt/handbag/shoes/socks/makeup you've been looking at for a few days but thought you couldn't justify buying because now you can :D

2) I would like you ON MY BIRTHDAY to please do something nice for someone else. This needs to be a big thing, or at least something you wouldn't do on a day to day basis, like washing your kids clothes or doing the laundry (although let me say now those are wonderfully kind and loving things you do). Try to spend the next 3 weeks looking for someone in the ward, or in the neighbourhood or even in your family who has a need, a real need and one that you can fulfil, consult Heavenly Father as you do this so that you might be directed to someone who really needs you. And on November 1st, go be an instrument in the Lord's hand. Please.

3) Everyday from now until MY BIRTHDAY I would like you please to write down one thing from that day where you've recognised the Lord's hand in your life. 

4) Please tell me about it all :) I would really like it if your daily things could be shared with everyone every day if you feel like its appropriate - if you feel like its something you dont want to share you can say pass, but I need to know you're passing for a reason so I know you're giving me my birthday wishes :D 

So come on birthday fairies, share your bounty :)

So I used up all my "writing on the computer" time sending my reports back to Jess everyday of what I was doing for her birthday requests.  I enjoyed doing it so much, and what a clever sister I have for thinking of it in the first place.  We got to read what each of us were doing and it was such a lovely experience.  I was especially appreciative of the suggestion to recognise Heavenly Father's hand in our lives every day.  Sometimes it was big things and sometimes just little nudges that would have gone unnoticed if I hadn't stopped at the end of the day to think about it.