I am Thankful!

I got this email a few days ago and I thought I would post it up here because I think 1) it is fitting for the season and 2) there is a lesson to be learned here... especially for me.

I AM THANKFUL:

FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR A BROKEN HEART BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE LOVED DEEPLY

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

I think we need to remember our blessings and no matter how bad a situation may seem, there is always something optimistic about it. I recently found a quote from John F. Kennedy that says, "The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger - but recognize the opportunity."

Bear Cake

It's understandably going to take me awhile to get in a routine to post on here everyday but for now I'll show you the bear cake that I made for my brother-in-laws birthday. I decided I wanted to try something I've never tried before and so I did. I didn't look at any pictures to get ideas because it was a kind of spur of the mometn decision. It was interesting trying to figure out which pans to use for which body parts but it ended up working out pretty good.
I used a big bread pan for the body, littler bread pans for the arms and legs and then just cut them in half. Then for the head and ears I used mini bundt pans. I filled the hole in the head and the area inbetween the legs with Andes Candies bits and then I decided to use those on top as well to make the tummy and the claws. I wasn't sure if I'd have enough frosting to frost all that so I whipped the frosting and it pretty much doubled the amount I had. It took awhile to get all those edges covered but it worked out in the end.


Let me know what you think.

Reason

I've wanted to start this blog for awhile and I'm finally going to do it. I have a personal goal to learn something new every day. If I hold myself accountable to posting whatever that may be on this blog then I might be a little more disciplined about it. Here are the 8 things I want to learn more about:

1. Parenting
2. Cooking
3. Photography (only a year left to finish my correspondence class)
4. The Scriptures and Book of Mormon History
5. The Latter-Day Prophets
6. People (how they think, how to understand and connect with them)
7. Our Amway Business
8. Sewing (clothes and quilting)

This is a pretty broad range of topics to post about so this is a very reasonable goal for myself. I will post anything from a recipe to a sewing project to books I've read to just things on my mind.

To explain the title of this blog, "Wisdom is the Application of Knowledge," it is something John said to me in a Priesthood Blessing not too long ago. So if you want to look at it as straight from Heavenly Father your welcome to do so, because that is where I believe it came from. It was said to remind me that I do infact have knowledge but if I want to gain wisdom then I need to apply what I know.

However by using it as the title of this blog I am in no way suggesting that I am "WISE" in all the things that I may post on here. That is why the URL says, "Lorina's bits of Knowledge," because they are going to be things that I know or think rather than things I am currently practicing or applying. Therefore I am claiming them as knowledge rather than wisdom. In reality most of the things I post on here will have been applied or at least will be something I am trying to apply in my life, but count this as a disclaimer: that I am not perfect, so you will have to allow me room for mistakes.

The main purpose of this blog is for me to learn and grow. To become a better person today than I was yesterday. To realize for myself how to apply the knowledge I am blessed with to my life. The purpose is not to brag about how smart I am (or am not). It is to document my journey in hopes that someone, somewhere along the road will benefit from it. I hope you will enjoy what I have to offer. I invite you all to leave plenty of comments because I know I can learn from each and every one of you.