May I Share One Last Sunset

"Cultivate an attitude of happiness.  Cultivate a spirit of optimism.  Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine."                -Gordon B. Hinckley       

Sunset from Carter's Beach, New Zealand

April 2012

Autumn Sunset in Westport, New Zealand

Sunset on the Tasman Sea looking down from Denniston Mtn. -  April 2012

                                                                    STONE  

  TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING  

THROUGH THE DESERT . 

DURING SOME POINT OF THE

JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN

ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND

SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE

IN THE FACE  

  THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED  

WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT

SAYING ANYTHING,

WROTE IN THE SAND ,  

  TODAY MY BEST FRIEND  

SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE . 

  THEY KEPT ON WALKING,

UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,

WHERE THEY DECIDED

TO TAKE A BATH .  

  THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN

SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE

MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,

BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

  AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM

THE NEAR DROWNING,

HE WROTE

ON A STONE:  

  'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND

SAVED MY LIFE'  

  THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED

AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND

ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU,

YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,

YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

  THE FRIEND REPLIED

'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US

WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN

IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF

FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.      

  BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES  SOMETHING     GOOD FOR US,

WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE

WHERE NO WIND

CAN EVER ERASE IT'

  LEARN TO WRITE

YOUR HURTS IN

THE SAND AND TO

CARVE YOUR

BENEFITS IN STONE.

 

THEY SAY IT TAKES A  

MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL

PERSON,    

  AN HOUR TO  

APPRECIATE THEM,        

  A DAY  

TO LOVE THEM,  

  BUT THEN,  

  AN ENTIRE LIFE

TO FORGET THEM.  
DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS

YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT VALUE  

WHO YOU HAVE KNOWN IN   YOUR LIFE!   

   Be kinder than necessary,

for everyone you meet

is fighting some kind of battle.

A good friend in Castle Rock sent this to us.  It is, for sure, great missionary counsel. 

It's also wonderful advice for all of us to live by.

Pictures from Blenheim

We travel to Blenheim every 6 weeks to do a flat inspection for the missionaries.  The drive is about 150 miles or 230 K from Westport according to Elder Turner.  The scenery is so beautiful.  This area is laden with many vineyards and orchards with numerous olive trees as well.  We took a few shots of the area that we usually drive through and hope some day to explore a little more.  I hope you notice, as we have, the blue, blue sky in so many of the shots.  It is amazing to see this every day.  Hope you enjoy!

Old wine storage building covered with vines on a B&B property.

Water running underneath bridge

Most of the bridges are one lane here on the South Island

Love the pop of contrasting green

This was a beautiful vineyard

Just look at that sky!

Oh so laid back and quaint

We want one each in our back yard!

Love this shot

Part of the wine storage facility.  Loved the red leaves on the vines.

Old church

Havelock Marina - reminds us of NC

Another one lane bridge

Beautiful driveway

Lemon Topiaries