Yes. This is my own pity party. I really want to be happy for my friends and, truth be told, if I were in their shoes, I'd probably go, too. But, I'm not in their shoes. We'll be staying here while some of the greatest people we know leave for greener pastures.
I'm really feeling sad about it and felt like such a baby when I was given the news because I was fighting the tears from being obvious in my voice. We've really grown very close to a couple here in our ward and now they will be leaving for BYU for the Winter Semester.
I just want them to know that they are amazing people and they will go far in this world. Great people who we will miss very much but don't begrudge their opportunity...much. =)
Best wishes to them and don't mind me too much as I drop a tear or two out of selfishness.
13 November 2010
07 November 2010
Being Teachable
I am so grateful to be a Nursery Teacher. In the church I attend, we are served through a lay ministry, meaning, no one earns a paycheck for their service in the church. We all have different opportunities to serve and change callings (or "positions") fairly regularly. For the past 15 months I have been the Nursery Leader. Instead of attending classes and being taught, I spend the two classroom hours tending to the children ages 18 months to 3 years. I love it and it might be the easiest position I have held in the church as an adult, but sometimes I miss being taught myself. Our schedule goes from receiving the children to free play time, to a lesson, to music time, to a snack, to coloring, to blowing bubbles, to reading stories to closing activity. It is my duty to teach these children in their youth about the basic principles and concepts of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it is my duty to open the opportunity for these children to feel and start recognizing the Holy Spirit. I honestly can't say that I perform this duty very well. I'm trying and I'm learning. And, I am taught.
Today we had a visiting child whom I will refer to as "Boy". His family lived here several years ago and they were back for a brief visit today.
Boy was my teacher today. I had prepared a lesson about The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I thought I knew how the lesson would go and had anticipated certain responses (or, non-responses as the case may be...). We had our song and prayer and then I began with an open question about favorite bedtime stories. Boy raised his hand and then related what his favorite story is. It brought tears to my eyes to listen to this beautiful son of Our Heavenly Father tell me, in his own words, the story of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection. The Spirit was so powerful in the room. Because Boy has been taught the gospel in his own home, he was able to share and bring the power of the Holy Ghost, that of testifying of truth, into our classroom at church. Because of his sweet and pure testimony, my lesson was much more powerful and I again was reminded that Christ has restored His church in full power of the priesthood to the earth in these latter days. I felt the power and love of our Heavenly Father from Boy's testimony as well as the words I spoke and testified to in our lesson today. I am so grateful to be taught and pray to be more teachable in the future so that I will be taught more from On High as I was today.
I thank Boy and his precious family for being obedient to God's plan and teaching him the gospel so that he could share that gift with all of us today.
Today we had a visiting child whom I will refer to as "Boy". His family lived here several years ago and they were back for a brief visit today.
Boy was my teacher today. I had prepared a lesson about The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I thought I knew how the lesson would go and had anticipated certain responses (or, non-responses as the case may be...). We had our song and prayer and then I began with an open question about favorite bedtime stories. Boy raised his hand and then related what his favorite story is. It brought tears to my eyes to listen to this beautiful son of Our Heavenly Father tell me, in his own words, the story of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection. The Spirit was so powerful in the room. Because Boy has been taught the gospel in his own home, he was able to share and bring the power of the Holy Ghost, that of testifying of truth, into our classroom at church. Because of his sweet and pure testimony, my lesson was much more powerful and I again was reminded that Christ has restored His church in full power of the priesthood to the earth in these latter days. I felt the power and love of our Heavenly Father from Boy's testimony as well as the words I spoke and testified to in our lesson today. I am so grateful to be taught and pray to be more teachable in the future so that I will be taught more from On High as I was today.
I thank Boy and his precious family for being obedient to God's plan and teaching him the gospel so that he could share that gift with all of us today.
03 November 2010
Dr. Emily, I Presume
I know there are tons of kids in the world that proclaim they want to be a doctor when they grow up. I just don't know how many of them are seriously considering it and doing things to get there at the age of four.
If you ask Emily what she wants to be when she grows up, she'll give you a list. She wants to be a mommy, a missionary, a doctor and a teacher. She talks a lot about becoming a doctor someday. It's really rather adorable. I don't know if she would site becoming a doctor if we didn't have the adventures in doctor visits a couple years ago (it was after this she began wanting to be a doctor). Between Eric's motorcycle accident and Gianna's birth, we were visiting doctors ALL THE TIME. She was curious about the bones on display at different doctor's offices. She asks questions about posters hanging on walls. Her request for toys have been skeltons and posters of the body (skeleton, circulatory system, etc which she saw at a school supply store).
I think she is serious, too. Not only does she say it, but she seems to know what it is all about. Tonight, for her bedtime story, she requested that I read from the First Aid booklet she was given this past Saturday at Verizon during a "pay back to the community" event held there. She chose the portion and then discussed it with me. You try explaining to a four-year old about cardiopulmonary resuscitation! She gets excited and her eyes light up and she tells me she wants to help make people live. How cute is that!!
It's funny that kids can see the excitement of different professions but it gets soiled later in life by the financial payout later on. I want my kids to grow up and study the things they have passions for instead of studying the things that will put the most money in their pockets. I want them to be happy with the professions of their choice, not because of prestige or price tag.
In the meantime, Emily has asked not to be called "Emily B." anymore (she has another Emily in her class at school, thus the designation of the "B.") but would prefer to be called "Dr. Emily" instead. Think they'll go for that?
If you ask Emily what she wants to be when she grows up, she'll give you a list. She wants to be a mommy, a missionary, a doctor and a teacher. She talks a lot about becoming a doctor someday. It's really rather adorable. I don't know if she would site becoming a doctor if we didn't have the adventures in doctor visits a couple years ago (it was after this she began wanting to be a doctor). Between Eric's motorcycle accident and Gianna's birth, we were visiting doctors ALL THE TIME. She was curious about the bones on display at different doctor's offices. She asks questions about posters hanging on walls. Her request for toys have been skeltons and posters of the body (skeleton, circulatory system, etc which she saw at a school supply store).
I think she is serious, too. Not only does she say it, but she seems to know what it is all about. Tonight, for her bedtime story, she requested that I read from the First Aid booklet she was given this past Saturday at Verizon during a "pay back to the community" event held there. She chose the portion and then discussed it with me. You try explaining to a four-year old about cardiopulmonary resuscitation! She gets excited and her eyes light up and she tells me she wants to help make people live. How cute is that!!
It's funny that kids can see the excitement of different professions but it gets soiled later in life by the financial payout later on. I want my kids to grow up and study the things they have passions for instead of studying the things that will put the most money in their pockets. I want them to be happy with the professions of their choice, not because of prestige or price tag.
In the meantime, Emily has asked not to be called "Emily B." anymore (she has another Emily in her class at school, thus the designation of the "B.") but would prefer to be called "Dr. Emily" instead. Think they'll go for that?
01 November 2010
What I Would Give
I have this strange expectation that when you pay for a product or service, it should be reliable and deliver what it promises. Is that too much to ask? Apparently.
What service, you ask? Why, internet, my dear! It seems a fairly reasonable request to have reliable internet service in the year 2010.
We recently had business with Cox (strictly for internet service). It's the only thing we need in this "package" driven industry. All I want is when I boot up the internet, for it to sustain a connection without timing out or having trouble finding service. Cox began to fail at that a couple of months ago. We've done business with Cox for nearly five years and suddenly their service product (customer service is a whole different fish) just didn't deliver.
We are now with AT&T (again, strictly for internet service). It's DSL. It should be faster and more reliable than cable, right? WRONG! We still suffer from the internet not working. I can be composing an email or blog and when I want to save or publish, all the sudden I no longer have an internet connection. It's ridiculous!! This shouldn't happen.
Here's the loophole for internet providers: the phrase "up to". See, they don't actually have to ensure your ability to get the number of megabites or whatever that you are paying for by using that lovely catch phrase of two words. I HATE those two words because they hide the fact that the service provider stinks!
Now, some of you techies out there may think it's a problem with the modem. Nope. We've had those checked and AT&T even provided a new one. So, it can't be that problem. And, to top it off, I've heard the same complaints from others.
So, any of you internet service providers, you should truly consider offering a more reliable product. You'll keep business better and longer because we'll overlook poor customer service skills when we don't actually have to contact you to complain and have things fixed.
What service, you ask? Why, internet, my dear! It seems a fairly reasonable request to have reliable internet service in the year 2010.
We recently had business with Cox (strictly for internet service). It's the only thing we need in this "package" driven industry. All I want is when I boot up the internet, for it to sustain a connection without timing out or having trouble finding service. Cox began to fail at that a couple of months ago. We've done business with Cox for nearly five years and suddenly their service product (customer service is a whole different fish) just didn't deliver.
We are now with AT&T (again, strictly for internet service). It's DSL. It should be faster and more reliable than cable, right? WRONG! We still suffer from the internet not working. I can be composing an email or blog and when I want to save or publish, all the sudden I no longer have an internet connection. It's ridiculous!! This shouldn't happen.
Here's the loophole for internet providers: the phrase "up to". See, they don't actually have to ensure your ability to get the number of megabites or whatever that you are paying for by using that lovely catch phrase of two words. I HATE those two words because they hide the fact that the service provider stinks!
Now, some of you techies out there may think it's a problem with the modem. Nope. We've had those checked and AT&T even provided a new one. So, it can't be that problem. And, to top it off, I've heard the same complaints from others.
So, any of you internet service providers, you should truly consider offering a more reliable product. You'll keep business better and longer because we'll overlook poor customer service skills when we don't actually have to contact you to complain and have things fixed.
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