30 to 30

 ....the final countdown...

Bountiful Baskets - a random comparison
{you know the thing with fruits and veggies, some familiar, some not so common}

My life has been like a Bountiful Basket of experiences.... a little of this, a little of that, some parts I like, some parts weren't my favorite.  But the complete basket has molded and formed me physically, mentally, and spiritually.  It has formed who I am as a Joey, a wife, a mom, a daughter, sister, aunt, neighbor, etc.  

Many of my experiences have been easily navigated and formed into blessings and lessons I could understand and use.  Just like from a Bountiful Basket, I would know what to do with the apples, the potatoes, bananas, sugar snap peas, etc.  

Sometimes I experience things that I really don't recognize upon first sight.  I'm not sure what to make out of the circumstances and experiences I'm given.  I don't know where it came from or what to use it for rather than just throw it out.

After some situations, ideas start popping into my head of what it meant then and what I could make it into now.  If you get a Bountiful Basket, sometimes you don't know what to do with everything that's included, so you have to do some research or ask for help.

I'm grateful for my basket of experiences.  I have such wonderful blessings and have been a part of so many good things that they hide or even sweeten the parts that were unrecognizable or bitter.  I'm grateful that I have resources to figure it all out.  I have always had my good family around me.  My parents have always taken care of me and still help now.  Jake is a wonderful supporter and sympathizer, too.   Since before our marriage, Jake has been the one I needed for a sounding board, for solutions, for support, and for a companion.  To have him as my eternal companion is the sweetest blessing in my basket of experiences.

I appreciate that during hard times of my life I have had the opportunity to receive priesthood blessings, to pray myself for comfort, directions, or relief, to know that I am not forgotten because I know I always have the love and perfect understanding from my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Next time you order your Bountiful Basket, figure out a way to use everything in it.  It's all good for something.  And, the next time I have a painful experience, I'm going to use my resources to figure out how to make bitter things sweet.