So this morning I pulled some reports for some schools for work. (I teach online for K12.) I have never done this type of report before, so I was nervous going in. It was some fancy excel stuff I'd never done before. I stressed about it for a week before it was time to pull the report.
In the end, it was VERY simple. I was so proud of myself for getting it done. Then came the time to e-mail the reports the various people who needed them. I pulled up the map to see who to send the reports to. I had one for South Carolina and one for Wyoming.
I got the reports sent off to the various people who needed them and breathed a huge sigh of relief. A little while after sending off the Wyoming report, I got an e-mail from my boss saying she had forwarded the Wyoming report to the correct person who needed it. In addition to sending it to her, I had copied in the wrong person.
I was surprised at this, as I had checked the map twice before sending it on. I responded to Robin's e-mail thanking her for fixing my mistake and just commented that I was surprised because on the map, Wyoming was light orange- the color indicating the person I had sent the report.
I got Robin's response within a few minutes. I could tell she was laughing- just not in a malicious way. Her response was short. "That was Colorado." Then she had a little note that she wouldn't judge my geography if I wouldn't judge her grammar and that she knew I wasn't a geography teacher. (Tongue in cheek, though it's true.)
Nice way to impress the boss right before the holidays.... :) I was SO embarrassed. I responded just saying that I was embarrassed. Then I promised not to judge her grammar... I told her it was my idiot gene popping up- it tended to do that when I was awake...
I learned two things from this. 1) Pride does go before the fall. I was so proud of myself for having pulled the report off that I didn't quite think things through after that. 2) It's good to laugh at ourselves. I had two choices- be totally humiliated and hide from any contact with Robin for as long as possible and hope she forgot or I could laugh at myself because what I'd done WAS funny.
I choose to laugh. I hope I can always make that choice. I hope we all can. :)
Friday, December 21, 2012
Even the Piano!
At the beginning of the month, I was in charge of the Relief Society Christmas Party. We did a Christmas program- a cantata. It was a lot of work to put together. I wrote the cantata (not the music- we put existing songs together and I wrote the narration) and we had a committee that put together everything else.
Everything that could possibly go wrong with the program, did. We had some difficulties with the flyers, so not everyone who SHOULD have been invited got one. Some people who were supposed to sing had to cancel last minute. That meant I had to adjust the script just two days before the party, and then again the day of.
We set up for the party. The committee made the room look beautiful and the treats were amazing. Then my narrator let us know she couldn't come.... So I was the narrator at the last minute.
As my friend Catherine and I moved the piano to a more aesthetically pleasing location, the wheel came off. As the piano sunk to one corner, we both stopped, shocked. Then the laughter followed. Everything had gone wrong- we EVEN BROKE THE PIANO! Fortunately, there was a gentleman present with the ability to put the wheel back on and help us move the piano where it needed to be- all in one piece and usable for the night.
The program went off beautifully. Those who found out all the issues we had getting it going were shocked- no one had any idea it wasn't how we'd planned from the beginning.
I knew all along that the program would be fine in the end. But that didn't minimize for one second the stress we all had about getting it there.
I just thought we could all use a reminder that even though we get caught up in the moment, the Lord knows where we will all end up. He will help us get there. In the end, we will look back and realize that it all went off beautifully, even though there was stress and heartache along the way.
Everything that could possibly go wrong with the program, did. We had some difficulties with the flyers, so not everyone who SHOULD have been invited got one. Some people who were supposed to sing had to cancel last minute. That meant I had to adjust the script just two days before the party, and then again the day of.
We set up for the party. The committee made the room look beautiful and the treats were amazing. Then my narrator let us know she couldn't come.... So I was the narrator at the last minute.
As my friend Catherine and I moved the piano to a more aesthetically pleasing location, the wheel came off. As the piano sunk to one corner, we both stopped, shocked. Then the laughter followed. Everything had gone wrong- we EVEN BROKE THE PIANO! Fortunately, there was a gentleman present with the ability to put the wheel back on and help us move the piano where it needed to be- all in one piece and usable for the night.
The program went off beautifully. Those who found out all the issues we had getting it going were shocked- no one had any idea it wasn't how we'd planned from the beginning.
I knew all along that the program would be fine in the end. But that didn't minimize for one second the stress we all had about getting it there.
I just thought we could all use a reminder that even though we get caught up in the moment, the Lord knows where we will all end up. He will help us get there. In the end, we will look back and realize that it all went off beautifully, even though there was stress and heartache along the way.
Friday, November 16, 2012
New Shirts and a Twinkie
The past two days have had some interesting experiences. Mom sent me some birthday money for me to buy some new shirts. She had also sent some money for Anna to get new shirts, since Anna's birthday is a week past mine. Anna and I went shopping about a week ago with the intent to find us each a couple new shirts.
What we found were lots of cute shirts for Anna and a lot of nothing for Mommy. I founds lots of stuff that I liked, but nothing that was decent on me. For some inexplicable reason, every shirt I tried on sucked right to me. (And I'm not talking on my belly where I've gained a little weight. I'm talking my entire torso. I know I've gained a little weight, but 2XL should NOT suck so tightly to me that I can see every rivet and seam underneath.) I came home from that shopping trip really disappointed.
Yesterday I got a chance to go shopping again. I'd gotten a few suggestions of other stores to try. I tried two with no luck. I drove to the mall with the intent of shopping at a certain store. I saw JC Penney... I felt VERY drawn to Penney's. This is unusual for me. I refuse to shop at that particular store in protest for having to pay fifty dollars for a shirt that would be ten dollars elsewhere. I couldn't figure out why I was being drawn there, as I figured I'd get one shirt instead of three or four...
In any case, that's where I went. I immediately saw a display with shirts I liked. They fit... I was shocked. (Turns out it was the material the other shirts were made out of making them stick to me- static. Go figure.) I looked at the tags, figuring I'd only be able to choose one. They were very cheap. I came out with three shirts. I felt very blessed that the Lord directed me to a place I could get the shirts I wanted. I know this particular incident it was not a matter of Celestial importance, but it was very important to me.
Today, Hostess went out of business. (What is the world coming to? No more Twinkies or Ding Dongs....) Scott stopped off at the store on the way home to get a couple things we needed, plus some snack cakes for one last time. Couldn't find Twinkies anywhere. (Who knew there'd be rushes on the stores and Twinkies would be the first thing to go?)
Anyone who knows Scott knows that Twinkies are his favorite. He was disappointed not to be able to get a box one last time. When he got home, I decided to run out and try a couple stores he hadn't tried. We didn't figure anyone would have any Twinkies left that late in the day, but it was worth a shot.
I stopped at a store I thought might have some. They didn't. On the way home, I saw a gas station coming up. I felt VERY drawn to try that gas station. They had three little two packs. Probably the last ones in town.
Again, I felt very blessed. This was definitely not a matter of Celestial importance, any more than my shirts were. But it was important to Scott, and we were directed to the place to go.
God loves each of us. Even if things aren't important in the scheme of things, the Lord will often bless us with the little things we want. We just have to be listening to His directions.
What we found were lots of cute shirts for Anna and a lot of nothing for Mommy. I founds lots of stuff that I liked, but nothing that was decent on me. For some inexplicable reason, every shirt I tried on sucked right to me. (And I'm not talking on my belly where I've gained a little weight. I'm talking my entire torso. I know I've gained a little weight, but 2XL should NOT suck so tightly to me that I can see every rivet and seam underneath.) I came home from that shopping trip really disappointed.
Yesterday I got a chance to go shopping again. I'd gotten a few suggestions of other stores to try. I tried two with no luck. I drove to the mall with the intent of shopping at a certain store. I saw JC Penney... I felt VERY drawn to Penney's. This is unusual for me. I refuse to shop at that particular store in protest for having to pay fifty dollars for a shirt that would be ten dollars elsewhere. I couldn't figure out why I was being drawn there, as I figured I'd get one shirt instead of three or four...
In any case, that's where I went. I immediately saw a display with shirts I liked. They fit... I was shocked. (Turns out it was the material the other shirts were made out of making them stick to me- static. Go figure.) I looked at the tags, figuring I'd only be able to choose one. They were very cheap. I came out with three shirts. I felt very blessed that the Lord directed me to a place I could get the shirts I wanted. I know this particular incident it was not a matter of Celestial importance, but it was very important to me.
Today, Hostess went out of business. (What is the world coming to? No more Twinkies or Ding Dongs....) Scott stopped off at the store on the way home to get a couple things we needed, plus some snack cakes for one last time. Couldn't find Twinkies anywhere. (Who knew there'd be rushes on the stores and Twinkies would be the first thing to go?)
Anyone who knows Scott knows that Twinkies are his favorite. He was disappointed not to be able to get a box one last time. When he got home, I decided to run out and try a couple stores he hadn't tried. We didn't figure anyone would have any Twinkies left that late in the day, but it was worth a shot.
I stopped at a store I thought might have some. They didn't. On the way home, I saw a gas station coming up. I felt VERY drawn to try that gas station. They had three little two packs. Probably the last ones in town.
Again, I felt very blessed. This was definitely not a matter of Celestial importance, any more than my shirts were. But it was important to Scott, and we were directed to the place to go.
God loves each of us. Even if things aren't important in the scheme of things, the Lord will often bless us with the little things we want. We just have to be listening to His directions.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Accidents
Today I ran to Scott's school for him to get some documents off his computer that he needed. (Win-win. He got the stuff he needed without having to drive out there- thus getting some things done at home that he needed to, and I got out of the house without kids...)
On the way, I hit horrible traffic. I thought sure it was for construction, because cones were set up for about a mile. I inched forward slowly, and eventually was able to see that it wasn't construction, but a horrible, horrible accident. I found out later that it was a six or seven car pile up. I got there after the emergency vehicles had already taken victims to the hospital, and only saw the clean up effort. The cars were SO smashed up, it was scary to see. One car was only recognizable as a car by its location and the circumstances. Otherwise I'd have taken it for scrap metal at a construction site. I was very shaken by the sight- even though I didn't see any actual people that been involved in it. (Found out later on a news website that at least immediately following the crash, there had been no deaths. Hopefully that doesn't change.)
While I wasn't shaken by the memories this brought up, I couldn't help but think back to the picture of the car I had been in when I was my horrible car accident. There were a lot of angels working overtime that day, as I'm sure there were today for the people involved in the one I passed.
It was when my dad was in the hospital. I finally got the call to come home immediately because he was on his way out. Heidi was getting on a plane and I needed to drive from Logan where I was attending USU to Salt Lake City where my parents lived and my dad was hospitalized. It was December, and in Logan that means snow. This particular morning it meant blizzard.
My visiting teacher was Becky Clements (now Hopkins). She had been a good friend to me all semester, and had told me that if I needed to get to SLC quickly, to call her and she'd be happy to drive me, since I didn't have a car at that time. So this morning, Friday of finals week, I called her at about 7 AM. She willingly rearranged her schedule, contacted a professor to move a final, and drove to my apartment so we could load up and move out. I remember putting the phone numbers to all three bishopric members in my wallet, thinking I would want to call one of them when it was all over, just to let them know Dad had gone.
We made it about fifteen minutes from home was all. I only remember the first two minutes of the drive. Becky lost that whole week from memory. We hit some ice in Sardine Canyon and our car spun around into oncoming traffic. We were broadsided by a snow plow. (I found out in recent years that while it WAS a snow plow, what everyone has been meaning was a big pick up truck with a blade on the front- not a huge snow plow like I'd always been picturing... But in any case, we lost the battle.) Becky and I were thrown together. Her head broke my jaw. My jaw broke her head. She was in a coma for a month afterward. (Yes, I am hardheaded and stubborn, but I am convinced that this particular personality flaw in no way detracts from my lovability...)
The miracles? The car behind us (or shortly behind us- I don't know all the details) was being driven by a nurse or CNA who called 911 and then came to help us in the car. He later helped my bishopric counselor give me a blessing in the hospital. The rescue workers didn't go quickly at 'body removal' at first because they thought both girls in the car were dead. They were shocked to discover in time that it really was a rescue mission. I recovered fairly quickly considering my injuries. Within two months I had returned to work.
The miracles for Becky? First, it was a miracle she lived and had full mental capacity. She went on to become an occupational therapist- which was her goal even before the accident happened- which required a Masters Degree. Now she has a first hand view of what it is like for her patients. To my knowledge, she had no debilitating permanent effects of the accident, though it did affect her permanently. I want to say she met her husband as a result of the accident as well, but I could be wrong. (They live happily with several children.) Becky's dad had been laid off months before the accident. Because of the accident, networking happened and he found a job as a direct result.
Other miracles? First of all, I received a settlement from Becky's car insurance. That money held both my mother and me over for a year until she was able to find a job to support herself. She went back to school, got a job she loves, and then the money ran out. If I remember correctly, the money ran out right about the time she got back on her feet- I had just enough left to buy a car with the remaining money so I could do my student teaching.
Oh, and the phone numbers of my bishopric members that I put in my wallet? We did end up needing that later. I can't remember exactly when, but I think it was when mom was driving me back up to school after that Christmas break- so just a week or two after the funeral. We were just emerging from Sardine Canyon into Cache Valley when her car died. We coasted down the hill and into a gas station. Then I went inside to use the phone. I called the bishopric, and soon Brother Harrison came out to rescue us. (Side miracle- even though he wasn't a mechanic, he was still able to figure out what was wrong AND fix it so that we were able to get me to my apartment and my mom back home safely.)
Every story has a miracle. Some have many, like this one. Look for the miracles in life and you will never again feel weighed down by trials. I know in my life, when I look for the miracles involved rather than focusing on whatever trial I am experiencing, it takes the weight off as I remember that God really is aware of me.
Just a thought.
On the way, I hit horrible traffic. I thought sure it was for construction, because cones were set up for about a mile. I inched forward slowly, and eventually was able to see that it wasn't construction, but a horrible, horrible accident. I found out later that it was a six or seven car pile up. I got there after the emergency vehicles had already taken victims to the hospital, and only saw the clean up effort. The cars were SO smashed up, it was scary to see. One car was only recognizable as a car by its location and the circumstances. Otherwise I'd have taken it for scrap metal at a construction site. I was very shaken by the sight- even though I didn't see any actual people that been involved in it. (Found out later on a news website that at least immediately following the crash, there had been no deaths. Hopefully that doesn't change.)
While I wasn't shaken by the memories this brought up, I couldn't help but think back to the picture of the car I had been in when I was my horrible car accident. There were a lot of angels working overtime that day, as I'm sure there were today for the people involved in the one I passed.
It was when my dad was in the hospital. I finally got the call to come home immediately because he was on his way out. Heidi was getting on a plane and I needed to drive from Logan where I was attending USU to Salt Lake City where my parents lived and my dad was hospitalized. It was December, and in Logan that means snow. This particular morning it meant blizzard.
My visiting teacher was Becky Clements (now Hopkins). She had been a good friend to me all semester, and had told me that if I needed to get to SLC quickly, to call her and she'd be happy to drive me, since I didn't have a car at that time. So this morning, Friday of finals week, I called her at about 7 AM. She willingly rearranged her schedule, contacted a professor to move a final, and drove to my apartment so we could load up and move out. I remember putting the phone numbers to all three bishopric members in my wallet, thinking I would want to call one of them when it was all over, just to let them know Dad had gone.
We made it about fifteen minutes from home was all. I only remember the first two minutes of the drive. Becky lost that whole week from memory. We hit some ice in Sardine Canyon and our car spun around into oncoming traffic. We were broadsided by a snow plow. (I found out in recent years that while it WAS a snow plow, what everyone has been meaning was a big pick up truck with a blade on the front- not a huge snow plow like I'd always been picturing... But in any case, we lost the battle.) Becky and I were thrown together. Her head broke my jaw. My jaw broke her head. She was in a coma for a month afterward. (Yes, I am hardheaded and stubborn, but I am convinced that this particular personality flaw in no way detracts from my lovability...)
The miracles? The car behind us (or shortly behind us- I don't know all the details) was being driven by a nurse or CNA who called 911 and then came to help us in the car. He later helped my bishopric counselor give me a blessing in the hospital. The rescue workers didn't go quickly at 'body removal' at first because they thought both girls in the car were dead. They were shocked to discover in time that it really was a rescue mission. I recovered fairly quickly considering my injuries. Within two months I had returned to work.
The miracles for Becky? First, it was a miracle she lived and had full mental capacity. She went on to become an occupational therapist- which was her goal even before the accident happened- which required a Masters Degree. Now she has a first hand view of what it is like for her patients. To my knowledge, she had no debilitating permanent effects of the accident, though it did affect her permanently. I want to say she met her husband as a result of the accident as well, but I could be wrong. (They live happily with several children.) Becky's dad had been laid off months before the accident. Because of the accident, networking happened and he found a job as a direct result.
Other miracles? First of all, I received a settlement from Becky's car insurance. That money held both my mother and me over for a year until she was able to find a job to support herself. She went back to school, got a job she loves, and then the money ran out. If I remember correctly, the money ran out right about the time she got back on her feet- I had just enough left to buy a car with the remaining money so I could do my student teaching.
Oh, and the phone numbers of my bishopric members that I put in my wallet? We did end up needing that later. I can't remember exactly when, but I think it was when mom was driving me back up to school after that Christmas break- so just a week or two after the funeral. We were just emerging from Sardine Canyon into Cache Valley when her car died. We coasted down the hill and into a gas station. Then I went inside to use the phone. I called the bishopric, and soon Brother Harrison came out to rescue us. (Side miracle- even though he wasn't a mechanic, he was still able to figure out what was wrong AND fix it so that we were able to get me to my apartment and my mom back home safely.)
Every story has a miracle. Some have many, like this one. Look for the miracles in life and you will never again feel weighed down by trials. I know in my life, when I look for the miracles involved rather than focusing on whatever trial I am experiencing, it takes the weight off as I remember that God really is aware of me.
Just a thought.
Personal Histories
At our Relief Society Midweek Activity this week, we learned about personal histories. We learned the value first of all, and then made personal history jars. In the jars we have lots of questions. You answer the question in your history. This helps you 'jar' your memory so you can write your history. It cuts out all the stress. It doesn't matter that your history won't be chronological.
The perk of this? We also got questions to ask our children. I started this today with my girls. We did three questions. Anna thought it was so cool to talk about herself and know that mommy was typing what she said. Then together, Anna and I decided what we think Katie would say in response to the same questions. I did these on google docs so I could allow the entire family to view it. I am saving all the questions so we can answer them again once we make it through the jar. Then we can watch their responses change as they get older. Very cool experience.
I highly recommend this activity. The handout in pdf form is at the following link: http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php. The pdf you want is the first document under Writing and Research Helps. (I tried to upload it straight to my blog and I can't, so you get to go to my old Weebly teaching site. :D) This document has first the instructions to make the jar, then the questions for adults, and then the questions for children.
The perk of this? We also got questions to ask our children. I started this today with my girls. We did three questions. Anna thought it was so cool to talk about herself and know that mommy was typing what she said. Then together, Anna and I decided what we think Katie would say in response to the same questions. I did these on google docs so I could allow the entire family to view it. I am saving all the questions so we can answer them again once we make it through the jar. Then we can watch their responses change as they get older. Very cool experience.
I highly recommend this activity. The handout in pdf form is at the following link: http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php. The pdf you want is the first document under Writing and Research Helps. (I tried to upload it straight to my blog and I can't, so you get to go to my old Weebly teaching site. :D) This document has first the instructions to make the jar, then the questions for adults, and then the questions for children.
Friday, October 26, 2012
I Have Brown Hair
I have brown hair. For those of you who know me, I'm sure you are thinking, "Thank you for pointing that out. Why do I care?" Let me explain why this is a big deal. Growing up, my sister had beautiful blonde hair. (She still does, but it's only important that she did as a kid....) My cousins Julie and Becky both had beautiful blonde hair. I blame the three of them for my story today. (Heidi, you are welcome. :D)
So the point is this. I always considered myself a blonde. That's even what my driver's license says. I made lots of dumb blonde jokes with the intent to poke fun at myself. I'd claim 'blonde moments' among a long list of other blonde things I related myself to. Again, let me remind you. I have brown hair. Always have.
About three years ago (yes, this embarrassingly enough took me until the age of 29 to figure this out) I was sitting at my desk at school. The background picture on my computer was a photo of Scott and me when we were first married. I stared at it for several minutes. Suddenly it dawned on me. I HAVE BROWN HAIR. Here I was, 29 years old, and only just NOW realizing what color my hair was... I honestly always thought my hair was blonde. I stared at that picture for several minutes after that realization. I started searching my memory for other pictures of myself growing up, thinking, "Did it go darker when I got older?" The picture that comes to memory is my 9th grade yearbook picture. (I always picture that one because it's the first one where I don't look like a dork...) Nope. Still brown hair. I think farther back to elementary school. The picture that comes to memory is the one when I had shorter hair. Still brown. VERY LIGHT brown, but still brown.
Hmmm. It was a humiliating moment for me, but also very enlightening. It explained a lot of looks over the years as I made blonde jokes about myself. It explained the doll I received as a small child that was supposed to look just like me but I never understood because it had brown hair. It explained the clarification at the DMV about my description of myself. (At the time I thought the question about what my hair color box said was because I have horrible handwriting... Maybe it wasn't...)
My point is this. Sometimes we have thoughts and beliefs about the world, the universe, God, etc. Those thoughts and beliefs make up our reality. Then suddenly we learn something new. We realize that what we have always thought is not what always was. I always had brown hair, no matter what I thought or said. My sudden identity crisis (three years later and I'm only just now able to say without pausing that I have brown hair...) did not come about because of a change in my appearance, but a change in my understanding. Didn't make it any easier accepting the new truth just because of the realization that THAT was how it had always been.
This is just a little encouragement to everyone. Give it time. Gradually each new thing we learn works its way into our new reality. That is how we grow. That is how we improve. And that is how we become more like God.
So the point is this. I always considered myself a blonde. That's even what my driver's license says. I made lots of dumb blonde jokes with the intent to poke fun at myself. I'd claim 'blonde moments' among a long list of other blonde things I related myself to. Again, let me remind you. I have brown hair. Always have.
About three years ago (yes, this embarrassingly enough took me until the age of 29 to figure this out) I was sitting at my desk at school. The background picture on my computer was a photo of Scott and me when we were first married. I stared at it for several minutes. Suddenly it dawned on me. I HAVE BROWN HAIR. Here I was, 29 years old, and only just NOW realizing what color my hair was... I honestly always thought my hair was blonde. I stared at that picture for several minutes after that realization. I started searching my memory for other pictures of myself growing up, thinking, "Did it go darker when I got older?" The picture that comes to memory is my 9th grade yearbook picture. (I always picture that one because it's the first one where I don't look like a dork...) Nope. Still brown hair. I think farther back to elementary school. The picture that comes to memory is the one when I had shorter hair. Still brown. VERY LIGHT brown, but still brown.
Hmmm. It was a humiliating moment for me, but also very enlightening. It explained a lot of looks over the years as I made blonde jokes about myself. It explained the doll I received as a small child that was supposed to look just like me but I never understood because it had brown hair. It explained the clarification at the DMV about my description of myself. (At the time I thought the question about what my hair color box said was because I have horrible handwriting... Maybe it wasn't...)
My point is this. Sometimes we have thoughts and beliefs about the world, the universe, God, etc. Those thoughts and beliefs make up our reality. Then suddenly we learn something new. We realize that what we have always thought is not what always was. I always had brown hair, no matter what I thought or said. My sudden identity crisis (three years later and I'm only just now able to say without pausing that I have brown hair...) did not come about because of a change in my appearance, but a change in my understanding. Didn't make it any easier accepting the new truth just because of the realization that THAT was how it had always been.
This is just a little encouragement to everyone. Give it time. Gradually each new thing we learn works its way into our new reality. That is how we grow. That is how we improve. And that is how we become more like God.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Tell Her to Learn!!!
I had a funny experience with my girls today. Anna is nearly four and Katie is now one. (Holy cow how the time flies!) Anna had been at preschool earlier today and made stop and go signs. She learned a fun game at preschool that she really wanted to play. Hold up a sign and the people you are playing with do what the sign says. (So if you hold up go they walk towards you and if you hold up stop they stop. Then whoever gets to you first takes the signs and is 'it' and the game starts over.)
Anna really wanted to play the new game, but mommy was busy. She was trying to teach Katie the game. Katie is only just barely one (well, technically will be one tomorrow) and so is more in the eat-the-sign stage rather than the follow-the-directions-on-the-sign stage. I'm not sure exactly what Katie was doing with the signs (I assume either just being content to hold them or else chewing on them...) but it was NOT the game Anna was trying to teach her.
In frustration, Anna blurted out the funniest tattling I have ever heard. "Mommy!! Katie isn't learning! TELL HER TO LEARN!!" I did my best to suppress the laughing and instead comforted Anna that Katie was too little to play the game, but maybe Anna could find a different game to play with Katie. I then promised to play the game with her later. Anna found something else to do with Katie, and then in a few minutes we put Katie down for a nap and went outside to play the game Anna had wanted to play so badly.
I love this experience just because the tattling was so funny. But I wonder how often our frustrations with people (or ourselves) is actually a result of the person we are frustrated with simply not being at the correct stage of life to truly understand something we want them to. For example, I may be able to communicate what I want to a friend who is the same age I am. That doesn't automatically put that friend in the same stage of life. Maybe my friend had a different school experience, a different atmosphere growing up, different life experiences. Maybe she would understand something I wouldn't. Maybe we think we both understand but both are taking a completely different view of something.
Just something to think about. Rather than getting frustrated with people, maybe we could all think about what stage of the game they are in. Just because they can do a lot of things we can doesn't mean they are not in the eat-the-sign stage in that particular thing. Maybe if we are patient with others, they will return the favor and be patient with us. After all, we all want to eat the sign at some point in life. :)
Anna really wanted to play the new game, but mommy was busy. She was trying to teach Katie the game. Katie is only just barely one (well, technically will be one tomorrow) and so is more in the eat-the-sign stage rather than the follow-the-directions-on-the-sign stage. I'm not sure exactly what Katie was doing with the signs (I assume either just being content to hold them or else chewing on them...) but it was NOT the game Anna was trying to teach her.
In frustration, Anna blurted out the funniest tattling I have ever heard. "Mommy!! Katie isn't learning! TELL HER TO LEARN!!" I did my best to suppress the laughing and instead comforted Anna that Katie was too little to play the game, but maybe Anna could find a different game to play with Katie. I then promised to play the game with her later. Anna found something else to do with Katie, and then in a few minutes we put Katie down for a nap and went outside to play the game Anna had wanted to play so badly.
I love this experience just because the tattling was so funny. But I wonder how often our frustrations with people (or ourselves) is actually a result of the person we are frustrated with simply not being at the correct stage of life to truly understand something we want them to. For example, I may be able to communicate what I want to a friend who is the same age I am. That doesn't automatically put that friend in the same stage of life. Maybe my friend had a different school experience, a different atmosphere growing up, different life experiences. Maybe she would understand something I wouldn't. Maybe we think we both understand but both are taking a completely different view of something.
Just something to think about. Rather than getting frustrated with people, maybe we could all think about what stage of the game they are in. Just because they can do a lot of things we can doesn't mean they are not in the eat-the-sign stage in that particular thing. Maybe if we are patient with others, they will return the favor and be patient with us. After all, we all want to eat the sign at some point in life. :)
Monday, August 20, 2012
A Child's Prayer
Yesterday we had a cool experience. I took the girls for a quick walk to return something to a friend. After dropping the item off, I noticed the baby had dropped her brand new sippy cup. It is her favorite thing lately, and I new it would be a sad day for all of us if we couldn't find it on the short walk home. We looked around my friend's driveway to make sure it hadn't fallen there. It hadn't.
As we walked across the street, I told Anna to pray to Heavenly Father that we could find Katie's cup. We looked carefully on the way home, and as we walked and looked, I was able to have a nice teaching moment with Anna about prayer. I explained that when we need something- like we did then- we can pray for help. Then I explained to Anna that if Heavenly Father wants us to have what we are praying for, He will help us to get the answer to our prayer. But if He doesn't want us to get it, we won't even though we wanted it. Then I explained that if Heavenly Father wanted us to find Katie's cup, he'd help us find it. If He didn't want us to find Katie's cup right away, we wouldn't.
I asked Anna if she understood that just because we don't always get what we pray for that it doesn't mean that Heavenly Father doesn't love us or doesn't hear us. She said she did.
We then found the cup. Katie was nice enough to drop it inside our garage. It hadn't even gone on the walk with us. I was so grateful to find it so Anna could get that little testimony boost that our prayers can be answered. It was a wonderful thing to share with her. And finding the cup made Katie happy. :)
As we walked across the street, I told Anna to pray to Heavenly Father that we could find Katie's cup. We looked carefully on the way home, and as we walked and looked, I was able to have a nice teaching moment with Anna about prayer. I explained that when we need something- like we did then- we can pray for help. Then I explained to Anna that if Heavenly Father wants us to have what we are praying for, He will help us to get the answer to our prayer. But if He doesn't want us to get it, we won't even though we wanted it. Then I explained that if Heavenly Father wanted us to find Katie's cup, he'd help us find it. If He didn't want us to find Katie's cup right away, we wouldn't.
I asked Anna if she understood that just because we don't always get what we pray for that it doesn't mean that Heavenly Father doesn't love us or doesn't hear us. She said she did.
We then found the cup. Katie was nice enough to drop it inside our garage. It hadn't even gone on the walk with us. I was so grateful to find it so Anna could get that little testimony boost that our prayers can be answered. It was a wonderful thing to share with her. And finding the cup made Katie happy. :)
Friday, August 3, 2012
Contention
I was reminded today of an experience I had in college. I was reading President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, from the last General Conference. He spoke about forgiving others and dissolving contention. One of his focuses was in the family, but he also spoke of forgiving everyone and dissolving conflict everywhere.
In college, my dad passed away right before Christmas. At the time, I was our college ward's music chairman. One of my responsibilities in that ward was to write a cantata for Christmas. (No, I do not compose music. I took existing music and added text between songs....) I really wanted my parents to be able to hear it, but my dad was still in the ICU, and as a result, neither of my parents could attend. The cantata was a huge success and went off perfectly.
My bishop asked me to write another one for Easter that year. I remember that the hardest thing about that Easter cantata was that once again, neither of my parents could attend. My dad was gone by then. My mom had something- I don't remember now what- that made it impossible for her to attend. (Seems like she was having car trouble and couldn't safely make the drive, but I don't remember.) I prayed very hard before that Easter cantata that my dad could attend it- and that I'd be able to KNOW he was there since I wouldn't be able to see him.
I know a lot of people don't believe in any type of afterlife or communication between this world and the next. But I testify that I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that my dad was there at that Easter cantata. I didn't see him, but I felt him and I knew with all my heart, mind, and soul that he had come to see my cantata in answer to my prayer.
That was a huge spiritual experience for me. I'd missed my dad so much, and it was a big testimony that just because he wouldn't be there in person for the major life events coming up, he was still there to witness them.
Switching gears for just a moment. My roommates and I were good friends with the girls from another apartment in our building. The girls in that apartment were having serious conflict with each other. Major issues had come up, and as a result, they were always fighting, always bitter, and always eager to make sure their friends didn't like the group of roommates they were angry with. This is what Pres. Uchtdorf's talk reminded me of.
I came home from church that day well behind the rest of the girls in my building. I had stayed after to absorb the wonderful feeling I'd had with my dad being there to see my cantata. The second I opened the door to my apartment, the peaceful feeling of the spirit and the feeling of communion with my dad left. My roommates were at the kitchen table with one of the girls from upstairs talking angrily about the conflict in that apartment. The feeling of contention was so strong in our apartment. It chased away all the good feelings I'd had during church that day.
I remember being so upset (and therefore adding to the spirit of contention) that they had ruined such a glorious experience for me. I was so happy when the girls upstairs parted ways after the semester and the contention was gone.
To anyone experiencing any type of feeling of contention anywhere, read this talk. http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/05/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng
You will thank me later.
In college, my dad passed away right before Christmas. At the time, I was our college ward's music chairman. One of my responsibilities in that ward was to write a cantata for Christmas. (No, I do not compose music. I took existing music and added text between songs....) I really wanted my parents to be able to hear it, but my dad was still in the ICU, and as a result, neither of my parents could attend. The cantata was a huge success and went off perfectly.
My bishop asked me to write another one for Easter that year. I remember that the hardest thing about that Easter cantata was that once again, neither of my parents could attend. My dad was gone by then. My mom had something- I don't remember now what- that made it impossible for her to attend. (Seems like she was having car trouble and couldn't safely make the drive, but I don't remember.) I prayed very hard before that Easter cantata that my dad could attend it- and that I'd be able to KNOW he was there since I wouldn't be able to see him.
I know a lot of people don't believe in any type of afterlife or communication between this world and the next. But I testify that I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that my dad was there at that Easter cantata. I didn't see him, but I felt him and I knew with all my heart, mind, and soul that he had come to see my cantata in answer to my prayer.
That was a huge spiritual experience for me. I'd missed my dad so much, and it was a big testimony that just because he wouldn't be there in person for the major life events coming up, he was still there to witness them.
Switching gears for just a moment. My roommates and I were good friends with the girls from another apartment in our building. The girls in that apartment were having serious conflict with each other. Major issues had come up, and as a result, they were always fighting, always bitter, and always eager to make sure their friends didn't like the group of roommates they were angry with. This is what Pres. Uchtdorf's talk reminded me of.
I came home from church that day well behind the rest of the girls in my building. I had stayed after to absorb the wonderful feeling I'd had with my dad being there to see my cantata. The second I opened the door to my apartment, the peaceful feeling of the spirit and the feeling of communion with my dad left. My roommates were at the kitchen table with one of the girls from upstairs talking angrily about the conflict in that apartment. The feeling of contention was so strong in our apartment. It chased away all the good feelings I'd had during church that day.
I remember being so upset (and therefore adding to the spirit of contention) that they had ruined such a glorious experience for me. I was so happy when the girls upstairs parted ways after the semester and the contention was gone.
To anyone experiencing any type of feeling of contention anywhere, read this talk. http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/05/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng
You will thank me later.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Gideon Biddle
This isn't in the usual spirit of my blog, but I had to put it on anyway. :)
I have a good friend named Katie Wood (publicly known as Katherine Wood) who has written a series of books. It is called the Gideon Biddle series. This is the most amazing series of books ever written.
Gideon is a boy who finds himself caught in the middle of a battle between good and evil. (But not in a cheesy or cliche way. I just won't give any details that will give away the story.) Gideon is a boy in a magical world who finds ways to defeat the bad guys even though he himself is unable to do magic.
There are three books in the series. (Number three is coming out soon. I am privileged enough to have read an advanced copy...) I highly recommend this series of books. These are the greatest adventures of all times!
I loved this series, and I know you will too!
KatherineWoodofficialsite.com
I have a good friend named Katie Wood (publicly known as Katherine Wood) who has written a series of books. It is called the Gideon Biddle series. This is the most amazing series of books ever written.
Gideon is a boy who finds himself caught in the middle of a battle between good and evil. (But not in a cheesy or cliche way. I just won't give any details that will give away the story.) Gideon is a boy in a magical world who finds ways to defeat the bad guys even though he himself is unable to do magic.
There are three books in the series. (Number three is coming out soon. I am privileged enough to have read an advanced copy...) I highly recommend this series of books. These are the greatest adventures of all times!
I loved this series, and I know you will too!
KatherineWoodofficialsite.com
Priesthood Power
A couple nights ago, our baby, Katie, kept having nightmares. I put her down at about 8:00 PM, and by about 10:30 PM she'd already woken up screaming about six times. She was having horrible nightmares. The last time she woke up crying, I sat in the rocking chair to cuddle her, hoping to calm her down. The thought came to me that if Scott gave her a blessing, she'd stop having nightmares.
I carried her upstairs. Scott was in bed (as I had also been when she cried once again) and so the bedroom was dark when I carried Katie into our room. When Daddy came towards her in the dark, she started screaming bloody murder. She didn't recognize him in the dark, and she was seeing something from her nightmares, not her father.
Even after I turned the light on, she wouldn't stop crying and screaming. Scott laid his hands on her head to give her the blessing. The feel of his hands on her head when she couldn't see his face scared her even more.
As soon as he called upon the power of the priesthood, she stopped crying. She didn't cry again because of nightmares that night. It was such an amazing experience. My only regret is that she is too little to remember it.
I carried her upstairs. Scott was in bed (as I had also been when she cried once again) and so the bedroom was dark when I carried Katie into our room. When Daddy came towards her in the dark, she started screaming bloody murder. She didn't recognize him in the dark, and she was seeing something from her nightmares, not her father.
Even after I turned the light on, she wouldn't stop crying and screaming. Scott laid his hands on her head to give her the blessing. The feel of his hands on her head when she couldn't see his face scared her even more.
As soon as he called upon the power of the priesthood, she stopped crying. She didn't cry again because of nightmares that night. It was such an amazing experience. My only regret is that she is too little to remember it.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
General Conference Challenge
A few days ago, my friend Cassie told me about a challenge the Young Women in our stake received from the stake president at the end of Girls' Camp. Cassie was doing the challenge, and I decided to do it with her.
He gave each of the girls a copy of the Ensign with last conference's talks. He challenged each girl to read every talk from last General Conference before the next one in October. He told the girls he'd been praying for a way to help them increase their spirituality. He promised them that if they would do this, they would not only increase their spirituality, but help them develop a relationship with their Heavenly Father and the Savior. He also said it would help them get answers to their prayers.
I started this challenge yesterday, and I've already noticed a lift in my overall spirits. I thought I'd pass on this challenge. You don't even have to get a copy of the Ensign with the talks. I've been reading mine on lds.org.
I just thought it could help others as much as it's been starting to help me.
He gave each of the girls a copy of the Ensign with last conference's talks. He challenged each girl to read every talk from last General Conference before the next one in October. He told the girls he'd been praying for a way to help them increase their spirituality. He promised them that if they would do this, they would not only increase their spirituality, but help them develop a relationship with their Heavenly Father and the Savior. He also said it would help them get answers to their prayers.
I started this challenge yesterday, and I've already noticed a lift in my overall spirits. I thought I'd pass on this challenge. You don't even have to get a copy of the Ensign with the talks. I've been reading mine on lds.org.
I just thought it could help others as much as it's been starting to help me.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
The Simple Solution
Today we had a major storm. We had a severe weather watch. (And we did watch it through the open front door- it was pretty awe-inspiring...) Torrential rain came in waves. Large hail pounded the ground. The wind whipped the trees around. Our entire street was flooded. Cars drove by and you could only see half the wheels.
Our back yard is on a slope. The way the tiles have been placed in our patio, we have a wonderful water gathering area right outside the basement door. As a result, every time we have these huge rainstorms, we have to watch for flooding in the basement by the door. Until now, we've never had a flood.
Today we did, though. The water was leaking in through the door. We discovered that while it was still only bad enough to get the tile and carpet wet. But we knew we'd have a big problem (and brand new carpet ruined) if we didn't fix it quickly. Scott began trying to find a water pump from neighbors and friends. Not knowing what else to do, I grabbed a bucket.
I had suggested the bucket to Scott, but the rain was coming down hard enough and the puddle growing fast enough, the bucket method wasn't going to solve the problem. But since he was needing to scrounge around and find a pump to really solve anything, I decided to use the bucket as a temporary effort in saving the basement.
It was very hard work. Even now my whole body is shaking from exhaustion. But you know what, it actually worked. I was able to get enough in the bucket that it actually made a small dent in the potential flood. Each bucketful was a little more than the rain coming in. Then the rain slowed down.
I was wondering if my efforts were doing any good, as I was exhausted and hoping Scott could find a pump quickly. Then I noticed that right by the door, there was a tiny patch of cement that was actually starting to dry off. That's when I knew that the simple solution of the bucket was going to work. That gave me motivation and I increased my efforts. I was actually able to get ALL of the water out of that area. It was amazing. Had the rain not stopped completely I wouldn't have been that successful- but I still would have stopped the basement from flooding.
Yes, the water pump would have been easier. (And yes, Scott did find one- but not until the rain had stopped and most of the area in front of the door was dry.) It would have been faster, too. But the bucket solution worked just fine. It was a good reminder for me that we don't always have to have the fancy technology solutions. Sometimes the answer is just the simple solution of hard work.
Cute side note to this story: When our family was watching the rain from the front door (before the flooding scare) Anna started telling us about the wise man and the foolish man. You know, the rains came down and the floods came up? I asked her who built his house where and she told me the wise man built his house both places. Still pretty good for a three year old. :) She thought it was pretty awesome to finally SEE what that song would look like... :D Thank you all primary leaders everywhere.
Our back yard is on a slope. The way the tiles have been placed in our patio, we have a wonderful water gathering area right outside the basement door. As a result, every time we have these huge rainstorms, we have to watch for flooding in the basement by the door. Until now, we've never had a flood.
Today we did, though. The water was leaking in through the door. We discovered that while it was still only bad enough to get the tile and carpet wet. But we knew we'd have a big problem (and brand new carpet ruined) if we didn't fix it quickly. Scott began trying to find a water pump from neighbors and friends. Not knowing what else to do, I grabbed a bucket.
I had suggested the bucket to Scott, but the rain was coming down hard enough and the puddle growing fast enough, the bucket method wasn't going to solve the problem. But since he was needing to scrounge around and find a pump to really solve anything, I decided to use the bucket as a temporary effort in saving the basement.
It was very hard work. Even now my whole body is shaking from exhaustion. But you know what, it actually worked. I was able to get enough in the bucket that it actually made a small dent in the potential flood. Each bucketful was a little more than the rain coming in. Then the rain slowed down.
I was wondering if my efforts were doing any good, as I was exhausted and hoping Scott could find a pump quickly. Then I noticed that right by the door, there was a tiny patch of cement that was actually starting to dry off. That's when I knew that the simple solution of the bucket was going to work. That gave me motivation and I increased my efforts. I was actually able to get ALL of the water out of that area. It was amazing. Had the rain not stopped completely I wouldn't have been that successful- but I still would have stopped the basement from flooding.
Yes, the water pump would have been easier. (And yes, Scott did find one- but not until the rain had stopped and most of the area in front of the door was dry.) It would have been faster, too. But the bucket solution worked just fine. It was a good reminder for me that we don't always have to have the fancy technology solutions. Sometimes the answer is just the simple solution of hard work.
Cute side note to this story: When our family was watching the rain from the front door (before the flooding scare) Anna started telling us about the wise man and the foolish man. You know, the rains came down and the floods came up? I asked her who built his house where and she told me the wise man built his house both places. Still pretty good for a three year old. :) She thought it was pretty awesome to finally SEE what that song would look like... :D Thank you all primary leaders everywhere.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Out of the Blue
So today I took my kids to the grocery store with me. Daddy was trying to edit the preview for the documentary he and his friends have made. (Side note, it's entered in for TWO Emmy Awards- how cool is that!) I decided to take the girls with me when I got groceries so he could have some chatter-free time to edit the preview and get it done today like he wanted.
On the way to the store, a song came on the radio. Anna asked her favorite car question, "What's this song, Mommy?" I told her my usual response, "I don't know, Sweetie." (She wants a title, and if I know it, she then wants the name of the singer. So far, the only one I consistently know is Taylor Swift... Because I know that ONE voice, she thinks I should be able to tell her all information about all songs...) Anyway, after I told her I didn't know the name of the song, she told me its title- or at least the phrase they repeat quite often in it. She was right, too. She'd been able to tell me the title of the song before the words had even started. I could have told her the name of the song (at least what I call it) if she'd asked after the chorus. I was so impressed with her that she could pick it out that soon. (She gets that from Daddy. He can do that same thing.)
After I got over the Mommy Pride that she was being so smart and showing such a good memory, the thought came to me, "I am SO glad I don't listen to rap." She was telling me the main phrases in the songs. What if I'd been listening to a song that swore? This time it came out of the blue, but at least had a trigger. If she hears the song a few more times, she may be telling me the words because of a less obvious trigger. A few more times after that and she'll know it well enough to quote it without any triggers...
Just a reminder that we need to watch what we say, do, and listen to. And we need to even if there aren't kids around. Just because it isn't getting spouted back to us by a three year old doesn't mean it isn't getting recorded... Heavenly Father sees it all.
Just a thought.
On the way to the store, a song came on the radio. Anna asked her favorite car question, "What's this song, Mommy?" I told her my usual response, "I don't know, Sweetie." (She wants a title, and if I know it, she then wants the name of the singer. So far, the only one I consistently know is Taylor Swift... Because I know that ONE voice, she thinks I should be able to tell her all information about all songs...) Anyway, after I told her I didn't know the name of the song, she told me its title- or at least the phrase they repeat quite often in it. She was right, too. She'd been able to tell me the title of the song before the words had even started. I could have told her the name of the song (at least what I call it) if she'd asked after the chorus. I was so impressed with her that she could pick it out that soon. (She gets that from Daddy. He can do that same thing.)
After I got over the Mommy Pride that she was being so smart and showing such a good memory, the thought came to me, "I am SO glad I don't listen to rap." She was telling me the main phrases in the songs. What if I'd been listening to a song that swore? This time it came out of the blue, but at least had a trigger. If she hears the song a few more times, she may be telling me the words because of a less obvious trigger. A few more times after that and she'll know it well enough to quote it without any triggers...
Just a reminder that we need to watch what we say, do, and listen to. And we need to even if there aren't kids around. Just because it isn't getting spouted back to us by a three year old doesn't mean it isn't getting recorded... Heavenly Father sees it all.
Just a thought.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Manner of Prayer
I was reminded this week of an experience I had over ten years ago. My father went in for surgery, had a complication with the surgery, and ended up in ICU. He was in the ICU for three months before he passed away.
When he first went into the ICU, I prayed some of the most fervent prayers I've ever prayed in my life, begging for him to be healed. About halfway through his hospitalization, I was praying as I went to bed one night. I started saying my usual prayer asking for him to be healed. The thought popped into my head, "What if the Lord needs him more than we do? That is so selfish to be asking this. It might be best for everyone involved if he passes away. What if someone on the other side really needs him?" (Paraphrasing the overall emotions, of course. I don't remember exact thoughts...) That night I changed my prayer. I still asked for him to be healed. Then I added that if God needed him more, please help all of us left behind to deal with it.
For six weeks I prayed that way. When he finally did pass away, I was okay with it. Not happy, mind you. It wasn't how I wanted it to work out. But I was okay. Didn't take away the pain of losing him, didn't mean it wasn't an uphill battle for awhile- for the whole family. But we were all okay.
About a week ago my husband drove his parents to a doctor visit in Las Vegas. We expected him to be home around 6- that would be 2 hours for the drive down, 2 hours for the visit, and then 2 hours for the drive home. I actually really expected him home closer to 5. How long could a doctor visit really take? At 6:30 I was really worried. At 7 I was expecting him to be dead on the freeway somewhere. By 7:30 I was sitting with the phone in my hand waiting for the call to come identify all three bodies. (In case people haven't noticed from my blog, one thing I'm REALLY good at is overreacting and panicking where there is absolutely no need for it... I've decided that it's a cute and loveable flaw that is endearing, and so far no one has bothered to correct me about that...)
I was praying the whole time he was gone that they'd travel safely. When I started panicking, my prayers became especially fervent. Then I had that same thought- how selfish of me to beg for everything to be okay. What if that wasn't the Lord's plan? So I started praying the same way I had with my dad. Please let them all be okay, but if not, help me to deal with it.
This time, everything was fine. The appointment turned out to be more involved than any of us had understood and it had taken 3 or 4 hours. That taught me about prayer. When I lost my dad, I had assumed that the spirit had guided me to pray a certain way so that I could be blessed to be okay when the tragedy hit. That taught me that we need to have inspiration with our prayers as well as praying for inspiration. This new experience taught me a lesson I thought I'd already learned, but turns out I hadn't learned it as well as I thought I had. We need to be ready to accept the Lord's will no matter what He asks of us. We may think it's something we can't bear, but we can. We may think that it is just plain suffering, but then come across a time when we realized we learned from something, or we grew from something. I know I grew from losing my dad. I'm never happy he's gone, but I see how much I changed for the better because of that experience. And having that experience made me that much happier to see Scott walking up the driveway after his trip to Vegas.
There is always a purpose, even if there doesn't appear to be one. And that purpose is never the suffering. We can always grow from it, learn from it, be better because of it. We just need to see the blessings instead of the sorrow. We all have sorrow, no matter how happy we are most of the time. It isn't a punishment and it isn't that we are forsaken by God. I feel very blessed in my life, and I think that overall, I am happy probably 90% of the time. Doesn't mean I have never sorrow. And it doesn't mean that sorrow is a bad thing or just for the sake of sorrow.
Just a thought.
When he first went into the ICU, I prayed some of the most fervent prayers I've ever prayed in my life, begging for him to be healed. About halfway through his hospitalization, I was praying as I went to bed one night. I started saying my usual prayer asking for him to be healed. The thought popped into my head, "What if the Lord needs him more than we do? That is so selfish to be asking this. It might be best for everyone involved if he passes away. What if someone on the other side really needs him?" (Paraphrasing the overall emotions, of course. I don't remember exact thoughts...) That night I changed my prayer. I still asked for him to be healed. Then I added that if God needed him more, please help all of us left behind to deal with it.
For six weeks I prayed that way. When he finally did pass away, I was okay with it. Not happy, mind you. It wasn't how I wanted it to work out. But I was okay. Didn't take away the pain of losing him, didn't mean it wasn't an uphill battle for awhile- for the whole family. But we were all okay.
About a week ago my husband drove his parents to a doctor visit in Las Vegas. We expected him to be home around 6- that would be 2 hours for the drive down, 2 hours for the visit, and then 2 hours for the drive home. I actually really expected him home closer to 5. How long could a doctor visit really take? At 6:30 I was really worried. At 7 I was expecting him to be dead on the freeway somewhere. By 7:30 I was sitting with the phone in my hand waiting for the call to come identify all three bodies. (In case people haven't noticed from my blog, one thing I'm REALLY good at is overreacting and panicking where there is absolutely no need for it... I've decided that it's a cute and loveable flaw that is endearing, and so far no one has bothered to correct me about that...)
I was praying the whole time he was gone that they'd travel safely. When I started panicking, my prayers became especially fervent. Then I had that same thought- how selfish of me to beg for everything to be okay. What if that wasn't the Lord's plan? So I started praying the same way I had with my dad. Please let them all be okay, but if not, help me to deal with it.
This time, everything was fine. The appointment turned out to be more involved than any of us had understood and it had taken 3 or 4 hours. That taught me about prayer. When I lost my dad, I had assumed that the spirit had guided me to pray a certain way so that I could be blessed to be okay when the tragedy hit. That taught me that we need to have inspiration with our prayers as well as praying for inspiration. This new experience taught me a lesson I thought I'd already learned, but turns out I hadn't learned it as well as I thought I had. We need to be ready to accept the Lord's will no matter what He asks of us. We may think it's something we can't bear, but we can. We may think that it is just plain suffering, but then come across a time when we realized we learned from something, or we grew from something. I know I grew from losing my dad. I'm never happy he's gone, but I see how much I changed for the better because of that experience. And having that experience made me that much happier to see Scott walking up the driveway after his trip to Vegas.
There is always a purpose, even if there doesn't appear to be one. And that purpose is never the suffering. We can always grow from it, learn from it, be better because of it. We just need to see the blessings instead of the sorrow. We all have sorrow, no matter how happy we are most of the time. It isn't a punishment and it isn't that we are forsaken by God. I feel very blessed in my life, and I think that overall, I am happy probably 90% of the time. Doesn't mean I have never sorrow. And it doesn't mean that sorrow is a bad thing or just for the sake of sorrow.
Just a thought.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
New Indexing Accomplishment
We indexed and arbitrated over 10 million names in one day. Our goal was five million! This is an awesome experience to be part of this. I highly recommend everyone participate. It's an amazing experience. To begin, go to https://familysearch.org/volunteer/indexing and do a test drive to see what it's like. Then you download the software and begin! This is a great pastime and service. I feel highly blessed to be working on the 1940 census as well as the other projects we've done.
Friday, July 6, 2012
The Fairy Tale Life
I realized this morning why so many of us sometimes feel disappointed in life. We all want to be Harry Potter. You know, we want to wake up one morning and find out that we are special and that the world can't function without us. Or we want to be Cinderella- struggle a bit but then marry Prince Charming and live happily ever after.
My realization comes because of our Ladies' Night Out last night. (To my friends there, you know who you are- thank you.) I realized today that it isn't that none of us get our fairy tale life. I think in the end most of us get it. Fairy tales only tell us the summary version. We get the exciting how I met prince charming part, but not the mundane story of life afterward. I do have a fairy tale life. I met my prince charming and we have two kids. I even got my dream come true of being a stay at home mom.
When we hear about Cinderella, we don't hear about how she and Prince Charming argued over what school to put their kids in. We don't hear about how five years into the marriage Prince Charming found Cinderella in the bedroom crying because she can't lose all the baby weight and doesn't fit into the wedding dress anymore. We don't hear about Prince's high blood pressure. We don't hear about how the two year old broke the glass slipper when using it to dress up the cat.
We often feel inadequate- or at least I often do. I've made it my goal to realize that just because I'm not Cinderella doesn't mean I'm not happy. I am happy. I bet Cinderella had to let it go that Prince snored. I bet he had to get used to the fact that she didn't like his mother. I bet their kids fought and one of them failed out of math because he thought it was stupid. When they got older, I bet he was diabetic and they both went senile.
And I bet they both still lived happily ever after.
My realization comes because of our Ladies' Night Out last night. (To my friends there, you know who you are- thank you.) I realized today that it isn't that none of us get our fairy tale life. I think in the end most of us get it. Fairy tales only tell us the summary version. We get the exciting how I met prince charming part, but not the mundane story of life afterward. I do have a fairy tale life. I met my prince charming and we have two kids. I even got my dream come true of being a stay at home mom.
When we hear about Cinderella, we don't hear about how she and Prince Charming argued over what school to put their kids in. We don't hear about how five years into the marriage Prince Charming found Cinderella in the bedroom crying because she can't lose all the baby weight and doesn't fit into the wedding dress anymore. We don't hear about Prince's high blood pressure. We don't hear about how the two year old broke the glass slipper when using it to dress up the cat.
We often feel inadequate- or at least I often do. I've made it my goal to realize that just because I'm not Cinderella doesn't mean I'm not happy. I am happy. I bet Cinderella had to let it go that Prince snored. I bet he had to get used to the fact that she didn't like his mother. I bet their kids fought and one of them failed out of math because he thought it was stupid. When they got older, I bet he was diabetic and they both went senile.
And I bet they both still lived happily ever after.
The Drive
So I realized yesterday that I'm a complete nerd. :) I was driving with my two girls from Grandma's house yesterday (a five hour drive) and had a few snags. To calm myself down, I spent the first half of the drive figuring out what I could say on my blog about all the experiences we were having... :) So here it is:
First of all, the undercarriage of the car started to come off. We figured that out as I was backing out of the driveway at my mom's house. Great start to the drive. I went up to a car parts store hoping they could help me rip it the rest of the way off so I could drive home. I didn't know what it would do to the car if I dragged it the whole way... They didn't have the equipment to help me, but were able to tell me how to get to a nearby shop. I drove across the street to fill up on gas and began praying as hard as I could to figure out what to do. A shop was going to charge me at least twenty dollars to fix the problem. I didn't have even that amount. All I had was what I needed to buy gas on the way home. Then the thought popped into my head, "Dwayne Perry." Dwayne is a man who lives in my mom's area. He fixes cars for a living. He was good friends with both of my parents growing up, and still takes care of all the problems my mom has with her car. I drove to his house (he fixes cars out of a shop he built in his garage at his house) and 'magically' he was home, despite the fact that it was the Fourth of July week. He immediately came out and helped me with the car. I think it took him ten minutes total, and a lot of that was jacking the car up. (Kids thought that was so cool, as they were both still in it when it went up and down- better than Lagoon. :D) I know the thought to go to Dwayne was NOT from me. On top of that, when I asked if I could mail him a check to pay for his services, he refused any payment.
Then, the next bit of fun happened. I was driving in what felt like torrential downpour. I haven't driven in rain for a long time. (St. George doesn't get it all that often, so even when it rains at my house I rarely have to drive in it...) I hit the rain and the I-15 core construction all at once. Traffic was also horrible because everyone was on lunch break. I was so scared and stressed. Then the thought came to me that if I turned on the cd it would calm me down. I had Anna's primary song cd in the cd player. It did calm me down. We listened to that same seven songs the entire five hour drive. It's amazing the effect our music will have on us. :) (Ironically, two of the seven songs were about rain...)
A few other 'fun' things happened on the drive, but those two were the most amazing to me. We made it safely with no other real trouble. The rain didn't last the whole drive, and we got home only a few minutes behind schedule, despite all the delays.
It's amazing what can happen when we both pray and listen for answers. :)
First of all, the undercarriage of the car started to come off. We figured that out as I was backing out of the driveway at my mom's house. Great start to the drive. I went up to a car parts store hoping they could help me rip it the rest of the way off so I could drive home. I didn't know what it would do to the car if I dragged it the whole way... They didn't have the equipment to help me, but were able to tell me how to get to a nearby shop. I drove across the street to fill up on gas and began praying as hard as I could to figure out what to do. A shop was going to charge me at least twenty dollars to fix the problem. I didn't have even that amount. All I had was what I needed to buy gas on the way home. Then the thought popped into my head, "Dwayne Perry." Dwayne is a man who lives in my mom's area. He fixes cars for a living. He was good friends with both of my parents growing up, and still takes care of all the problems my mom has with her car. I drove to his house (he fixes cars out of a shop he built in his garage at his house) and 'magically' he was home, despite the fact that it was the Fourth of July week. He immediately came out and helped me with the car. I think it took him ten minutes total, and a lot of that was jacking the car up. (Kids thought that was so cool, as they were both still in it when it went up and down- better than Lagoon. :D) I know the thought to go to Dwayne was NOT from me. On top of that, when I asked if I could mail him a check to pay for his services, he refused any payment.
Then, the next bit of fun happened. I was driving in what felt like torrential downpour. I haven't driven in rain for a long time. (St. George doesn't get it all that often, so even when it rains at my house I rarely have to drive in it...) I hit the rain and the I-15 core construction all at once. Traffic was also horrible because everyone was on lunch break. I was so scared and stressed. Then the thought came to me that if I turned on the cd it would calm me down. I had Anna's primary song cd in the cd player. It did calm me down. We listened to that same seven songs the entire five hour drive. It's amazing the effect our music will have on us. :) (Ironically, two of the seven songs were about rain...)
A few other 'fun' things happened on the drive, but those two were the most amazing to me. We made it safely with no other real trouble. The rain didn't last the whole drive, and we got home only a few minutes behind schedule, despite all the delays.
It's amazing what can happen when we both pray and listen for answers. :)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The Epiphanies of Life
I was reminded today of an experience I had when Scott and I had first moved to St. George. In order to get to my school to teach each day, I had a fifteen minute drive from my house. I was lucky enough to be driving directly into the sun going both to and from school. I remember hating the longer days because as I'd be driving to the school, the sun would be JUST on the horizon, making it so that no matter how I turned my head or sun visor in the car, the sun was still powerfully in my eyes the entire drive.
Scott's parents were more familiar with the area, as they'd lived down here for quite a number of years before Scott and I moved down. Because of this, we often talked with them about routes to different places. One time when one of these discussions came up, I mentioned how I hated the sun's position on the way to school.
Scott's dad misunderstood a part of what I said. When he found out what time I left for the school, his comment was something to the effect that the sun wasn't high enough in the sky at that time of morning to be a problem.
I remember thinking it was so funny he had said that. I knew it was because he either hadn't heard all of what I said or had misunderstood part of it. But still. Of course the sun wasn't high enough in the sky- that was exactly my problem. Any higher in the sky and I'd at least be able to block it with the visor... Every morning as I squinted into the direct sunlight I would giggle to myself about the sun not being high enough...
I'm not proud of it, but it was a full year before I realized what he had REALLY been saying. They live farther away, and at their house, that time of morning the sun wasn't high enough to be a problem. Meaning it was still below the horizon, and therefore not in your eyes...
I remember the morning that finally hit me. I laughed so hard at myself. It was a stupid little epiphany (the English teacher in me wants to make sure you know that an epiphany is an ah-hah! moment...), but it was powerful to me for several reasons. When I think about it now, I realize that the things I learned from this also have spiritual applications.
The first thing I learned was that we can all take the same incident or event and have a completely different experience. Same time of morning, same direction of driving. For me the sun was unbearably annoying. For my father-in-law it was just below the horizon and perfect lighting. All it took was a shift of about twenty miles. That can happen in life. I can be sitting listening to a lesson in church and be extremely irritated with the teacher or extremely uplifted- while the person next to me is having the opposite experience. I think it's mostly attitude with any experience. The car breaks down. One person may see it as an opportunity to be blessed that things fell into place to fix the problem. Someone else may see it as an inconvenience with no upside. We ought to watch our attitudes to make sure we make life happy for ourselves and those around us. It's all attitude...
The second thing I learned is that people can take the exact same words and get completely different meanings out of them. Our interpretation will most likely be influenced most by our past experiences. My past experience said the sun wasn't high enough and therefore causing a problem. My father-in-law's past experience said the sun wasn't high enough and therefore would never cause a problem. We can interpret many things differently than those around us. (Lesson in communication here is make sure everyone knows what you mean whenever possible....) Look at the scriptures. I can read a verse and get an answer to a prayer. Someone else can read the exact same verse and get the answer to their prayer about a completely different situation. Isn't it amazing that Heavenly Father can talk to us in the way we need at any given moment? We just have to look.
The last thing I learned is that life is full of epiphanies. Suddenly understanding what Scott's dad was saying about the sun. Finally realizing how to make the budget work. Suddenly understanding a gospel principle. In the spiritual sense, the little epiphanies are how we build our testimonies. You pay your tithing, and you get a blessing that you see. Something clicks and you understand the law of tithing. The prophet tells a story to illustrate a point he is making and you are able to relate. Something clicks and you realize that what he is saying is true. I believe that if we all have these epiphanies, eventually one of our epiphanies will be that all epiphanies are actually the spirit of God speaking to us, teaching us. Then our testimonies grow and we are that much closer to where we need to be.
Pray for epiphanies. Treasure them when they come. Write them down so you don't forget. It's the epiphanies in life that build the stair case to our Father in Heaven.
Scott's parents were more familiar with the area, as they'd lived down here for quite a number of years before Scott and I moved down. Because of this, we often talked with them about routes to different places. One time when one of these discussions came up, I mentioned how I hated the sun's position on the way to school.
Scott's dad misunderstood a part of what I said. When he found out what time I left for the school, his comment was something to the effect that the sun wasn't high enough in the sky at that time of morning to be a problem.
I remember thinking it was so funny he had said that. I knew it was because he either hadn't heard all of what I said or had misunderstood part of it. But still. Of course the sun wasn't high enough in the sky- that was exactly my problem. Any higher in the sky and I'd at least be able to block it with the visor... Every morning as I squinted into the direct sunlight I would giggle to myself about the sun not being high enough...
I'm not proud of it, but it was a full year before I realized what he had REALLY been saying. They live farther away, and at their house, that time of morning the sun wasn't high enough to be a problem. Meaning it was still below the horizon, and therefore not in your eyes...
I remember the morning that finally hit me. I laughed so hard at myself. It was a stupid little epiphany (the English teacher in me wants to make sure you know that an epiphany is an ah-hah! moment...), but it was powerful to me for several reasons. When I think about it now, I realize that the things I learned from this also have spiritual applications.
The first thing I learned was that we can all take the same incident or event and have a completely different experience. Same time of morning, same direction of driving. For me the sun was unbearably annoying. For my father-in-law it was just below the horizon and perfect lighting. All it took was a shift of about twenty miles. That can happen in life. I can be sitting listening to a lesson in church and be extremely irritated with the teacher or extremely uplifted- while the person next to me is having the opposite experience. I think it's mostly attitude with any experience. The car breaks down. One person may see it as an opportunity to be blessed that things fell into place to fix the problem. Someone else may see it as an inconvenience with no upside. We ought to watch our attitudes to make sure we make life happy for ourselves and those around us. It's all attitude...
The second thing I learned is that people can take the exact same words and get completely different meanings out of them. Our interpretation will most likely be influenced most by our past experiences. My past experience said the sun wasn't high enough and therefore causing a problem. My father-in-law's past experience said the sun wasn't high enough and therefore would never cause a problem. We can interpret many things differently than those around us. (Lesson in communication here is make sure everyone knows what you mean whenever possible....) Look at the scriptures. I can read a verse and get an answer to a prayer. Someone else can read the exact same verse and get the answer to their prayer about a completely different situation. Isn't it amazing that Heavenly Father can talk to us in the way we need at any given moment? We just have to look.
The last thing I learned is that life is full of epiphanies. Suddenly understanding what Scott's dad was saying about the sun. Finally realizing how to make the budget work. Suddenly understanding a gospel principle. In the spiritual sense, the little epiphanies are how we build our testimonies. You pay your tithing, and you get a blessing that you see. Something clicks and you understand the law of tithing. The prophet tells a story to illustrate a point he is making and you are able to relate. Something clicks and you realize that what he is saying is true. I believe that if we all have these epiphanies, eventually one of our epiphanies will be that all epiphanies are actually the spirit of God speaking to us, teaching us. Then our testimonies grow and we are that much closer to where we need to be.
Pray for epiphanies. Treasure them when they come. Write them down so you don't forget. It's the epiphanies in life that build the stair case to our Father in Heaven.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Jesus Loves Me
I was thinking about a funny story my aunt Ilene told us a few years ago. She teaches high school and junior high in Idaho. She teaches computers and business, and so has a wide variety of ages and abilities.
She had one student who did something that was against the rules. Ilene told us that she was about to reprimand the student when he piped up with, "Jesus loves me." Then instead of being mad, she laughed. I can't remember if he ended up getting punished or not.
What a good reminder for her, though. No matter how upset she may have been with him- and no matter how much he may have needed the punishment that was coming- Jesus does love him.
I would love to live in a world where we all think that about everyone around us- including ourselves. I bet road rage would disappear if our first thought was, "Jesus loves that driver" instead of whatever the anger pushes us to think. I bet wars would dissolve. I bet conflicts in government would disappear.
Think of what our HOMES would be like. Instead of thinking how upset we are that our child just used his little sister to make a hole in the wall, remembering that Jesus loves him. We would discipline our children with pure love rather than reacting in anger. Our spouses wouldn't be the objects of anger anymore- at least not severe anger. I bet we'd call our parents more often as well.
Just a thought.
She had one student who did something that was against the rules. Ilene told us that she was about to reprimand the student when he piped up with, "Jesus loves me." Then instead of being mad, she laughed. I can't remember if he ended up getting punished or not.
What a good reminder for her, though. No matter how upset she may have been with him- and no matter how much he may have needed the punishment that was coming- Jesus does love him.
I would love to live in a world where we all think that about everyone around us- including ourselves. I bet road rage would disappear if our first thought was, "Jesus loves that driver" instead of whatever the anger pushes us to think. I bet wars would dissolve. I bet conflicts in government would disappear.
Think of what our HOMES would be like. Instead of thinking how upset we are that our child just used his little sister to make a hole in the wall, remembering that Jesus loves him. We would discipline our children with pure love rather than reacting in anger. Our spouses wouldn't be the objects of anger anymore- at least not severe anger. I bet we'd call our parents more often as well.
Just a thought.
How Do You Know if You Are Real?
When I was in high school, I worked at the Deseret Book Distribution Center. I loved that job. I would spend most of my time doing what we called picking and packing. Picking was taking an invoice and going around to the locations of the books and putting the books the customer (usually a big store, so orders were often very large) had ordered on a cart. Packing was taking the cart someone had picked and packing the books into boxes and sending them over the conveyor belt to the shippers. (That was back in the dark ages. I've been there since and they have a totally automated system that takes all the fun out of it....)
On the invoices, they had a limited amount of room. Most book titles fit just fine on the line. But some of the books with longer titles would get the title cut off. When the data entry people realized it wouldn't all fit, they would leave a space between the last letter they were including and the edge of the invoice. That was standard procedure.
One day, I was picking an order and found a book on the invoice that I was DYING to see. The title read, "How Do You Know if You Are Real." The last letter was the 'l' of real and it went right up to the edge of the invoice- no space. I could not get to the location for that book fast enough. I kept thinking, "What is this book about?" I mean honestly, how much can you say about that? You are real if you are breathing? You are real if you are reading this? I brainstormed all the possible chapter titles, determined to buy the book and read it just to figure out how someone had gotten an entire book on this topic AND managed to get it published.
I was so disappointed. The full title of the book was How Do You Know if You Are Really in Love? It hadn't followed the standard procedure of leaving a space at the end before the invoice ended. (And no, I didn't buy the book in the end. I was too disappointed... :D)
But the rest of the night (and quite a few times since then, actually) I brainstormed. What would I write if I were to write a book titled How Do You Know if You Are Real? For awhile I was determined to do it. (I didn't.) I thought I'd include some thoughts I had come up with about how to know if you are a real person. :)
First, if you are real (being used the same way as the word genuine...) it means you are not fake. (Yes, I understand how stupid that sounds.) You act who you really are. You do not change your behavior to match what you think someone wants. In other words, you show integrity. You are who you really are. How much happier we would all be if we could do this 100% of the time. I know for me personally, it would me far fewer 'Flight of the Bumblebee' cleanings (you know, the running around panicked trying to straighten up because you found out someone was coming over in two minutes). If I could just be who I really am at all times, it would mean I wouldn't be mortified that my house is usually cluttered- just because my friends seem to keep their houses spotless...
Second, if you are real, it means you believe in something. How can you be a real person and not believe in anything? For me it's my religion. I would hope that everyone believes in God. But even if that isn't what you believe in, you need to believe in something. We all need that guiding force in our lives to direct us and give us purpose. (Hopefully something good...) Otherwise what kind of mundane existence do we lead? I need the focus of knowing God lives and that He loves me and wants me to live with Him again. If I don't have that, I would just flounder around. Life would have no purpose, and as a result, there would be no point living it. It would be just as well to die immediately as it would to go on living it.
Third, if you are real, it means you serve. How many of us have seen a very selfish, self-serving person and wondered how they could live with themselves? I know in my life, it's always been characters in movies. I've never actually met a person in real life (thank heavens!) that I've thought this about. But think of a person (whether real or fictional) who only cares about himself? Who spends all day and all night doing things to make only HIM happy. Who has money but only spends it on himself. Who ignores anyone else's feelings? Does this person seem real? No. Now think of a person who spends his time servings others, making others happy. That person gives of himself. Now that is a REAL person.
Fourth, which is actually a continuation of third, if you are real it means you leave a positive stamp on others you interact with. We are only real people if we can lift those around us. The scriptures say it this way, "Lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen feeble knees." (Paraphrased, of course.) We have a perfect example of a real person in Jesus Christ. Everything He did in His life was to leave a positive stamp on others. He fed the hungry, comforted the sad, visited the sick, and spread the good word of the gospel to all who would listen. That is the definition of a real person.
So those are my thoughts about what it means to be a real person. How much better would it be if everyone in the world did their best to be real? How much happier could we all be? But even if the dream of utopia never arises, how much happier can we be if we do our best to be real and surround ourselves with real people? Just a thought.
On the invoices, they had a limited amount of room. Most book titles fit just fine on the line. But some of the books with longer titles would get the title cut off. When the data entry people realized it wouldn't all fit, they would leave a space between the last letter they were including and the edge of the invoice. That was standard procedure.
One day, I was picking an order and found a book on the invoice that I was DYING to see. The title read, "How Do You Know if You Are Real." The last letter was the 'l' of real and it went right up to the edge of the invoice- no space. I could not get to the location for that book fast enough. I kept thinking, "What is this book about?" I mean honestly, how much can you say about that? You are real if you are breathing? You are real if you are reading this? I brainstormed all the possible chapter titles, determined to buy the book and read it just to figure out how someone had gotten an entire book on this topic AND managed to get it published.
I was so disappointed. The full title of the book was How Do You Know if You Are Really in Love? It hadn't followed the standard procedure of leaving a space at the end before the invoice ended. (And no, I didn't buy the book in the end. I was too disappointed... :D)
But the rest of the night (and quite a few times since then, actually) I brainstormed. What would I write if I were to write a book titled How Do You Know if You Are Real? For awhile I was determined to do it. (I didn't.) I thought I'd include some thoughts I had come up with about how to know if you are a real person. :)
First, if you are real (being used the same way as the word genuine...) it means you are not fake. (Yes, I understand how stupid that sounds.) You act who you really are. You do not change your behavior to match what you think someone wants. In other words, you show integrity. You are who you really are. How much happier we would all be if we could do this 100% of the time. I know for me personally, it would me far fewer 'Flight of the Bumblebee' cleanings (you know, the running around panicked trying to straighten up because you found out someone was coming over in two minutes). If I could just be who I really am at all times, it would mean I wouldn't be mortified that my house is usually cluttered- just because my friends seem to keep their houses spotless...
Second, if you are real, it means you believe in something. How can you be a real person and not believe in anything? For me it's my religion. I would hope that everyone believes in God. But even if that isn't what you believe in, you need to believe in something. We all need that guiding force in our lives to direct us and give us purpose. (Hopefully something good...) Otherwise what kind of mundane existence do we lead? I need the focus of knowing God lives and that He loves me and wants me to live with Him again. If I don't have that, I would just flounder around. Life would have no purpose, and as a result, there would be no point living it. It would be just as well to die immediately as it would to go on living it.
Third, if you are real, it means you serve. How many of us have seen a very selfish, self-serving person and wondered how they could live with themselves? I know in my life, it's always been characters in movies. I've never actually met a person in real life (thank heavens!) that I've thought this about. But think of a person (whether real or fictional) who only cares about himself? Who spends all day and all night doing things to make only HIM happy. Who has money but only spends it on himself. Who ignores anyone else's feelings? Does this person seem real? No. Now think of a person who spends his time servings others, making others happy. That person gives of himself. Now that is a REAL person.
Fourth, which is actually a continuation of third, if you are real it means you leave a positive stamp on others you interact with. We are only real people if we can lift those around us. The scriptures say it this way, "Lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen feeble knees." (Paraphrased, of course.) We have a perfect example of a real person in Jesus Christ. Everything He did in His life was to leave a positive stamp on others. He fed the hungry, comforted the sad, visited the sick, and spread the good word of the gospel to all who would listen. That is the definition of a real person.
So those are my thoughts about what it means to be a real person. How much better would it be if everyone in the world did their best to be real? How much happier could we all be? But even if the dream of utopia never arises, how much happier can we be if we do our best to be real and surround ourselves with real people? Just a thought.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Example
I thought about an experience yesterday that I haven't really thought about in years. It happened a long time ago, and I don't really know the full impact it had. I guess that's really how most of our experiences are, though. We quite often don't know the trickle effect our actions or words have.
Anyway, this happened to my sister and me when we were in junior high and high school. I don't remember exactly how old we were, but I'm guessing I was 12 and she was 15. A family in our ward that we were really good friends with had a wedding. Their youngest son was getting married. In order for all the brothers and sisters to attend, they needed a babysitter. All of the older brothers and sisters were married and had children of their own.
So they asked my sister and me if we'd go to temple square with them and watch the kids while the adults were all in the wedding ceremony. I can't remember how many kids we had, but I'd guess it was just shy of ten kids. They ranged in ages. The oldest were probably 8 or 9. The youngest was a cute little toddler.
We all decided to do one of the tours of temple square that the missionaries give. When we started, it was just our group. Heidi and I let the little kids answer all the questions the missionaries asked and made sure they all stayed together. About halfway through the tour, a gentleman joined the group. He went the rest of the way through the tour with us.
The tour ended about the time the wedding ceremony was over. The missionaries pulled all the parents aside as they were coming to get their kids. My own parents must have also gone to the ceremony because it was my mom who told me what the missionaries had said to all the parents.
The gentleman who had joined our group was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He must have gone to temple square as a tourist. He was so impressed with the little kids- how they knew all the answers to all the questions the missionaries asked- that he filled out a referral card and wanted the missionaries to come talk to him.
I wish I could take credit for any part of that experience. But I didn't teach the kids, I didn't answer the questions, and I didn't talk to the man. I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if he took the missionary lessons or not.
But it makes me think. What am I teaching my children? Would my daughter be able to answer the questions of a friend who wants to know what her religion teaches? Do I act in a way that would make someone feel positively or negatively towards the church? Just something to think about.
Anyway, this happened to my sister and me when we were in junior high and high school. I don't remember exactly how old we were, but I'm guessing I was 12 and she was 15. A family in our ward that we were really good friends with had a wedding. Their youngest son was getting married. In order for all the brothers and sisters to attend, they needed a babysitter. All of the older brothers and sisters were married and had children of their own.
So they asked my sister and me if we'd go to temple square with them and watch the kids while the adults were all in the wedding ceremony. I can't remember how many kids we had, but I'd guess it was just shy of ten kids. They ranged in ages. The oldest were probably 8 or 9. The youngest was a cute little toddler.
We all decided to do one of the tours of temple square that the missionaries give. When we started, it was just our group. Heidi and I let the little kids answer all the questions the missionaries asked and made sure they all stayed together. About halfway through the tour, a gentleman joined the group. He went the rest of the way through the tour with us.
The tour ended about the time the wedding ceremony was over. The missionaries pulled all the parents aside as they were coming to get their kids. My own parents must have also gone to the ceremony because it was my mom who told me what the missionaries had said to all the parents.
The gentleman who had joined our group was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He must have gone to temple square as a tourist. He was so impressed with the little kids- how they knew all the answers to all the questions the missionaries asked- that he filled out a referral card and wanted the missionaries to come talk to him.
I wish I could take credit for any part of that experience. But I didn't teach the kids, I didn't answer the questions, and I didn't talk to the man. I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if he took the missionary lessons or not.
But it makes me think. What am I teaching my children? Would my daughter be able to answer the questions of a friend who wants to know what her religion teaches? Do I act in a way that would make someone feel positively or negatively towards the church? Just something to think about.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
A Run Through the Sprinklers
Today my little girl ran through the sprinklers for the first time.
It was adorable. She's scared of water, so she has always refused to do
anything more than put her hands at the farthest edge of the water.
Today she actually ran through the sprinkler. Got her hair wet and
everything. In fact, she got so soaked I had to come in and start the
tub for her to clean up afterward.
While watching her run through the sprinkler, I turned to my husband and commented that she NEVER would have run through the sprinkler before we put her in swimming lessons. She has successfully completed her first week (out of two) of swimming lessons. The first day she wouldn't get in the water. After a whole hour of coaxing by Daddy and her teacher, she finally got in the water up to her ankles. The second day she got in and did what her teacher asked, but wouldn't kick or do anything active. By day three she was doing whatever her teacher asked, including putting her face in the water.
It's been amazing to watch her grow this week. We put her in swimming lessons partly because she said it sounded fun, and partly because we hoped it'd help ease her fear of water. Our hopes have been realized. She was put in a situation where she had the opportunity to face her fear, and she did. As a result, she is getting braver and braver in life in general. As parents, we are so happy about her progress. We worried about whether we had done right in putting her in swimming lessons after that first day. But today we knew we'd done right in the lessons when she ran through the sprinklers. What an amazing change in our little girl.
As I thought about all that while watching her run back and forth (still guarding her face but squealing in delight), I thought about how our Heavenly Father must feel. Some of our difficult experiences are consequences of our own actions. Some are the consequences of others' actions. But what about those difficult experiences that our Heavenly Father gives us because he knows we will grow from them and eventually be happier as a result? How happy it must make HIM feel when we grow from something difficult, but then later on use strength we gain to do something amazing? Just a thought. Maybe instead of asking God "Why me?" when we are faced with difficulties, saying "Thank you for the strength?"
While watching her run through the sprinkler, I turned to my husband and commented that she NEVER would have run through the sprinkler before we put her in swimming lessons. She has successfully completed her first week (out of two) of swimming lessons. The first day she wouldn't get in the water. After a whole hour of coaxing by Daddy and her teacher, she finally got in the water up to her ankles. The second day she got in and did what her teacher asked, but wouldn't kick or do anything active. By day three she was doing whatever her teacher asked, including putting her face in the water.
It's been amazing to watch her grow this week. We put her in swimming lessons partly because she said it sounded fun, and partly because we hoped it'd help ease her fear of water. Our hopes have been realized. She was put in a situation where she had the opportunity to face her fear, and she did. As a result, she is getting braver and braver in life in general. As parents, we are so happy about her progress. We worried about whether we had done right in putting her in swimming lessons after that first day. But today we knew we'd done right in the lessons when she ran through the sprinklers. What an amazing change in our little girl.
As I thought about all that while watching her run back and forth (still guarding her face but squealing in delight), I thought about how our Heavenly Father must feel. Some of our difficult experiences are consequences of our own actions. Some are the consequences of others' actions. But what about those difficult experiences that our Heavenly Father gives us because he knows we will grow from them and eventually be happier as a result? How happy it must make HIM feel when we grow from something difficult, but then later on use strength we gain to do something amazing? Just a thought. Maybe instead of asking God "Why me?" when we are faced with difficulties, saying "Thank you for the strength?"
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Blessings of Tithing and Fast Offerings
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are invited to pay tithing and fast offerings. Tithing is ten percent of any increase. Fast Offerings is a donation made to help those in need within our ward and throughout the church.
My family has seen very big blessings from these two sacrifices. When Scott and I first moved from Salt Lake City to St. George, we had a rough financial time. The move had been expensive and the change of jobs had resulted in two full months with no paycheck. As a result, we'd racked up some credit card bills trying to survive. It took us about six months to get back on our feet again.
When we look back at that time, we think, "How did we make it through?" The math doesn't add up for us surviving that first six months down here in St. George. We should have needed help, but we didn't. We firmly believe that was a blessing from our paying a full tithing.
Even now, I find that when I go grocery shopping on a tight month, most of the sales I see are the things that are on my shopping list- and as a result it is the main reason we have enough grocery money for the month. I firmly believe that is also a blessing from our paying a full tithing.
Fast Offerings comes with blessings as well. When Scott and I were trying to find the solution to me being able to stay home with the kids instead of working full time, we decided to increase the amount of fast offerings we paid. We did that, and Scott was blessed with inspiration on how to pay off a bill. We increased the amount another time and he was blessed with the inspiration on how to lower a bill. That happened several times during that school year, and I was able to quit working full time and stay home with our girls.
This isn't to say that the blessings that come from tithing and fast offerings are always financial. They aren't. In fact, the greatest blessing we receive from the two is probably learning to sacrifice happily. It's impossible to say why we are blessed with certain things. It's also impossible to know the ways we are protected. But I know for a fact that I have been blessed from obeying the law of tithes of and offerings.
If there is anyone that is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that does not have a testimony of tithing or fast offerings, I challenge you to get one. Pay a full tithing. Increase the amount of fast offerings you pay. Then pray to be able to see the blessings you receive from the sacrifice. If there is anyone that is not a member of the church, I challenge you to read the Book of Mormon. These sacrifices are discussed in that book as well as the Doctrine and Covenants. I challenge everyone to get a testimony of these principles. Your lives will be greatly blessed in many ways as a result.
My family has seen very big blessings from these two sacrifices. When Scott and I first moved from Salt Lake City to St. George, we had a rough financial time. The move had been expensive and the change of jobs had resulted in two full months with no paycheck. As a result, we'd racked up some credit card bills trying to survive. It took us about six months to get back on our feet again.
When we look back at that time, we think, "How did we make it through?" The math doesn't add up for us surviving that first six months down here in St. George. We should have needed help, but we didn't. We firmly believe that was a blessing from our paying a full tithing.
Even now, I find that when I go grocery shopping on a tight month, most of the sales I see are the things that are on my shopping list- and as a result it is the main reason we have enough grocery money for the month. I firmly believe that is also a blessing from our paying a full tithing.
Fast Offerings comes with blessings as well. When Scott and I were trying to find the solution to me being able to stay home with the kids instead of working full time, we decided to increase the amount of fast offerings we paid. We did that, and Scott was blessed with inspiration on how to pay off a bill. We increased the amount another time and he was blessed with the inspiration on how to lower a bill. That happened several times during that school year, and I was able to quit working full time and stay home with our girls.
This isn't to say that the blessings that come from tithing and fast offerings are always financial. They aren't. In fact, the greatest blessing we receive from the two is probably learning to sacrifice happily. It's impossible to say why we are blessed with certain things. It's also impossible to know the ways we are protected. But I know for a fact that I have been blessed from obeying the law of tithes of and offerings.
If there is anyone that is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that does not have a testimony of tithing or fast offerings, I challenge you to get one. Pay a full tithing. Increase the amount of fast offerings you pay. Then pray to be able to see the blessings you receive from the sacrifice. If there is anyone that is not a member of the church, I challenge you to read the Book of Mormon. These sacrifices are discussed in that book as well as the Doctrine and Covenants. I challenge everyone to get a testimony of these principles. Your lives will be greatly blessed in many ways as a result.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Holding to Standards is Rewarding
Today I took my three-year-old daughter to buy a swimming suit. She starts swimming lessons in a few days and we didn't have one for her. I took her to a store where I knew we could get cheap suits since we are on a tighter budget at the moment. (Who isn't in this economy?)
We found two really cute ones, and she had one that she was just in love with. As I started messing with the suit to see how much it cost, I realized we had picked out a bikini. The way it was on the hanger it looked like a one-piece. I was bummed, since it was only $8. I told Anna we couldn't get that one after all because it wasn't modest. She understood and said it was okay to get the other one. As I messed around to find the price tag on the second one (also only $8) I realized that it was ALSO a bikini. I was torn. Do I get the cheaper suit here at this store? This second one would almost look one-piece when she was wearing it because of the way it was designed. I also wondered if we would find a modest one-piece at any other store in this morally declining era we are living in.
In the end, I decided we had to try, at least. So I told Anna we needed to go to another store to try to find a modest swimming suit. She was a little disappointed about not getting the suit she had been happy about, but she was a trooper and understood we needed to find something modest.
So we went to Kmart. Normally I wouldn't plug stores, but we love Kmart at our house. :) We went to their swimming suit section. This time I looked through to check for modesty before I even showed Anna the suits. Right off the bat I found FOUR modest one-piece suits in Anna's size. In fact, in Anna's size there was only ONE two-piece suit for sale. Anna found one she liked (Dora, she was so excited they had a DORA suit. :D) and tried it on. It was the perfect size, and only $15 dollars. That was more than I had wanted to spend, but hey- she was so much happier with the Dora suit and it was a MODEST one.
As we checked out, Anna was telling me how we'd gotten a modest suit. As a mom, I was so happy to hear that she caught on to the concept. Then we heard the price. LESS than $8. The suit was on sale and I hadn't known that.
I held to our standards, and not only did we find a suit Anna loved even more than the first ones we looked at, but I spent less money total than I would have at the cheaper store. If we hold to our standards, we are blessed. The blessings aren't always as immediate as they were for us today, but they still come. Always hold to your standards.
We found two really cute ones, and she had one that she was just in love with. As I started messing with the suit to see how much it cost, I realized we had picked out a bikini. The way it was on the hanger it looked like a one-piece. I was bummed, since it was only $8. I told Anna we couldn't get that one after all because it wasn't modest. She understood and said it was okay to get the other one. As I messed around to find the price tag on the second one (also only $8) I realized that it was ALSO a bikini. I was torn. Do I get the cheaper suit here at this store? This second one would almost look one-piece when she was wearing it because of the way it was designed. I also wondered if we would find a modest one-piece at any other store in this morally declining era we are living in.
In the end, I decided we had to try, at least. So I told Anna we needed to go to another store to try to find a modest swimming suit. She was a little disappointed about not getting the suit she had been happy about, but she was a trooper and understood we needed to find something modest.
So we went to Kmart. Normally I wouldn't plug stores, but we love Kmart at our house. :) We went to their swimming suit section. This time I looked through to check for modesty before I even showed Anna the suits. Right off the bat I found FOUR modest one-piece suits in Anna's size. In fact, in Anna's size there was only ONE two-piece suit for sale. Anna found one she liked (Dora, she was so excited they had a DORA suit. :D) and tried it on. It was the perfect size, and only $15 dollars. That was more than I had wanted to spend, but hey- she was so much happier with the Dora suit and it was a MODEST one.
As we checked out, Anna was telling me how we'd gotten a modest suit. As a mom, I was so happy to hear that she caught on to the concept. Then we heard the price. LESS than $8. The suit was on sale and I hadn't known that.
I held to our standards, and not only did we find a suit Anna loved even more than the first ones we looked at, but I spent less money total than I would have at the cheaper store. If we hold to our standards, we are blessed. The blessings aren't always as immediate as they were for us today, but they still come. Always hold to your standards.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
ABC's of Conversion
Accept the Lord as God
Baptism
Covenant in the temple
Dedicate our lives to God
Endure to the end
Faith, hope, and charity
Give of ourselves and our time
Helping others gives joy
I am a child of God and believe that to be true
Jesus Christ died for all, remember Him always
Keep ALL commandments
Love one another (unconditionally)
Missionary work as the spirit prompts
Never give up trying for perfection
Often bear testimony through word and deed
Pray often and study His word
Quiet hands, Quiet heart; inspiration helps me do my part
Repent often
Simplify my life unto God
Tithes and offerings
Understand the will of God in all things
Vigor in doing good works
Wisdom to follow God through all things
eXamine our lives to eliminate sin
Yes, my heart is open to God and I have
a Zion heart.
Baptism
Covenant in the temple
Dedicate our lives to God
Endure to the end
Faith, hope, and charity
Give of ourselves and our time
Helping others gives joy
I am a child of God and believe that to be true
Jesus Christ died for all, remember Him always
Keep ALL commandments
Love one another (unconditionally)
Missionary work as the spirit prompts
Never give up trying for perfection
Often bear testimony through word and deed
Pray often and study His word
Quiet hands, Quiet heart; inspiration helps me do my part
Repent often
Simplify my life unto God
Tithes and offerings
Understand the will of God in all things
Vigor in doing good works
Wisdom to follow God through all things
eXamine our lives to eliminate sin
Yes, my heart is open to God and I have
a Zion heart.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Judge Not
I remember back in high school our drama/music department put on a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's the story of Joseph of Israel being sold into Egypt and then saving his family from famine as a result. The show was a huge success in the community. Because of its success, the administration of the school asked the cast to put on a free show for the school during the school day after the show was supposed to close. (Or maybe it was the day of their last show? Some details are fuzzy...)
I remember I was in my keyboarding class when they announced over the intercom that we could all go down to see it. Most of us had already been, but we weren't about to pass up the opportunity to see it again. After the show was over, we were to return to the class we came from while they figured out how to rearrange the rest of the day around the lost time.
So I returned to my keyboarding class. In the class was a girl I had termed as 'hard.' She was one of the ones who got into drinking back in junior high. She was one of the ones who appeared to smoke. She wasn't a 'mean girl' like they have today, but she definitely wasn't soft and innocent. I had always thought a girl like that would never have anything to do with anything religious.
She was the only one I remember from that keyboarding class that day. We got back and were talking about the show. She had never heard the story before. The majority of the school had at least known the basics of the story. She'd never had any religion in her home and hadn't been told any of the bible stories as a result. I remember that she teared while talking about parts of the show. She had been so touched.
That stands out in memory because I was so surprised to see her touched by the show enough that she was showing emotion in public. I realized I had misjudged her. Who was I to be shocked she could be touched by anything remotely religious? I didn't know her very well. I had heard her cuss a few times (badly...) and just assumed she was a certain way. Whenever I think back on that, I feel bad that I had judged her so harshly. But I also feel grateful that I was given that opportunity to be shown WHY we are asked not to judge each other. The Savior said judge not that ye be not judged, and He meant it. So why do we still judge each other?
Imagine how much our self esteem as a whole society would be lifted if we simply stopped judging each other. It isn't impossible. Let's all work for it.
I remember I was in my keyboarding class when they announced over the intercom that we could all go down to see it. Most of us had already been, but we weren't about to pass up the opportunity to see it again. After the show was over, we were to return to the class we came from while they figured out how to rearrange the rest of the day around the lost time.
So I returned to my keyboarding class. In the class was a girl I had termed as 'hard.' She was one of the ones who got into drinking back in junior high. She was one of the ones who appeared to smoke. She wasn't a 'mean girl' like they have today, but she definitely wasn't soft and innocent. I had always thought a girl like that would never have anything to do with anything religious.
She was the only one I remember from that keyboarding class that day. We got back and were talking about the show. She had never heard the story before. The majority of the school had at least known the basics of the story. She'd never had any religion in her home and hadn't been told any of the bible stories as a result. I remember that she teared while talking about parts of the show. She had been so touched.
That stands out in memory because I was so surprised to see her touched by the show enough that she was showing emotion in public. I realized I had misjudged her. Who was I to be shocked she could be touched by anything remotely religious? I didn't know her very well. I had heard her cuss a few times (badly...) and just assumed she was a certain way. Whenever I think back on that, I feel bad that I had judged her so harshly. But I also feel grateful that I was given that opportunity to be shown WHY we are asked not to judge each other. The Savior said judge not that ye be not judged, and He meant it. So why do we still judge each other?
Imagine how much our self esteem as a whole society would be lifted if we simply stopped judging each other. It isn't impossible. Let's all work for it.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Dragonspell
I just wanted to do a blurb on my favorite book, Dragonspell, by Donita K. Paul. Dragonspell is the first of a series about a world. The main character is a girl named Kale. She's young and grew up a slave. As she goes through her various errands in the book, she learns about her worth, her talents, and develops a relationship with Paladin. Paladin is the equivalent of Jesus Christ.
I think the most touching part of the book was one time when Kale is talking to Paladin. He is telling her that she will be a great help to him. She says, "But I'm just Kale!" He then informs her that she isn't JUST Kale. She's Kale! His friend, his servant, and someone with great worth.
This is a book I think EVERYONE should read. It teaches us the type of relationship we can all have with our Savior. Ours may not be face to face like Kale's is, but it doesn't mean ours can't be just as personal.
I think the most touching part of the book was one time when Kale is talking to Paladin. He is telling her that she will be a great help to him. She says, "But I'm just Kale!" He then informs her that she isn't JUST Kale. She's Kale! His friend, his servant, and someone with great worth.
This is a book I think EVERYONE should read. It teaches us the type of relationship we can all have with our Savior. Ours may not be face to face like Kale's is, but it doesn't mean ours can't be just as personal.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Am I the Only One?
Am I the only one who has done this? When I was in college, it seemed like all my friends were getting married. I had lots of people either teasing me or bugging me about the fact that I was still single. I wanted so badly to be married.
I remember I used to pray that I could get married. I would beg the Lord for some confirmation that it would happen eventually. I knew it wasn't right then, but would just beg for some kind of reassurance that while I was alone right then, it would happen for me eventually. It was a righteous desire, so why not just let me know it would happen eventually?
When I think back on this now, I'm almost embarrassed about it. But I was so lonely at the time, and I just needed so badly to know that I wouldn't be alone forever. My sister had gotten married after her first year of college, and I had gone into college assuming that I'd also be married by the time I graduated. I wasn't.
Every time I would pray for some kind of reassurance that marriage was in my future, I got absolutely no answer at all. At the time, I thought I was getting a no. When I look back on it, I realize I was just getting nothing. But I thought the Lord was telling me no, I would never get married. I finally gave up asking for it. I made peace with staying single forever. I still hoped for it, but only an outside hope. I didn't actually expect it.
Then I met Scott. We had a whirlwind dating, engagement, and wedding time. I remember knowing I loved him but being afraid to say it to him. After all, the Lord had told me I'd never get married, right? That meant I wasn't for him, as much as I wanted to be. I was afraid I'd lead him on. Then we started praying about marriage. I had to ask the Lord about five times if it was right, even though I kept getting definite yeses. After all, He'd told me marriage was never happening, right? :)
I guess the thing I had to learn was this: We can't always get an answer for future events. If it isn't time for an answer, we won't get one. It doesn't mean the answer isn't what we want. Doesn't mean it IS what we want, either. Some things we will never get answers for in this life. Some things we will get answers for but it will be much later. Some times we have to learn what we needed to learn before we get the answer.
I have always found it interesting- not surprising, but interesting- that I met Scott within a year of truly accepting the 'fact' that I'd always be single. I became HAPPY as a single person. THEN I met Scott. Our happiness should be enhanced by our spouses, children, etc. It should not DEPEND on them. I learned this lesson: If you can't be happy alone, you won't be truly happy WITH someone, either.
I also learned that we have to learn the lesson we are supposed to learn before we get the answers to our prayers for a trial to be ended. And sometimes the lesson is a LONG one. :)
I remember I used to pray that I could get married. I would beg the Lord for some confirmation that it would happen eventually. I knew it wasn't right then, but would just beg for some kind of reassurance that while I was alone right then, it would happen for me eventually. It was a righteous desire, so why not just let me know it would happen eventually?
When I think back on this now, I'm almost embarrassed about it. But I was so lonely at the time, and I just needed so badly to know that I wouldn't be alone forever. My sister had gotten married after her first year of college, and I had gone into college assuming that I'd also be married by the time I graduated. I wasn't.
Every time I would pray for some kind of reassurance that marriage was in my future, I got absolutely no answer at all. At the time, I thought I was getting a no. When I look back on it, I realize I was just getting nothing. But I thought the Lord was telling me no, I would never get married. I finally gave up asking for it. I made peace with staying single forever. I still hoped for it, but only an outside hope. I didn't actually expect it.
Then I met Scott. We had a whirlwind dating, engagement, and wedding time. I remember knowing I loved him but being afraid to say it to him. After all, the Lord had told me I'd never get married, right? That meant I wasn't for him, as much as I wanted to be. I was afraid I'd lead him on. Then we started praying about marriage. I had to ask the Lord about five times if it was right, even though I kept getting definite yeses. After all, He'd told me marriage was never happening, right? :)
I guess the thing I had to learn was this: We can't always get an answer for future events. If it isn't time for an answer, we won't get one. It doesn't mean the answer isn't what we want. Doesn't mean it IS what we want, either. Some things we will never get answers for in this life. Some things we will get answers for but it will be much later. Some times we have to learn what we needed to learn before we get the answer.
I have always found it interesting- not surprising, but interesting- that I met Scott within a year of truly accepting the 'fact' that I'd always be single. I became HAPPY as a single person. THEN I met Scott. Our happiness should be enhanced by our spouses, children, etc. It should not DEPEND on them. I learned this lesson: If you can't be happy alone, you won't be truly happy WITH someone, either.
I also learned that we have to learn the lesson we are supposed to learn before we get the answers to our prayers for a trial to be ended. And sometimes the lesson is a LONG one. :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Hold On
I thought of a song today that I haven't thought about in years. Two, actually. The first is a song called "Hold On, The Light Will Come" and the second is just called "Hold On." I don't know composers for either. The second is from "The Secret Garden." The first song is about holding on because you will feel the spirit of God and God will help you get through difficult times. The second is about holding on because things aren't as bad as they seem and you can get through it with your own strength and your friends.
When I was in high school, I went through a period of depression. Not serious depression, but enough that I felt sad ALL the time. I don't remember how long this period of depression lasted, but it was about six months, I'd guess. During that entire time, I had two songs stuck in my head. (The two I talked about above.) I remember being so annoyed that I had the same two songs stuck in my head for that long.
When the depression passed, I looked back and was amazed. How kind of Heavenly Father to put THOSE songs in my head during that time of sadness. I was depressed and He sent me a frequent message that if I just held on, it would pass.
And to think I thought it was annoying while it was happening. :)
When I was in high school, I went through a period of depression. Not serious depression, but enough that I felt sad ALL the time. I don't remember how long this period of depression lasted, but it was about six months, I'd guess. During that entire time, I had two songs stuck in my head. (The two I talked about above.) I remember being so annoyed that I had the same two songs stuck in my head for that long.
When the depression passed, I looked back and was amazed. How kind of Heavenly Father to put THOSE songs in my head during that time of sadness. I was depressed and He sent me a frequent message that if I just held on, it would pass.
And to think I thought it was annoying while it was happening. :)
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Answers to Prayers
This isn't a new story for most people who know me. I share it sometimes, as it comes up in conversations during Sunday School and Relief Society. But it's something I do think about a lot. It's an experience I had in college that proved to me beyond the shadow of a doubt that our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, and that He loves us.
I went to college at Utah State University in Logan, UT. I lived just off campus, but on the hill the campus was on. I did not have a car during college, so I walked most places I needed to go. This resulted in the frequent occurrence of friends pulling over and giving me rides to wherever I was walking to.
About once a week I walked to the temple to do an Endowment session. I didn't have a set time that I went. I would just pick a day and time during the week and go. I usually chose a time when I had a good three to four hours blocked out. Between the two hour session and the walk to and from the temple, it wasn't uncommon for me to need nearly four hours.
The day this happened, it was really important to me that I make the session that started at a certain time. I don't remember why it was so important. I don't remember if I had something going on or if I just didn't want to wait in the waiting room for the next session to start. I just remember how important it was to me to make that particular session. For some reason I was a little later getting started down the hill on the road to the temple than usual. I remember praying with my whole heart that I'd be able to get to the temple in time for this session that I wanted so badly. Deep down I was praying for a ride. On the surface I was praying to be able to walk fast enough.
As an answer to my prayer, my friend Julie pulled over and gave me a ride the rest of the way to the temple. I made the session I wanted to make, and things were great. After the session I was sitting in the Celestial room. A college aged young man came and sat next to me after a few minutes. It's very uncommon to sit with strangers in the Celestial room because most people don't talk. It's a sacred place, and most people sit and ponder. So I was surprised that someone I didn't know was sitting next to me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he told me he needed to apologize to me. Then he told me that he had seen me walking to the temple. He knew I was going to the temple because I had my temple bag (the bag with my temple clothes in it). Then he said that he had felt he needed to pull over and give me a ride, but he hadn't. When he saw me in the session, he realized that he had been prompted to give me a ride, but had ignored it.
That was such a testimony to me. Our Heavenly Father knew it was important to me to make that session. He prompted someone to give me a ride so I could get there in time. When that person didn't follow the prompting, He prompted a SECOND person to answer my prayer.
Never feel like your prayers go unanswered. We may not get the answers that we want, or answers that we see, but we never go unheard.
I went to college at Utah State University in Logan, UT. I lived just off campus, but on the hill the campus was on. I did not have a car during college, so I walked most places I needed to go. This resulted in the frequent occurrence of friends pulling over and giving me rides to wherever I was walking to.
About once a week I walked to the temple to do an Endowment session. I didn't have a set time that I went. I would just pick a day and time during the week and go. I usually chose a time when I had a good three to four hours blocked out. Between the two hour session and the walk to and from the temple, it wasn't uncommon for me to need nearly four hours.
The day this happened, it was really important to me that I make the session that started at a certain time. I don't remember why it was so important. I don't remember if I had something going on or if I just didn't want to wait in the waiting room for the next session to start. I just remember how important it was to me to make that particular session. For some reason I was a little later getting started down the hill on the road to the temple than usual. I remember praying with my whole heart that I'd be able to get to the temple in time for this session that I wanted so badly. Deep down I was praying for a ride. On the surface I was praying to be able to walk fast enough.
As an answer to my prayer, my friend Julie pulled over and gave me a ride the rest of the way to the temple. I made the session I wanted to make, and things were great. After the session I was sitting in the Celestial room. A college aged young man came and sat next to me after a few minutes. It's very uncommon to sit with strangers in the Celestial room because most people don't talk. It's a sacred place, and most people sit and ponder. So I was surprised that someone I didn't know was sitting next to me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he told me he needed to apologize to me. Then he told me that he had seen me walking to the temple. He knew I was going to the temple because I had my temple bag (the bag with my temple clothes in it). Then he said that he had felt he needed to pull over and give me a ride, but he hadn't. When he saw me in the session, he realized that he had been prompted to give me a ride, but had ignored it.
That was such a testimony to me. Our Heavenly Father knew it was important to me to make that session. He prompted someone to give me a ride so I could get there in time. When that person didn't follow the prompting, He prompted a SECOND person to answer my prayer.
Never feel like your prayers go unanswered. We may not get the answers that we want, or answers that we see, but we never go unheard.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Tender Mercies
The Lord loves us. Because he loves us, he showers us with tender mercies- if we will just see them. I've had several experiences recently that have pointed this out to me. Today I was working hard trying to dismantle a set of bunk beds we have so we could move them to a different room up the stairs. The pieces were heavy, and the screws were in so tightly it took all my strength to get them back out. I had a constant prayer in my heart as I dismantled the bunk beds. There were several times I couldn't figure out how to get the bed apart, but was inspired at the right way to do it. In the end, I was given the strength and wisdom I needed to get the beds apart and up the stairs. It didn't matter if the beds went upstairs today or not. I could just as easily have waited for my husband to come home and help. But it was important to me, so I was given the help I needed to do it. That is a tender mercy.
A few weeks ago, I swept off our patio for an event. The event got rained out. The next day (or the day after) my daughter dropped a glass jar and it broke. Had I not swept off the patio, I would never have been able to find and clean up all the pieces of glass. Most likely no one would have gotten seriously hurt. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to worry about it.
I can think of at least two instances in the past year where I have had something flammable sitting on the stove, and knob to the burner has been accidentally bumped and the burner turned on. Both times we could easily have had a fire. Both times we saw it before anything got seriously damaged. Again, the fires most likely would not have gotten big enough to hurt anyone or do any serious damage. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to deal with it.
Look around you. You'll be grateful for all the tender mercies.
A few weeks ago, I swept off our patio for an event. The event got rained out. The next day (or the day after) my daughter dropped a glass jar and it broke. Had I not swept off the patio, I would never have been able to find and clean up all the pieces of glass. Most likely no one would have gotten seriously hurt. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to worry about it.
I can think of at least two instances in the past year where I have had something flammable sitting on the stove, and knob to the burner has been accidentally bumped and the burner turned on. Both times we could easily have had a fire. Both times we saw it before anything got seriously damaged. Again, the fires most likely would not have gotten big enough to hurt anyone or do any serious damage. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to deal with it.
Look around you. You'll be grateful for all the tender mercies.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Beauty? Magazines
Last night I went grocery shopping. As I stood in line to check out, I was reading the headlines on the various magazines on display. The news magazines all had headlines about the recent Kim Cardashian incident (as if we all held our breath waiting to find out...). The magazines that used to hold tips about housekeeping and cooking all held tips about weight loss. Every single one promised fast results. One even said you could lose nine pounds in two days. (Wouldn't that do serious damage?)
What a sad commentary on our society. Why are we all so focused on what we look like? Yes, most of us wish we could lose weight. Most of us could probably stand to lose a few pounds to be healthier, too. But why the obsession with how we look? Does it really matter what size clothes we wear? Do we really look at others and automatically think about their weight? No. So why do we assume others do that with us?
But even if they did, why does it matter what other people think about us? I've always wondered why other people's opinions are so important to us. The only opinion that should matter to us is our own. If we are doing our best with things, why can't we just be happy about that?
Just something to think about. The Lord looketh on the heart. We should too. If we are doing our best spiritually and morally, our appearance shouldn't be our top priority. We need to be neat and comely. The Lord didn't request supermodels. :)
What a sad commentary on our society. Why are we all so focused on what we look like? Yes, most of us wish we could lose weight. Most of us could probably stand to lose a few pounds to be healthier, too. But why the obsession with how we look? Does it really matter what size clothes we wear? Do we really look at others and automatically think about their weight? No. So why do we assume others do that with us?
But even if they did, why does it matter what other people think about us? I've always wondered why other people's opinions are so important to us. The only opinion that should matter to us is our own. If we are doing our best with things, why can't we just be happy about that?
Just something to think about. The Lord looketh on the heart. We should too. If we are doing our best spiritually and morally, our appearance shouldn't be our top priority. We need to be neat and comely. The Lord didn't request supermodels. :)
Just Like You Asked!!!
Yesterday I put some noodles in water to boil and then realized I needed to run an errand really fast. I asked my husband to stir the noodles a couple times while I was gone. He said he would. A few minutes later I left. He was waiting for me to yell down the stairs that I was leaving. We aren't sure if I forgot to yell down or if he just didn't hear me. In any case, when I came home, he was laughing. The noodles hadn't gotten stirred because he hadn't realized I'd left yet and so hadn't stirred them. He was just putting a new pot of noodles on when I got home. He laughed and told me what happened.
Then my three year old came in. She was so excited to tell me. "Daddy didn't stir the noodles, just like you asked!" Keep in mind her tone. She wasn't trying to tattle, though that's what it ended up being. She was so excited to tell me. Her tone was more of a "YEA DADDY!" than anything. She thought it was so neat.
What a good lesson in attitude. Why can't we all be like little kids and be excited about small things. It's too bad that as adults it tends to take big things to get us excited about life. The world would have far fewer struggles with depression and anger if we all got excited about the little things as well as the big things.
Then my three year old came in. She was so excited to tell me. "Daddy didn't stir the noodles, just like you asked!" Keep in mind her tone. She wasn't trying to tattle, though that's what it ended up being. She was so excited to tell me. Her tone was more of a "YEA DADDY!" than anything. She thought it was so neat.
What a good lesson in attitude. Why can't we all be like little kids and be excited about small things. It's too bad that as adults it tends to take big things to get us excited about life. The world would have far fewer struggles with depression and anger if we all got excited about the little things as well as the big things.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Garbage Can
So a couple months ago I was clearing out our back yard. We had piles of debris that needed cleaning up, and I was filling our garbage cans with it. Then when the can was dumped, I could do another load. One day I knew the garbage truck was coming, so I filled a can. After the truck emptied it, I hurried and filled it again with the intent to wheel it across the street to be dumped again, thus getting two loads done in one day. The pile I had filled the can with this second time looked to be leaves and sticks. As I started pulling the can up the hill, I soon realized it was mostly dirt, and that it was FAR too heavy for me to pull up the hill on my own. Determined to succeed without having to wait for my husband, losing the opportunity for the extra garbage truck dump, I continued pulling up the hill. At one point, I slipped and fell, pulling the heavy can down on my leg. After several minutes I managed to free myself. I again began to pull it up the hill. Again I fell and pulled the can on my leg. Several minutes of pain and I was free again. A third time I started this process, pulling the can and then falling with the can on my leg. I was still only halfway up the hill. Finally, I realized I would NEVER be able to pull the can up the hill on my own. I walked next door and found a neighbor who worked from home. He came and assisted me. With his help, we got the can up the hill and across the street quite easily. I was able to have the extra load emptied as I had hoped.
Isn't it funny how we seem incapable of asking for help, even when we know full well we aren't capable of completing a task on our own? And isn't it funny that when WE have to ask for help, we feel like everyone is judging us and will think badly of us, but when we someone asks US for help, we don't even notice?
Just a thought. :)
Isn't it funny how we seem incapable of asking for help, even when we know full well we aren't capable of completing a task on our own? And isn't it funny that when WE have to ask for help, we feel like everyone is judging us and will think badly of us, but when we someone asks US for help, we don't even notice?
Just a thought. :)
Those Blankets Don't Work!
A few weeks ago, my little girl fell out of bed during the night. She was crying when I went in to 'rescue' her. I picked her up to cuddle her so I could calm her down enough to tell me what happened. When she was able to talk between sobs, she pointed to the blankets she'd been wrapped up in that were now on the floor. "Those blankets don't work!" she cried to me.
Her comment made me laugh. Everyone I told laughed because it was cute. She fell out of the bed and thought it was because the blankets didn't work. Then I started thinking about it. How often do we blame things or people other than ourselves when things go wrong? She fell out of the bed because she had rolled too close to the side. It had nothing to do with the blankets. In life, how often do we reap the consequences of our own choices and then blame others or things or situations when in reality it is our own fault?
When I was a teacher, I had a student who got in trouble for breaking a serious rule. He was expelled as a result of his action. I saw him a year later, still not graduated from high school - even though all his friends had graduated by then. He was still angry about having been kicked out of the school. He blamed the teacher who had turned him in to the principal. He thought she was just out to get him. He blamed the students who were with him. He blamed the principal for not being sensitive to his situation. He blamed everyone and everything except the one place where the blame actually lay- with himself. HE broke the rule and then had to reap the consequences.
Just a thought. It would be a happier world if we could all just accept responsibility and place blame in ourselves when it deserves to be there. How many wars could we avoid if everyone did that? How much crime would be dissolved if there was no need for revenge because people accept responsibility for their own actions? How many of us would have more friends if we did this?
My goal is to accept blame when I am guilty and to forgive others when the blame is theirs. I challenge everyone to do the same.
Her comment made me laugh. Everyone I told laughed because it was cute. She fell out of the bed and thought it was because the blankets didn't work. Then I started thinking about it. How often do we blame things or people other than ourselves when things go wrong? She fell out of the bed because she had rolled too close to the side. It had nothing to do with the blankets. In life, how often do we reap the consequences of our own choices and then blame others or things or situations when in reality it is our own fault?
When I was a teacher, I had a student who got in trouble for breaking a serious rule. He was expelled as a result of his action. I saw him a year later, still not graduated from high school - even though all his friends had graduated by then. He was still angry about having been kicked out of the school. He blamed the teacher who had turned him in to the principal. He thought she was just out to get him. He blamed the students who were with him. He blamed the principal for not being sensitive to his situation. He blamed everyone and everything except the one place where the blame actually lay- with himself. HE broke the rule and then had to reap the consequences.
Just a thought. It would be a happier world if we could all just accept responsibility and place blame in ourselves when it deserves to be there. How many wars could we avoid if everyone did that? How much crime would be dissolved if there was no need for revenge because people accept responsibility for their own actions? How many of us would have more friends if we did this?
My goal is to accept blame when I am guilty and to forgive others when the blame is theirs. I challenge everyone to do the same.
The Beginning
I started thinking that I should try blogging, as everyone seems to love it. I didn't know if my life was interesting enough to make it worth it, but we'll give it a shot anyway.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (often known as Mormon). A lot of people do not understand our beliefs. There is a lot of media out there about the church that tries to explain our beliefs, but much of it is false. Let me try to explain the basics of our religion. We believe in Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of all mankind. He came here to the earth to show us how to live. Then he suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane and died on the cross. Three days later he rose again. This is the foundation for our church. Let it be known that we are Christian. We also believe in the Book of Mormon. This book is similar to the bible. It is the teachings of the Savior to the people on the American continent, just as the bible is His teachings to the people in the Old World. We believe in the Book of Mormon because it verifies the teachings in the bible. It gives us a second witness to the spiritual guidance and the guidelines taught in the bible. Joseph Smith was the first prophet in modern times. Contrary to popular belief, we do not worship Joseph Smith. :) We honor him just as we honor our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
I know this religion to be correct. If anyone has any questions about our faith, I challenge him/her to read the Book of Mormon.
I hope to be able to share my thoughts about life in a way that will help people understand me as well as my faith.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (often known as Mormon). A lot of people do not understand our beliefs. There is a lot of media out there about the church that tries to explain our beliefs, but much of it is false. Let me try to explain the basics of our religion. We believe in Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of all mankind. He came here to the earth to show us how to live. Then he suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane and died on the cross. Three days later he rose again. This is the foundation for our church. Let it be known that we are Christian. We also believe in the Book of Mormon. This book is similar to the bible. It is the teachings of the Savior to the people on the American continent, just as the bible is His teachings to the people in the Old World. We believe in the Book of Mormon because it verifies the teachings in the bible. It gives us a second witness to the spiritual guidance and the guidelines taught in the bible. Joseph Smith was the first prophet in modern times. Contrary to popular belief, we do not worship Joseph Smith. :) We honor him just as we honor our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
I know this religion to be correct. If anyone has any questions about our faith, I challenge him/her to read the Book of Mormon.
I hope to be able to share my thoughts about life in a way that will help people understand me as well as my faith.
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