Gru the Snowman

Our son and little sister pose by yesterday's big accomplishment, a snowman rolled, fashioned, and created by Jonathan--all by himself!

Rapunzel

Susie brushes my hair. It is late and I let her because I love it when my little ones "fix" my hair. I write down Susie's comments to me while she is brushing. She brushed a long time (10 minutes...it delayed bedtime, of course!). "Wow--Mama, your hair is getting longer!"

"Wooh Momma--your hair is really long!

It's because of the brush...If you brushed your hair all night long It'd be as long as Repunzels!"

Yes, if only I would brush my hair ALL night long!

All About Ballroom

Miss H and her partner Brad had a school regional Ballroom Competition. I love this daughter so much that I went and sat with her and watched or recorded her performance ALL day, from early morning until evening. Persistence and "knowing the competition" seem to be the name of the game here.

Book Review: Forbidden Sea

Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Neilson ****

Joe and I have enjoyed reading this debut novel by a local librarian. It is beautifully written and a good read aloud "coming of age" story with a bit of romance and magic.

Review From School Library Journal

Gr 5-9–According to Windwaithe Island legend, Lady Lauretta disappeared into the sea 100 years ago, beckoned by an indescribably beautiful mermaid. As the book opens, Adrianne, 14, searches along the coast for her younger sister, who has gone missing. She finds Cecily unconscious on a rock and is terrified to see the legendary mermaid nearby. After a struggle during which Adrianne's wrist is cut, she escapes. Unconscious for three days, she finally awakens, but the wound will not heal. A visiting fortune-teller explains that she has been cursed by her attacker and will be led to her death. Many of the villagers begin to view her with fear and mistrust, but her longtime friend Denn sticks by her. Unable to resist her tormentor's song, Adrianne eventually goes to the shore, where she learns more about Jendayi, ruler of the Caribbean Sea, who promises her a new life among merfolk that includes happiness, acceptance, and marriage to a sea prince. The teen must then decide between truth and myth, love and lies, poverty and a prince. Youngsters will relate to her struggles and her efforts to overcome them. The plot pacing is steady and suspenseful as more details about the protagonist's current life and past are revealed through her absorbing first-person narration. Nielsen's new spin on a traditional fantasy setup is sure to appeal.Samantha Larsen Hastings, Riverton Library, UT

Date Night Fun

Joe and I began our date night by going for a walk in the last of the twilight light. Then I directed Joe to Sammy's downtown where we enjoyed splitting a "Masterpiece Burger," sweet potato fries (Eva tasted), and a Chocolate Creme Pie Shake. Then, he drove me to a local Mall where we jumped and flipped on the Bungee cord Trampoline Activity. (Joe will have to help me download pictures from my phone). We then spent fifty-cents on 2 Root-beer Float gumballs and 2 Wicked Watermelon gumballs. Date total: $12. plus $8. plus .50 = $20.50. Love date nights!

I Looked Out the Window and What did I see...

MORE SNOW!

Gratitude

Winter is slogging by and I am yearning for Spring. Hard not to count my blessings today as I scrolled back through the pictures and events of this past year. So grateful for Christ and His atonement, my Joseph, my children, sunshine, books, friends, faith, hope, healing--our bodies are amazing aren't they? One step at a time...one minute, one hour, one more day, a week, a month, then a year passes and so goes our lives.

Crazy Hair Day (School Spirit Week)

Miss B wanted a Faux Mohawk (but opted out of the pencils and elastics to make the spikes stick up...comfort over fashion--smart choice!) Mr. J's hair he does at night so it will be ready to go in the morning! This is how it typically looks in the morning despite his night grooming.

Our Valentines Day

Glimpses: Children brought Valentines to school friends, Papa Murphey's heart shaped pizza, S'mores pizza, Mango and Guava juice, Lilies (potted) from Joe, What You Ought to Know DVD (to Joe), Docker Lookout shoes (for Joe), chunky bead jewlery (for Julie), balloon from Joe, Veggie Tales movie for the children, R's hot-air balloon card holder, R gives us Raspberry Chocolate sticks, J gives us love cards and hugs, S gives us hugs, H makes and delivers pink banana smoothies, E laughs and kisses. Valentine Bird brings lip glosses, candy, and gummy food set for J. Love, laughs, hugs, happy day!

Spontaneous Date Night

So, despite Eva having a fever and ever looming piles of laundry and dishes, children's schedules and the like, Joe and I went on a date this afternoon. [Eva was lucky to come and share in the relaxation. She dowsed herself in water and popcorn bits, rejected a root-beer sucker and loved the tiny bites of chocolate ice cream from Cold Stone--ohh, I know...bad parents]. We went and saw a silly spy movie at the Dollar Show. Cousin Dan (manager at the Cinema) surprised us with tickets to the expensive movies--thanks Dan...we really do want to watch your little ladies while YOU and Katy go out.0 Then out to eat somewhere we hadn't been. We ate a Jimmy Jons. On the wall were fun sayings and such to read while you eat. The moon was full, Joe was as handsome as ever (and smelled nice too--nice cologne!) It is nice to take a step back and realize under the "mommy facade" is a real girl who fell in love with a great boy. Want some fun reading?...read on. Enjoy!

Dave Barry's 25 things I have learned in 50 years

I keep getting this emailed to me with different people's names on it. It was written by Dave Barry, and is in his book Dave Barry Turns 50.

25 things I have learned in 50 years Dave Barry

1. The badness of a movie is directly proportional to the number of helicopters in it.

2. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight-saving time.

3. People who feel the need to tell you that they have an excellent sense of humor are telling you that they have no sense of humor.

4. The most valuable function performed by the federal government is entertainment.

5. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

6. A penny saved is worthless.

7. They can hold all the peace talks they want, but there will never be peace in the Middle East. Billions of years from now, when Earth is hurtling toward the Sun and there is nothing left alive on the planet except a few microorganisms, the microorganisms living in the Middle East will be bitter enemies.

8. The most powerful force in the universe is gossip.

9. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above-average drivers.

10. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.

11. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

12. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

13. There apparently exists, somewhere in Los Angeles, a computer that generates concepts for television sitcoms. When TV executives need a new concept, they turn on this computer; after sorting through millions of possible plot premises, it spits out, "THREE QUIRKY BUT ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT," and the executives turn this concept into a show. The next time they need an idea, the computer spits out, "SIX QUIRKY BUT ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT." Then the next time, it spits out, "FOUR QUIRKY BUT ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT." And so on. We need to locate this computer and destroy it with hammers.

14. Nobody is normal.

15. At least once per year, some group of scientists will become very excited and announce that:

* The universe is even bigger than they thought! * There are even more subatomic particles than they thought! * Whatever they announced last year about global warming is wrong.

16. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."

17. The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them.

18. The value of advertising is that it tells you the exact opposite of what the advertiser actually thinks. For example:

* If the advertisement says "This is not your father's Oldsmobile," the advertiser is desperately concerned that this Oldsmobile, like all other Oldsmobiles, appeals primarily to old farts like your father. * If Coke and Pepsi spend billions of dollars to convince you that there are significant differences between these two products, both companies realize that Pepsi and Coke are virtually identical. * If the advertisement strongly suggests that Nike shoes enable athletes to perform amazing feats, Nike wants you to disregard the fact that shoe brand is unrelated to athletic ability. * If Budweiser runs an elaborate advertising campaign stressing the critical importance of a beer's "born-on" date, Budweiser knows this factor has virtually nothing to do with how good a beer tastes.

19. If there really is a God who created the entire universe with all of its glories, and He decides to deliver a message to humanity, He will not use, as His messenger, a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle.

20. You should not confuse your career with your life.

21. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.

22. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.

23. When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy.

24. Your friends love you anyway.

25. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

-- Dave Barry

Warren Buffet's Ten Secret's to Wealth: 1. Reinvest Your Profits: When you first make money, you may be tempted to spend it. Don't. Instead, reinvest the profits. Warren Buffett learned this early on. In high school, he and a pal bought a pinball machine to pun in a barbershop. With the money they earned, they bought more machines until they had eight in different shops. When the friends sold the venture, Warren Buffett used the proceeds to buy stocks and to start another small business. By age 26, he'd amassed $174,000 -- or $1.4 million in today's money. Even a small sum can turn into great wealth. 2. Be Willing To Be Different: Don't base your decisions upon what everyone is saying or doing. When Warren Buffett began managing money in 1956 with $100,000 cobbled together from a handful of investors, he was dubbed an oddball. He worked in Omaha, not Wall Street, and he refused to tell his parents where he was putting their money. People predicted that he'd fail, but when he closed his partnership 14 years later, it was worth more than $100 million. Instead of following the crowd, he looked for undervalued investments and ended up vastly beating the market average every single year. To Warren Buffett, the average is just that -- what everybody else is doing. to be above average, you need to measure yourself by what he calls the Inner Scorecard, judging yourself by your own standards and not the world's. 3. Never Suck Your Thumb: Gather in advance any information you need to make a decision, and ask a friend or relative to make sure that you stick to a deadline. Warren Buffett prides himself on swiftly making up his mind and acting on it. He calls any unnecessary sitting and thinking "thumb sucking." When people offer him a business or an investment, he says, "I won't talk unless they bring me a price." He gives them an answer on the spot. 4. Spell Out The Deal Before You Start: Your bargaining leverage is always greatest before you begin a job -- that's when you have something to offer that the other party wants. Warren Buffett learned this lesson the hard way as a kid, when his grandfather Ernest hired him and a friend to dig out the family grocery store after a blizzard. The boys spent five hours shoveling until they could barely straighten their frozen hands. Afterward, his grandfather gave the pair less than 90 cents to split. Warren Buffett was horrified that he performed such backbreaking work only to earn pennies an hour. Always nail down the specifics of a deal in advance -- even with your friends and relatives. 5. Watch Small Expenses: Warren Buffett invests in businesses run by managers who obsess over the tiniest costs. He one acquired a company whose owner counted the sheets in rolls of 500-sheet toilet paper to see if he was being cheated (he was). He also admired a friend who painted only on the side of his office building that faced the road. Exercising vigilance over every expense can make your profits -- and your paycheck -- go much further. 6. Limit What You Borrow: Living on credit cards and loans won't make you rich. Warren Buffett has never borrowed a significant amount -- not to invest, not for a mortgage. He has gotten many heart-rendering letters from people who thought their borrowing was manageable but became overwhelmed by debt. His advice: Negotiate with creditors to pay what you can. Then, when you're debt-free, work on saving some money that you can use to invest. 7. Be Persistent: With tenacity and ingenuity, you can win against a more established competitor. Warren Buffett acquired the Nebraska Furniture Mart in 1983 because he liked the way its founder, Rose Blumkin, did business. A Russian immigrant, she built the mart from a pawnshop into the largest furniture store in North America. Her strategy was to undersell the big shots, and she was a merciless negotiator. To Warren Buffett, Rose embodied the unwavering courage that makes a winner out of an underdog. 8. Know When To Quit: Once, when Warren Buffett was a teen, he went to the racetrack. He bet on a race and lost. To recoup his funds, he bet on another race. He lost again, leaving him with close to nothing. He felt sick -- he had squandered nearly a week's earnings. Warren Buffett never repeated that mistake. Know when to walk away from a loss, and don't let anxiety fool you into trying again. 9. Assess The Risk: In 1995, the employer of Warren Buffett's son, Howie, was accused by the FBI of price-fixing. Warren Buffett advised Howie to imagine the worst-and-bast-case scenarios if he stayed with the company. His son quickly realized that the risks of staying far outweighed any potential gains, and he quit the next day. Asking yourself "and then what?" can help you see all of the possible consequences when you're struggling to make a decision -- and can guide you to the smartest choice. 10. Know What Success Really Means: Despite his wealth, Warren Buffett does not measure success by dollars. In 2006, he pledged to give away almost his entire fortune to charities, primarily the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He's adamant about not funding monuments to himself -- no Warren Buffett buildings or halls. "I know people who have a lot of money," he says, "and they get testimonial dinners and hospital wings named after them. But the truth is that nobody in the world loves them. When you get to my age, you'll measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you. That's the ultimate test of how you've lived your life."

Publish Post

When I Came Home...

A present from the grandparents, a job for father and son.

Happy Unbirthdays (or Secret Valentines)

This Sunday at family dinner Grandma and Grandpa Clayton brought out unbirthday gifts (or maybe early Valentines presents)! Miss H got A YW sampler to make, Miss R got a Drawing in 3D book and Monkey pencil case, Mr. J got a build it yourself wood car, Miss S got something nice and Miss E got a Zoo animals book. Joe and I received a Tour of Provo pamphlet, and some past issues of magazines to Victoria and Pioneer.

Valentine Card Holder Idea: Hot-Air Balloon

Miss R informed us Friday after school that a card-holder was needed for Fifth grade Valentines and it was to be a contest. She had an idea after seeing for paper mache hot-air balloons and so we spent late Friday night gluing paper to a balloon. She added the paper "stripes" to the balloon on Saturday and we finished up the balloon late Sunday night (of course--always too much to do, isn't there?). She won the "Most Uplifting Prize" which was a bunch of colored balloon shaped suckers.

Need a Gift Idea for Valentines?

This Valentine gift might bug your sweetheart

February 11th, 2011 @ 3:36pm

NEW YORK (AP) - If lingerie is too intimate and dinner out is too expensive, the Bronx Zoo suggests another Valentine's Day gift: a Madagascar hissing cockroach.

Spokesman John Calvelli says, "Nothing says forever like a cockroach."

The Wildlife Conservation Society runs the New York City zoo and is raising funds by offering the public the chance to name the huge roaches. In return for each name, it's asking for a $10 donation.

Calvelli says about 1,700 cockroach names were bought in the first two days of the promotion. Recipients get a certificate.

The zoo says naming a roach will honor a sweetheart's resourcefulness and resiliency. As the zoo puts it: "Flowers wilt. Chocolates melt. Roaches are forever."

___

Online: http://www.wcs.org

(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.)

A Valentines Adventure in Chocolate

Ahh hemm...I am desperately trying to clear the flavor of smoke, tamarind and chipotle, and cummin from my mouth. Ahhah. Washed it down with a "cheap American chocolate" (Dove milk with almond). It is beginning to mask the awful flavors of the expensive chocolate ($2.00 per chocolate) that we ordered on the internet. A chocolate adventure for sure after a year with no buying chocolate (see 2010 New Year's Goal) We are experiencing truly "fine" chocolates ordered from San Diego from Jack Fisher Confectioneries and shipped with a cold gel pack. The Chocolate Selection (you do not get a choice in this selection OR any idea as to what comes in the selection--which may not help because they were cool but all jumbled up upon opening anyway. See what I am talking about here: What You Ought to Know About Chocolate Pros: Texture is "perfect!" with thin crisp shells, chewy or melt away centers. They appear very fresh (not like Russell Stover's that sometimes have a stale white stuff on them when you buy them on Valentines). Also, the colors and shapes make each chocolate a mini work of art. Cons: Flavors--who really wants to chew up a chocolate that survived a camp fire? It's like Russian Roulette when trying a different chocolate--is the taste going to be worth the risk...sometimes the answer is "NO!" So far the flavors have been: ginger, mexican lime, Single origins from Venezuela and Madagascas, Cardamon, vanilla bean, classic praline, Espresso, smoked chocolate, Tamarind and chipotle, cummin, and various dark chocolates. We shared the chocolates with the childern and they were initially excited about this. After tasting tiny bites, Hannah and Rebekah were through tasting. Rebekah said, "Yuck--that is the worst tasting chocolate I have ever had." Guess they are used to that awful American sweet waxy chocolate. When Joe and I were looking at the variety and saying how many looked good and why we got all the nasty flavors Joe mentioned, "We ordered so close to Valentines and those were the flavors left over!" Oh, of course!

Cookie Decorating

Finally caught Eva's after the flash smile!

Rare Rebekah

Amazing Alex, Sweet Susie

Cute Callie

Hilarious Hannah Hannah's Handiwork Friends Adorable Annabel Lively Lisa, Expectant Amy, Observant Owen, Joyful (that I have a friend and cousin) Jonathan How can there be Valentines without sugar cookie decorating? Lisa and her children, Amy (expecting) and her kiddos, and Grandma and Grandpa Clayton braved the challenge and came to decorate cupcakes, cookies, and have a kid friendly dinner together. Fun memories (I hope)!

Evil Step-Mother

"Hello, Evil Step-mother. I'm Cinderella!" Susie tells me brightly. She adjusts the beautiful apron she received for Christmas a year ago. Slow morning. I am still tired. "Hello, Cinderella! (Pause) Wait, I'm the evil step mother?...Why do I always have to be the evil step-mother?!" Susie whispers "Mother, it's just a game! It's pretend." And we try to recover our kitchen from the Valentine cookie baking yesterday.

Don't Forget Date Night

With Valentines Day approaching, don't forget to set aside time for your one and only true love:

Date Night Makeover

Jamie Cline - 4 days ago

Thinkstock.

When did you last have a little away time for you and your spouse? A month ago? A couple months ago? A year ago? Placing aside special time for you and your spouse may seem like a lot of effort, but it’s like making an investment—something that will pay off in the end.

“My belief is that date night is extremely important to a marriage,” says Gary Lundberg, a popular marriage and family therapist and the author of several books on marriage. “Too often, I will ask couples in therapy what they do for fun, and they say, ‘We do nothing for fun.’” You chose your spouse—why not choose to have fun with him or her and strengthen your relationship? Here are some key suggestions for enhancing your bond. Make time for your date. How did you find time for dates when you were younger? You made time. And that’s what you have to do now. “You make time for that which is important to you,” says Lundberg. “Jobs and even church callings can take big precedent over the marriage. It comes back to priorities. If marriage isn’t a priority, then everything else takes priority.” Even though you are busy with kids, work, church callings, fixing the car, feeding the dog, and a million other things, think about how important your spouse is compared to everything else. Hopefully, your partner ranks high on your list! And though your spouse promised to be yours forever, you still need to put effort into your relationship to make it a good one. Decide how often you want to go out, at least once a month. Set aside a time in advance, and don’t schedule anything that will interfere with it. And don’t assume that all date nights need to be on a weekend—if a weekday works better for you, set your date up for that night instead. Treat that block of time like you would any important appointment—don’t cancel except for an emergency and leave extra time beforehand to get ready. This way, your date won’t begin with a stressful rush out the door.

Make plans for your kids.

You may think that you and your spouse need to spend more time with your kids than without them. After all, they are growing, developing, and they need their mother and father around. But in reality, your kids will benefit from your going on dates with your spouse. They will see the importance that you place on your marriage and will hopefully emulate that same effort someday. This will also give you a chance to see how your kids are internalizing the family rules—it’s a great opportunity for building trust between you and your (older) children. Lundberg says that he often sees people do activities with the family, but not with the spouse alone. “That’s all right, but date night between husband and wife is important to keep the marriage alive. Too often people don’t understand how important it is [to spend time alone].” When you plan out our monthly budget, add in the cost of a date and a babysitter for three hours. You are investing this money in your marriage—and your marriage should certainly be as important as groceries and your house. If you absolutely cannot afford a babysitter, ask another couple if they would like to swap babysitting. If your kids are friends, this works out well—they can just play with each other for entertainment. You can take the kids on Friday while your friends go out and then swap on Saturday, or you can switch off every other week. Put some effort into it. When you were dating your spouse, you cared about how you looked when you went out with him or her. You might have spent hours looking in the closet and deciding how you were going to dress to impress. Going on dates after the marriage shouldn’t be much different. Yes, you have your spouse forever, no matter what you wear, but don’t you want him or her to find you attractive? Style your hair, put on your best outfit, and spray on a bit of perfume or cologne. If your spouse knows that you are making the effort to make your dates special, they might step it up a notch, too. Dressing up will also make you feel good, which will enhance your date night with your spouse. You might also want to consider giving your date a small present every once in a while. This might be some flowers or a small, inexpensive piece of jewelry for a wife or a batch of favorite sweets or a sports magazine for a husband. Keep it exciting. Remember how you used to feel when you were single? Every date was exciting! You didn’t know where you were going or what was going to happen. And because you didn’t know the person very well and weren’t quite sure how the relationship was going to end up, it was always interesting. Ask your spouse if he or she would like to go on a date with you, even if you have that time already set aside. This will make it feel more genuine, and it will show that you really care—it’s not just something you have to do because it’s on your calendar. Being asked out was always exciting, even if it was just a call on the phone. Asking your spouse out doesn’t have to be elaborate unless you really want it to be. Lundberg, who has been married for 54 years, says that dates will never get boring if you try new things. “There are some things my wife likes to do more than I do. I go with her to do those,” says Lundberg. “I enjoy her enjoyment of it. The idea is to enjoy being with each other. If you focus on each other, then what you are doing is less important than who you are doing it with.” Take turns planning your dates and keep the event a secret from your spouse. This will increase anticipation of the date and add something extra to your night out. Make sure you stay within the planned budget. If you are considering a date that goes above the budget, ask your spouse if he or she thinks it would be okay to go over. It might be fun to plan an expensive evening out, but depleting the family income without discussion is not the kind of surprise you want to give your spouse. Date on a budget. Perhaps you think that you are just too poor to take your wife on a date. If you are in financial trouble, now you need the support and love of your spouse more than anything else. “It doesn’t take much money to buy one root beer float and two straws,” says Lundberg. “The whole idea behind the date is being with each other. What you do is superfluous.” Even if you can’t budget cash for the date night, challenge yourself to come up with some cheap, or even free, date ideas. Remember, if you are staying home for your date night, the kids need to be out of the house! Here are a few ideas to consider: Jackson Pollock painting. Cover the floor with old sheets and pull out some poster paper and paints. Drizzle, drop, and splatter paint on your paper, let it dry, and then do it again. Repeat until you are pleased with the result, and let your kids admire your work when they get home! Couples massage. Purchase an inexpensive massage book for beginners (these can be purchased for around $8 on Amazon.com) and some inexpensive massage oil, and take turns giving each other half-hour massages. You can add something extra to this date by covering the house in lit candles and playing soft music. Dinner for two. Comb through those cookbooks you’ve had for years and choose something that sounds exotic and that neither of you has tried. Go shopping together for the ingredients and then cook the meal together. No money at all? Go on a walk and enjoy the beautiful nature around your home, whether it be the ocean or mountains or plains. Play tennis at the park, and end with a picnic. Check your local paper for free entertainment. Your community, local bookstores, and other facilities often have free concerts, speakers, or activities.

© LDS Living 2011

Motherhood--Enjoying the Journey

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will — to your surprise — miss them profoundly." — "Finding Joy in the Journey," Pres. Thomas S. Monson, October 2008 LDS General Conference

Mom is Older Than Time

Joe returned home from a business trip tonight bearing gifts (Milano and Chessmen Cookies, Whole Wheat Goldfish and Chocolate Graham Goldfish Crackers) from the Pepperidge Farm Outlet.

Dinner was a little late (7:00 p.m.) and we had the food on the table but trouble rounding up the crew. (I think Susie was hiding in the Mud Room with the kitten on purpose because we were having Potato Corn Chowder and she has an aversion to vegetables in soup).

Frustrated that it took so long to gather, Joe mentioned to the children before praying that when it is time for dinner they will have to leave whatever they are doing and come and wait patiently at the table for all to arrive. I chimed in that growing up my family met around the dinner table at 6:00 p.m. and sometimes we would have to wait for everyone to show up but we knew that dinner was served at six. Jonathan replies very sincerely, "But how could they--they didn't have watches back then!?"

Rebekah's Testimony

This morning was Fast Sunday in our Latter-day Saint congregation. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called "Mormons" for short because we believe in another book of scripture, along with the Bible, called The Book of Mormon). Fast Sunday is the first Sunday of each month. We, baptized members and adults over age eight, go without food for two meals and give a Fast Offering (a generous amount of money we would have spent on the meals to the bishop of the ward to give to the hungry and needy). In return, we pray for a specific purpose and "feast" on spiritual matters instead. Our Sacrament Meeting, where all members gather together, is different too. Instead of having people from the congregation give talks and perform music, members go to the podium as prompted by the Spirit and "bear testimonies" or speak from our heart about the truths of the Gospel to uplift and strengthen one another. Rebekah got up and walked to the front today. This is the spirit of what she said," I was reading a few days ago and I came across a saying that I thought about a lot. The saying was, 'If we saw ourselves as God pictured us to be, we would rise up and never be the same again.' I was thinking about that and was thinking how easy it would be if we all pictured each other and treated each other as God pictured us to be. I read that and after I read that I decided to be a better person because I haven't been doing the best I could do lately--and so I'm gonna try and be the best person God wants me to be and I think you could try and be as well. I bear this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I sat back amazed at this beautiful young woman (who was so frightened at age eight to go up and shake the hand of the Bishop after her baptism, that she insisted I go up to the front with her) and her insight--years ahead of her mere ten years. This touched a cord with many adults who spoke with me and Joe afterward. I received this email after church labeled simply, "for your daughter." Your daughter's testimony today about seeing others and ourselves as God see us reminds of one of my favorite poems.

Sincerely,

Jean

We never know how high we are

Till we are called to rise;

And then, if we are true to plan,

Our statures touch the skies–

The Heroism we recite

Would be a normal thing,

Did not ourselves the Cubits warp

For fear to be a King– [I like to say "Queen" here]

Emily Dickinson Joe was told that several of the Sunday School classes mentioned Rebekah's testimony as well. How would I act if I could picture what Heavenly Father saw in me?

Cold

Coldest day of the winter thus far...and the new remodel pipes have frozen...No water in the girls bathroom. Oh no. Uh, oh. Shoot. Let's hope that they don't burst!

Finding JOY in the Balance

Lately, life has been up and down with illness, children's needs, housework, and finding the joy in the balance. I saw this on a friends blog and thought she wrote many of my same feelings. My father often told me that "he didn't often feel like smiling but would put one on and soon find that he felt like smiling". Isn't much of this life just showing up for the work? Better to learn to do it with a joyful heart." The following post is from: In The Heart of My Home

The day can begin under less than ideal circumstances: a sleepless night, a wicked headache, hormonal craziness, a blood sugar low, a festering argument. Whatever the root, the result is a bad mood. And then comes the defining moment of the day: do I succumb to the bad mood or do I fight for the joy that lies just under the weight of the crosses? Do I grumble and exaggerate, even celebrate, the trials of the morning, assuring that everyone around me knows I'm suffering? Or do I force myself to focus on the eternally present joy of my Christian inheritance and put a smile on my face and persevere in cheerfulness for the sake of the people entrusted to my care? And really, for my sake too.

One thing is certain. I cannot be cheerful under my own strength. I pray for the grace. I stumble. I falter. I persevere imperfectly. But His grace is sufficient. Always sufficient.

God doesn't call us to wallow in our suffering. He doesn't want us hoist our crosses upon the shoulders of the people around us. The sleepless night is my cross. It's not my husband's cross. If I stomp around the kitchen, whining about how tired I am, I foist that cross onto someone else's shoulders. If I "fake" it, and smile instead and force myself to take even more care with breakfast, I bless someone. The thing about choosing joy, even when we don't feel joy? Usually, we end up feeling it too. It's not dishonest. It's discipline.

When we dwell on our suffering, we magnify it. When we accept it and choose to be ever-aware of the joy that comes with being God's own child and to share that joy, despite our own immediate unhappiness, we sanctify it. This month, St. Teresa of Avila reminds us that children need to see us doing virtuous deeds. There is real virtue in cheerfulness. It's infectious virtue. Children can learn cheerful obedience from their mothers.

You know the saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy?" That one proves true in most every household. But when Mama smiles, despite her suffering, she blesses. And she is blessed.

There is sadness in our world. There is sorrow -- real sorrow and genuine pain -- in every life. We're called to embrace our crosses. We are not called to hit other people over the head with them.