Forgiveness

Dear daughters, there is something I wish to share with you.  Something you may not understand now but will appreciate in the future.  I know that at some point you will have a disagreement with someone and it will lead to hurt feelings either for you or the other individual.  I want you to know something; something that will enable you to handle it with grace and humility.  It doesn't matter what really happened.  No one person is absolutely correct, so don't waste time saying or thinking you can explain it or that the other person didn't understand.  Do spend the time apologizing for injuring the other person's feelings.  You can always do better and recognizing that you hurt someone, even unintentionally, and that you can be sorry for that will help you, and hopefully the other party, move on.  Don't worry about being right, be more concerned about doing right.  Let Christ be your example.  He had friend deny him.  He had people who should have known better spit on him and attempt to humiliate him.  He didn't waver.  He stood tall and accepted their choice to do those things and then this...he did not seek revenge or plot or analyze.  He asked the Father to forgive them, each and every one of them, because they didn't understand what they were doing.  I think the same is true of our interactions.  We never fully comprehend the other side, so forgive, ask for forgiveness yourself, and move on.

Busy Bees

I have so much to share and so much for which I am grateful. It has been a whirlwind of a year thus far. Can someone please tell me what happened to the first 5 months of this year? How did we already get to May? Time flies when you are having fun and we ARE having fun. We love our little bit of heaven in North Carolina. We have a great church family and the community is awesome. Our girls are thriving and have tons of friends from many venues. I've been serving the young women in our ward. It keeps me busy, but in a wonderful and fulfilling way. It is truly awesome to work with these daughters of God. They are wonderful examples to me and my children. I love that they have so willingly and openly accepted us. I also get to work with some amazing women who are becoming very dear friends of mine. I think this is one aspect of serving that truly builds unique bonds. I learn so much from theses sisters as well. It is incredible to think of the growth I can actually recognize in myself over the past few months. There are other exciting things happening and I can't wait to share pictures from my brother's wedding! I'm super excited to have this new sister-in-law. I've known her for several years but have recently actually started a relationship with her. SHE is an amazing woman and incredibly talented in MANY ways. Just wanted to let anyone out there who still might be following to know that we are alive and well and loving life! Hope you are, too!

Gratitude for Inspiration

I've been a grumpy pants lately. I don't know why I'm in a funk; I just am. Knowing that, you can imagine that I was feeling like Eeyore when I heard the washing machine error signal going off. "No Drain" it claimed. This happened a week ago and I flooded the back porch where the washer is located getting the dog hair pulled out because I was washing their blankets. Not knowing what it could be, I had the epiphany to get an old metal pizza pan and slide it under the drain area to catch the water and pull it out from under the machine. Perfect! But, there was no hair and no obvious reason for the machine not to be draining. I got down low and peered into the drain and could see a shiny thing that resembled a quarter. GREAT! I thought. I didn't empty pockets before doing laundry...again! (Usually I'm washing some sort of un-washable thing when this happens...like a memory card or jump drive...also not good days.) I tried reaching the quarter but was unable, plus, if I needed to bend my knuckles to pull it out, that wasn't going to happen in those tight confines. I know what you are thinking, because that was my next thought, too. A pair of pliers! Yeah, I immediately knew that was not the correct choice and had this peaceful thought come into my mind. "Go get your crochet hook." Simple. Sweet. And I knew it was going to work without a doubt. I went to get one and came back out, hooked the quarter and pulled. POP! First try. I am grateful for inspiration. I am grateful to know that those thoughts are not my thoughts. There IS a higher power watching over me and guiding me. I am grateful to know that power is God and that he hears me and answers my prayers...even quick, frustrated, grumpy pants ones. Listen to this and this.

Time for a Laugh at My Expense

You know how moms seem to be really good at multi-tasking and can basically be classified as superheroes? Well, not this mom. In fact, this mom learned something very profound tonight. Grilled cheese does not make for a good open-faced sandwich. I carefully placed two slices of bread on the sandwich maker grill facings. I then applied the sliced cheese with added chunks in what would then become the center of those halves. Next, I closed the lid on the machine and walked away to set the table. When I returned, I noticed two slices of bread sitting patiently next to the sandwich maker. Horrified, I opened the machine and saw the rest of the sandwiches glued nicely to the top grill plates. Yep. Lesson learned: grilled cheese sandwiches do not make good open faced sandwiches.

Heroes, a Dying Quality

Can you think back to the heroes of your childhood? Who were they? Why were they heroes? Did they accomplish something amazing? Did they have high moral codes? As I ponder this, I am sad to say that I don't see many people in this world who are classified as heroes in my book. Gone are the days of good deeds and helping your neighbor. Instead, we have a world rife with pain and sorrow and few real, living heroes to look to. I'm grateful to know there is a prophet of God living on the earth and guiding us. Thomas S. Monson is a true hero in my eyes. He follows the path of the Savior. He stays true to his morals and does good in this world. His life has been a pattern of doing good. I know there are other good people out there doing good, but this man and the others who serve and follow Christ with him are some of my heroes. Let's all try to be the heroes this world, and especially our children, need. Do a little more to help others. Do a little more to show love, not just to say it. Let's lift our country and our world by doing a good deed daily. My thoughts and prayers are also with those suffering from the terrible shooting yesterday in Newtown, Connecticut. May we all do more to lift those who suffer and mourn.

If you know me, and you must since you can read my blog, you know that I'm a Mormon. Perhaps we haven't had the opportunity to really talk about my beliefs. In that case, you can either ask me questions or you can visit my I'm a Mormon profile. I believe in Christ. I know Christ. I've felt His guidance throughout my life. I know we can all have peace and clarity in this crazy life if we but learn to trust in Him. I love you all and hope you may come closer to God in your own lives as well.

Hope

Sure, that was the candidacy term for his first election and now he has fashioned himself under the term "forward".  Frankly, I don't see too much we can keep going backwards on.
All politics and disappointments aside, I really want Washington DC to get it together.  Start functioning as a government.  Get the job done and stop restricting cooperation based on biases to parties.  We are NOT a people of party platforms.  We are people.  We are THE people of The United States of America.  We need the government to remember that.  We have put our trust in them and expect things to be done, in a cooperative environment where every one is expected to compromise for the better of the whole.  Surely those in government offices are all earning a nice paycheck for their "service"...please make the time worth it.
I don't care if you are Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or whatever.  We shouldn't care if people are white, black, yellow, olive or purple, so we shouldn't be so overly concerned with a political party, either.  We all bleed the same.  We are all human and are divine children of God.  Act like it.
I continue to hope for a brighter future; one where we actually accomplish things and take ownership for our mistakes.  It's by making mistakes that we become better people.  Accepting those failures doesn't make you weak unless you just don't do anything to change it.
So, Congress and Mr. President, do something significant this term:  ACT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE REPUBLIC, not yourselves.
Thank you.