Missed Opportunities

Today I went to the library to pick up some books I had on hold.  As I approached the check out counter  my attention was drawn to one of the machines there.  What probably got my attention first was the LOUD wailing of a small baby.  I couldn't see the upset infant who was curled up in a stroller but what I did see made my heart happy.  The mother was standing there with 2 other children, a little boy about 3 was balancing on the step stool very seriously placing each book, from a tall stack, on the white square and waiting to hear the ding.  He couldn't work very quickly because his younger sister was also vying for space on the stool and was determined to move him out of the way.  The mom was being so patient, while trying to encourage the entire process along at a little faster pace.  Any attempt she made to assist was met with immediate complaints of "I'm doing it" and she would
step back and let her son do it.  I was proud of her control.

I quickly checked out, glanced again at the entertaining family while thinking "I'm glad I'm past that stage of my life" and walked out the door.

As I unlocked my car I had a strong desire to cry and I wasn't sure why.

I gave it some thought as I drove down the road to my next destination and I began to realize that I should have offered to help that young mother.  She was handling herself just fine and she might have declined my offer, but I stil should have made the attempt.

But even more than that I should have told that mom that I was glad she had chosen to be a mother.

That  I was happy she had made the effort to bring her children to the library.

That I appreciated her patience with her little ones when it would have been so much easier to move them aside and just check the books out herself.

I should have given her a pat on the back,

because mothers don't seem to get those very often.

I should have told her GOOD JOB!

and I didn't

and then I regretted it.

One of my favorite talks in the October General Conference was by Elder M. Russell Ballard and was entitled "Be Anxiously Engaged".

In this talk he encourages every man, woman and child to begin a simple practice.

"In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children.  Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help ... If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible." 

I have been trying to remember to do this every day and have had some sweet experiences, but today I lost focus and missed an opportunity.

And I want to say I'm sorry.

I can't go back and change what happened today, but I can look forward with a desire to improve.

Hopefully next time my spiritual sensitivities will kick into gear just a little bit faster and I can feel that I have done my best to serve God's children that I cross paths with.

Today I am thankful for

parents who treat their children with patience and love.

a women who looked for an opportunity to serve and was prompted to organize a monthly family home evening group for the "empty nesters" in our ward.  Tonight was our first activity and it was so fun and uplifting to get together and eat, visit, laugh, talk of Christ and enjoy the Christmas spirit.

homemade orange rolls.  YUMMY!

So Worth It

At the start of the summer a new sister moved into our ward.  She is youngish and she is vocal and she has been a breath of fresh air in our classroom discussions.  She openly shares the fact that she hasn't always been a practicing member of the church and that she has made some bad decisions in her life, but her past is overshadowed by the testimony she shares at every opportunity. She has come so far. She makes me want to be less judgmental; more loving and willing to embrace and encourage those who are struggling with their testimonies.  She brings hope to my heart when it starts to feel hopeless.

A couple of weeks ago she attended our visiting teaching interviews and then asked for directions to the bishop's house.  She is getting married the start of September and had an appointment to get her temple recommend so she could go to the temple for the first time.  She was so excited!  She shared how she had almost gone to the temple a few years before, but her divorce got in the way and it didn't happen.  How hard it had been to wait, when she wanted to go so badly. When she left she told us she would be back in a while for her interview with a member of the Stake Presidency.

I was in the hall when she returned with tears running down her face. I was worried that something hadn't turned out the way she had planned.  As I walked toward her she raised her signed recommend for me to see and said, "He signed it.  I signed it.  I am going to the temple."  We embraced and joyfully cried together.  So very, very happy.  She couldn't contain her excitement as she bounced around sharing the news with everyone that would listen.

Tonight I had the opportunity of being in attendance at her temple endowment session and as we embraced again in the celestial room we shed a few more happy tears and rejoiced in her accomplishment.  She did it! and it seems that all the struggles just made the final outcome that much sweeter.  She was so happy and thankful to be there.

As I sat in the celestial room, watching her and those who had come to support her, I reflected on some of the things she has experienced in her life, the choices she has made, and  how she was finally able to worthily stand in the temple.  I pondered on why the road to the temple seems so simple for some individuals and so difficult for others. Entering the temple for the first time was pretty easy for me. Luckily my choices had helped to make it that way, but I probably looked on the event as more of a rite of passage than an accomplishment or a privilege, just one more thing I needed to do before I left on my mission.   I was happy to be there, but I think my joy at that moment was minuscule compared to hers, and to the joy I felt for her tonight.

 There were 2 other people going through the temple for the first time tonight.  A young man who looked like he was getting ready to go on a mission and another girl who was soon to be married.  I wondered if they were as amazed and appreciative of this great blessing in their lives as my friend was. Had their choices in life led to a fairly smooth path to the temple or had they too struggled to get there? What had they done and gone through to make this opportunity a reality? Did they see their temple covenants as the marvelous blessing that they are?

As most of the patrons left the celestial room the young man and his father sat talking quietly in one corner while the unknown bride-to-be sat on a couch next to her future husband, her brother and mother nestled by her side as her father stood protectively near them.  It was such a sweet experience as the spirit of the temple sunk deep into my soul.  I hope they felt that spirit too.  I hope they realize what a great blessing it is to be temple worthy.  I hope they continue to visit the temple often and come to appreciate more and more each time they come how truly blessed they are to have the temple, and all it represents, in their lives.

As I have.

Whether the climb to the temple seems fairly simple or wrought with difficulty I testify it is So Worth It!

Do what you need to do to get there and then make it a priority to go often.  It will be worth any effort it takes!

But you don't have to just take my word for it.  Here is what the living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson has to say on this topic:

"Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings."  

This quote comes from a conference talk Pres. Monson gave in April 2011 and you can read his entire message here.

Today I am thankful for

the new converts or re-converted members of my ward who help me see the gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings that are mine through fresh eyes.  I learn so much from them.
temple promises.
the spirit that I feel in the temple.  Nothing in this world can compare to it.

Father Lehi and the Tree of Life

I ran across this video and felt it was a wonderful Father's Day tribute. Back when this Lehi (the artist) was just a preschooler, his father was the "father" of the BYU Lamanite singles ward and my hubby served as his counselor in the bishopric when we were first married. We learned a lot from Bishop Sanchez and he has been a great example of a righteous father, not only to his own children, but to many, many other individuals over the years.



The other day when I went to the temple, I was impressed with the beautiful sunflowers they have planted this year. They give the temple a very different look, a somewhat masculine appearance. I decided that I would like to go to the temple on Father's day and take some pictures of my kids with their father and the sunflowers. By the time we finished Father's day dinner (and dessert) with the very extended family it was almost too dark for picture taking but we still managed to get a few good ones. We missed the youngest daughter, who still maintains that she is the very best Father's day present her dad ever received. She was born 22 years ago yesterday, on Father's Day. Just imagine her cute, smiling face right there with the rest of them.


My children are very fortunate to have the wonderful, supportive father that they were blessed with. He is a good example to all of us, but especially to his sons. I hope they grow up to be righteous fathers just like their dad.



Today I am thankful for

the father of my children.
cooperative family members.
Pima tacos and banana splits.

Back Off

We had a ward talent show tonight and it was fun to get to go and enjoy some time with the other members of the ward. The hubby and I went as a two-some since all of our family members had other plans. I like to see our nursery children in settings other than nursery and see how they respond to me. I sat on the floor of the gym and played ball with one of them, and another one enjoyed sitting on my lap and melting ice cubes in his hands all over the two of us. They make me feel loved and important. It is kind of sad though that the nursery group that moved up to Sunbeams in January don't seem to want to be bothered by me any more. I started talking to one of the little boys and he held up his hand in front of him, in a stop sign, and firmly stated, "I'm in primary now." In other words, "Back Off. I've moved on and I don't need you to hold my hand or wipe my nose or dry my tears or build block towers for me to knock down or take me potty anymore. I am bigger now." It took me back for a moment and then it just made me laugh. For the rest of the night, when I would see him, I'd say "Oh, you're in Primary now." and then the two of us would both giggle about it.

Backing Off is something that I have a very difficult time with. Just ask my husband and my kids. It is hard for me to see my own children, as they grow up, raising their hands signifying stop every now and then. So many of their words and actions and gestures seem to say "I'm bigger now and I don't need you". It always takes me back for a moment and their unintentional snubs are harder to laugh off than those of the nursery kids. It is kind of funny when you think about it. This is what we work for all of our children's growing up years. To raise responsible, independent, self-assured children who are capable of taking care of themselves. Who don't need their mommy to hold their hand or wipe there nose... When they are moving forward in this endeavor I should applaud and pat myself on the back not feel sad. And yet, there is something about not being needed that is a little unnerving. I do want my children to grow up. I do want them to be independent and self-assured and responsible. I do want them to have their own lives and their own friends and their own families and their own homes and their own dreams, but every once in a while I want them to remember that they still need me, even if it is only to wipe their tears when someone knocks their tower down or to share their joy when they get it to stand up tall and steady.

Message to my children - I love you. I am learning to let go, but sometimes it is hard. Please be patient with me.

Today I am thankful for

a ward family.
good food that I didn't have to prepare.
a husband who still likes to go places with me.

Ward Christmas Party

Our Ward Christmas Party was tonight. My 3 boys and I went, as well as the oldest daughter and her hubby. It was a pretty low key event. We started with a dinner of ham, funeral potatoes, fruit salads, and rolls. One of my beach friends even snuck me one of her delicious potato rolls that were hidden in the kitchen for the really nice people. YUM! After dinner the primary kids all went into a room and made Christmas crafts while the adults enjoyed a musical program. I gathered up my nursery kids and together we decorated paper Christmas trees with stickers. The trees were two pieces of paper with slits in them so they could be put together to become 3 dimensional and stand up. We decided they were easier to decorate in two pieces, but most of the kids were convinced that their job was to cover up the slits with stickers to hold it shut. Then to put them together we had to move all the stickers. The oldest daughter used the "I have to go to the bathroom" excuse to sneak out of the program and come in and help. We had fun and they turned out cute.

Some of the stickers ended up on other places than the trees.

Some of the littler kids got bored or lonely for their parents before they got their trees completely decorated. I had a helper who was more than happy to finish up all the trees with me. She was a sticker sticking machine.

To end the evening Santa made his appearance. I had a great time watching all the little kids sitting on his lap. They really know how to get excited! These pictures just don't show it.

Today I am thankful for

Kids that help me to be excited about Christmas.

Someone else making me a delicious dinner and all I had to contribute was a salad.

Young men who earn their Eagle Scout rank and set a good example for my son.

A good place to be

It was nice to be back in our own ward for church today. I'm glad we go at 9:00 AM and not at 1:30 PM like my mom. Our favorite row (right hand side under the clock) was there waiting for us and it felt like where I belonged. Summer seems to make our ward even smaller than it normally is, but we had 3 priests to bless the sacrament and 6 actual deacons to pass it. It was wonderful. Our young men program is the only average size organization that we have, I think. The senior primary sang for the special musical number and there were only about 6 kids. Kind of sad. It was fun to be back in nursery. I think a few of the kids were happy to have us back and the rest couldn't have cared less. We got 2 new 18 month olds in our class while we were gone and they change the dynamics of our group a little bit. We're not used to having "babies" since most of the other kids are 3 by now. We had to keep a close eye on them because they wanted to eat the crayons and the play dough as well as the snack on everyone's plate but their own. We got a 3rd person called to work in nursery with us today and that is exciting. Sometimes we just need one more pair of hands and eyes. She is someone we have watched grow up and now she is married. She actually use to babysit my kids when they were little. It's fun to get to spend time with her again. Today one of the little girls told one of the few boys there to stop touching her blocks and he got his feelings hurt. He curled up in a ball on the floor and played dead. I tried a few things to get him to come around and after about 15 minutes I finally picked him up and sat him on my lap. The whole time he had his eyes closed so no one would see him and didn't move a muscle. It was time for snack and so I asked him if he wanted snack. No response. I told him I needed to get up to help with snack but I couldn't get up with him on my lap. He stood up (still with his eyes closed) while I got up and then I put him back in the comfy chair to resume his imitation of a sleeping child. After snack, and a few more attempts by the adults to get a response out of him, we had the lesson and my husband moved to the chair to hold him on his lap. When the lesson was done I said, "Let's go color our picture." and he hopped off the hubby's lap and walked to his chair at the table, never opening his eyes, and curled up on the kid size chair and colored with his eyes closed and his nose about an inch from the table. I whispered in his ear did he want his snack and he kind of nodded so I put it between his nose and the table and he ate it with his eyes closed. When the coloring was done, he sat up, walked over to do music and was his old happy self. It was pretty funny. These kids already have such unique personalities even though they are so little. It makes me happy to see how they go about being their own person. It's good to be back in my favorite ward.

I am grateful for

A husband - that cooked me scrambled eggs and zuchhini for lunch.
A ward - where I feel loved, accepted and needed.
Young Men - in white shirts and ties who honor their priesthood and fulfill their responsibilities for my benefit.

The Curse of Party Food

I usually consider myself an OK cook. I definitely don't do fancy, but the stuff I make is usually edible, unless of course you ask my 16 year old son, then it's just disgusting because pretty much all food that doesn't come in a fast food bag is disgusting in his opinion. Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I do know how to cook and am quite capable until someone asks me to cook something for a party. Then strange things begin to happen and something always seems to go wrong or the food just doesn't end up tasting as good as it usually does. I was supposed to make 2 pineapple upside down cakes for a going away party tonight for a family in our ward. Now, I don't usually make pineapple upside down cake, but I know what it is suppose to look like and I had a recipe so I wasn't too worried. The recipe called for 1 cup of brown sugar and my 1 cup measuring cup was dirty and I didn't feel like washing it so I decided to use the 1/3 cup and being the math whiz that I am I filled it up 3 times and poured it into the melted butter, just like the recipe said. It looked like there was too much butter for the amount of sugar and I double checked the recipe and the cube markings to make sure I had used the right amount and I had. It wasn't until the first cake was in the oven and I was making the second one, that I realized the cup I had used said 1/4 instead of 1/3. I should have filled it up 4 times. It was amazing what a difference that fourth fill up made with the second cake. The first cake turned out fine and you couldn't even tell that I had made a mistake, but it is just frustrating to me that stuff like that always seems to happen. It didn't really matter though because there was lots of cake and we came home with almost as much as we took. I guess we know what we are taking for Sunday dinner at the in-laws tomorrow for dessert. My sister in law called to tell us we were having enchiladas. The hubby asked what we should bring and she said "Can you bring tacos." Does that make sense to you?? I thought it was kind of humorous. Tonight I am grateful for Breakfast Burritos - Usually I am not a big breakfast burrito fan, but my hubby bought me a bacon and potato one today from my sister in law's church food sale and it was yummy. A husband - that puts gas in the car for me so I don't have to do it and have a heart attack while watching the price numbers go around and around. Peer Pressure - usually this is not something to be grateful for, but today it got 3 of my kids out of bed and at the temple doing baptisms by 6:00 AM. Thank goodness for positive peer pressure.