Tonight, in the hustle and bustle of getting kids to bed early...okay, early and early...I got caught up in the duty of doing and forgot about en-JOY-ing them throughout the getting ready.
Even while putting our 8 year old to bed, I seemed more concerned about her going to sleep than I did listening to my other two daughters singing the Christmas carols they are practicing for the school program.
I came upstairs to get myself ready for the night, and what to my wondering ears did I hear, but my dear husband singing carlos with our children.
See how he is. He makes me smile. When I get overstrung about keeping deadlines or schedules or structure ...which seems too often ... he helps set my heart straight. The one thing that REALLY does matter. The heart thing. And hearing him sing carols with our children reset my heart.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Thankful Thursday #4
Tonight, I am downstairs here, cleaning out some old email, editing and posting older blog posts...and I wish they would keep their old dates, but they don't. I hear the children upstairs with their cousins and feel a bit like I may be needed upstairs. So, as I am thinking this, my husband comes down and kisses me on the cheek and says with smile on his face, "You look a bit frazzled, dear." WoW! It must show all the way to the back of my head (my hair is really something else!). Anyway, he has shown a lot of kindness to me throughout our marriage. And tonight, while I am feeling a quite sleep deprived and yes, a bit frazzled, he is very understanding. So, tonight's post, I am thankful for a sweet husband who reminds me that he is my best friend, particularly on days when I am feeling a bit unlovable.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
White lines on a cross walk
I was walking with one of my children today.
An apology walk (as prompted by the Spirit...because I wanted to drive her).
The kind of walk that where we talked along the way before the apology...and then talked again after the apology to say in so many words, "You're doing okay. I love you."
Well, on the way, we crossed a street with 3 painted cross walk lines.
The two main lines were painted very distinctly. But, there was a third partial line, partially painted and partially worn to the outside of the lines. Looked like an "oops" line.
And the following conversation ensued:
Daughter- Mom, I'm different than other people. I feel like that line right there (pointing to the partially painted partially worn line). And it feels like everyone else is the perfect line (pointing to the white disctinct line).
Me- Really? You know, you may feel like that, but really, we are all like that line you think you are most like.
Daughter- Really?
Me- Yup. It may look like everyone else is "perfect" but none of us is. We all make mistakes.
Daughter- And those nice white lines are like Heavenly Father and Jesus?
Me- Yup!
Daughter- Because they ARE perfect.
And after the apologies happened, and we walked through the crosswalk lines again, the conversation continued.
Daughter- I feel terrible.
Me- Why?
Daughter- Because I always make mistakes.
Me- Honey, we all make mistakes. That's why there is a BIG word that can help us.
Daughter- Repentance?
Me- Yup. That's the word. We're like these crosswalk lines. There are times when we we are painted bright because we repent...but then we make mistakes and the lines look faded. That's why we have Jesus Christ and repentance. Then we can be painted bright again.
Daughter- Really?
Me- Really.
And so, I'm thankful for the Spirit who knew she needed to talk about feeling inadequate, and for Jesus who can heal us and help us remember...we are inadequate...and that's why we have Him and His atonement. And that HE loves us and wants us to come to Him. And hopefully, a little bit of this conversation has been tucked in her heart. And she will Remember Him.
An apology walk (as prompted by the Spirit...because I wanted to drive her).
The kind of walk that where we talked along the way before the apology...and then talked again after the apology to say in so many words, "You're doing okay. I love you."
Well, on the way, we crossed a street with 3 painted cross walk lines.
The two main lines were painted very distinctly. But, there was a third partial line, partially painted and partially worn to the outside of the lines. Looked like an "oops" line.
And the following conversation ensued:
Daughter- Mom, I'm different than other people. I feel like that line right there (pointing to the partially painted partially worn line). And it feels like everyone else is the perfect line (pointing to the white disctinct line).
Me- Really? You know, you may feel like that, but really, we are all like that line you think you are most like.
Daughter- Really?
Me- Yup. It may look like everyone else is "perfect" but none of us is. We all make mistakes.
Daughter- And those nice white lines are like Heavenly Father and Jesus?
Me- Yup!
Daughter- Because they ARE perfect.
And after the apologies happened, and we walked through the crosswalk lines again, the conversation continued.
Daughter- I feel terrible.
Me- Why?
Daughter- Because I always make mistakes.
Me- Honey, we all make mistakes. That's why there is a BIG word that can help us.
Daughter- Repentance?
Me- Yup. That's the word. We're like these crosswalk lines. There are times when we we are painted bright because we repent...but then we make mistakes and the lines look faded. That's why we have Jesus Christ and repentance. Then we can be painted bright again.
Daughter- Really?
Me- Really.
And so, I'm thankful for the Spirit who knew she needed to talk about feeling inadequate, and for Jesus who can heal us and help us remember...we are inadequate...and that's why we have Him and His atonement. And that HE loves us and wants us to come to Him. And hopefully, a little bit of this conversation has been tucked in her heart. And she will Remember Him.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Happy Family Home Evening
Yes!
We had a Happy Family Home Evening tonight!!!
YEAH!!!
Let me clarify...it was formal...ish...kind of...but not.
It really led off like some kind of circus affair. Hmmm. Not what I had in mind for FHE. But it was happy all through FHE.
We began with me conducting FHE tonight...and well...I was conducting a formal meeting of one (me).
So, noticing that everyone else was really in a FUN mood, I tried changing my tone from formal to ... semi formalish but trying to be fun... (okay, truth be told...I hate admitting it...but too often I act like Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh. Ish)!.
As the opening song started, "Love at Home", oh my, I wondered about FHE for this night.
The redition was...Something Unlike I've ever heard...truly!
I believe from the sound of the family,
we all sang the hymn...
in our own key...
with parts...
on purpose.
Really.
I exagerate not!
It was really something else to hear. I wonder if I will get to hear a replay of this one day.
I think by at his point I figured out that what I really needed to do was smile and breathe and listen and watch...because everyone was Happy! And FHE is about happy.
When the laughter died down, we did have as quiet and reverent of a prayer as we could.
The playful mood continued and so we had some kind of move and stretch and laugh some more before we moved to scripture and motto.
Our lesson started with a brief 2 minutes of Q&A of "What makes you Happy?"
Answers that were common were: no school, playing with family, laughing, being kind, love at home.
Then, we divided into teams. Each team picked a scripture from the Topical Guide under HAPPY, and then prepared a song with actions to sing for the family.
Team dad and daughters 2&3 read from Psalms 127:3-5. They sang a medley of "Daddy's Homecoming" and "Happy Family" and ended with a Cheer. It was AWESOME!
Team 11 year, Mom and 2 year old read a scripture from John 13:15, 17. We sang "Jesus Said Love Everyone" with actions from all three of us. It was SWEET!
By this time, we were all together in a Happy Family mood.
We rallied together and played a round of 3 five minute games that included everyone:
Build up blocks and let the youngest knock 'em down... Lots of laughter
Chase after the youngest for the missing block...More laughter
and finally....
Hide and seek!
There were no tears. It was a great night of games!
When the games ended, we joined together for a final closing of FHE and reviewed that things that make us Happy.
We agreed that how we treat each other affects us being Happy. Being kind to each other makes a happy home.
So, for our activity this week:
Each of us drew a secret "Happy Person" out of a hat.
For the rest of this week, we are to do something for our "Happy Person" to feel happy.
I'd say, tonight's FHE's was HAPPY!
To boot, we had fudgy yummy no bake cookies for a treat.....mmmm!
We had a Happy Family Home Evening tonight!!!
YEAH!!!
Let me clarify...it was formal...ish...kind of...but not.
It really led off like some kind of circus affair. Hmmm. Not what I had in mind for FHE. But it was happy all through FHE.
We began with me conducting FHE tonight...and well...I was conducting a formal meeting of one (me).
So, noticing that everyone else was really in a FUN mood, I tried changing my tone from formal to ... semi formalish but trying to be fun... (okay, truth be told...I hate admitting it...but too often I act like Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh. Ish)!.
As the opening song started, "Love at Home", oh my, I wondered about FHE for this night.
The redition was...Something Unlike I've ever heard...truly!
I believe from the sound of the family,
we all sang the hymn...
in our own key...
with parts...
on purpose.
Really.
I exagerate not!
It was really something else to hear. I wonder if I will get to hear a replay of this one day.
I think by at his point I figured out that what I really needed to do was smile and breathe and listen and watch...because everyone was Happy! And FHE is about happy.
When the laughter died down, we did have as quiet and reverent of a prayer as we could.
The playful mood continued and so we had some kind of move and stretch and laugh some more before we moved to scripture and motto.
Our lesson started with a brief 2 minutes of Q&A of "What makes you Happy?"
Answers that were common were: no school, playing with family, laughing, being kind, love at home.
Then, we divided into teams. Each team picked a scripture from the Topical Guide under HAPPY, and then prepared a song with actions to sing for the family.
Team dad and daughters 2&3 read from Psalms 127:3-5. They sang a medley of "Daddy's Homecoming" and "Happy Family" and ended with a Cheer. It was AWESOME!
Team 11 year, Mom and 2 year old read a scripture from John 13:15, 17. We sang "Jesus Said Love Everyone" with actions from all three of us. It was SWEET!
By this time, we were all together in a Happy Family mood.
We rallied together and played a round of 3 five minute games that included everyone:
Build up blocks and let the youngest knock 'em down... Lots of laughter
Chase after the youngest for the missing block...More laughter
and finally....
Hide and seek!
There were no tears. It was a great night of games!
When the games ended, we joined together for a final closing of FHE and reviewed that things that make us Happy.
We agreed that how we treat each other affects us being Happy. Being kind to each other makes a happy home.
So, for our activity this week:
Each of us drew a secret "Happy Person" out of a hat.
For the rest of this week, we are to do something for our "Happy Person" to feel happy.
I'd say, tonight's FHE's was HAPPY!
To boot, we had fudgy yummy no bake cookies for a treat.....mmmm!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Alive in Christ
Yesterday I was feeling very blue.
At some point, I curled up in bed to take a nap hoping to sleep off some
of the sleepy sadness I was feeling.
It felt familiar...depression of not too long ago.
As I lay in bed, I reached up for the scriptures and read where I had left
off the night before.
Mosiah Chapter 3
A beautiful chapter on Jesus Christ's atonement.
When I came to verse 19...which reads:
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
...my spirit felt the need to reach for the Atonement to heal and lift and
pull me from the place I was in.
I had been relying on my dear husband to help pull me out of the blue and
depressed state in which I felt stuck.
And when I read this verse, I knew to Whom I needed to turn.
Only in Christ can my burdens truly be lifted.
So, in that quiet moment,
I poured out my heart...
and waited...
and listened....
I felt His peaceful reassurance,
and comfort
that coming to Him is the only sure Way to find peace.
Sometime later, after sleeping for just a short while,
I woke,
my spirit lifted,
filled with hope and reassurance of God's and Christ's love for me.
At some point, I curled up in bed to take a nap hoping to sleep off some
of the sleepy sadness I was feeling.
It felt familiar...depression of not too long ago.
As I lay in bed, I reached up for the scriptures and read where I had left
off the night before.
Mosiah Chapter 3
A beautiful chapter on Jesus Christ's atonement.
When I came to verse 19...which reads:
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
...my spirit felt the need to reach for the Atonement to heal and lift and
pull me from the place I was in.
I had been relying on my dear husband to help pull me out of the blue and
depressed state in which I felt stuck.
And when I read this verse, I knew to Whom I needed to turn.
Only in Christ can my burdens truly be lifted.
So, in that quiet moment,
I poured out my heart...
and waited...
and listened....
I felt His peaceful reassurance,
and comfort
that coming to Him is the only sure Way to find peace.
Sometime later, after sleeping for just a short while,
I woke,
my spirit lifted,
filled with hope and reassurance of God's and Christ's love for me.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Friends
I connected with dear friend yesterday. Ah. Isn't Heavenly Father so kind.
Many dear and lasting friendships have come through serving in the Church. Somehow, I feel like my heart meshes with the people I serve...our hearts becoming one.
And so when the callings ends, my heart is still close to those I've served and served with...and reconnecting just happens so naturally as if time has not lapsed.
Isn't Heavenly Father so kind to let us serve in His church? Mmmm. Gives me new perspective on one heart and one mind.
Many dear and lasting friendships have come through serving in the Church. Somehow, I feel like my heart meshes with the people I serve...our hearts becoming one.
And so when the callings ends, my heart is still close to those I've served and served with...and reconnecting just happens so naturally as if time has not lapsed.
Isn't Heavenly Father so kind to let us serve in His church? Mmmm. Gives me new perspective on one heart and one mind.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Final thoughts before I shut off the computer and climb back into bed
So much has happened over the past days, they mesh together and I realize that the Lord has done so much to provide a way for us. Some tender mercies of the Lord:
Healing.
My husband's back that was soooo out after sleeping on the hospital bed is doing very well.
Lessons about Heavenly Father's love for me
His son
my daughter
and understanding experiences and pain.
Warm meals.
Kind words and phone calls.
Prayers and fasts.
Family together.
Priesthood blessings for sick baby and a troubled hearted mom.
Comfort from the Holy Ghost.
Friends.
Book of Mormon.
Whispers of "I love you" from my children.
Rest.
"MEE Speaks"
Healing.
My husband's back that was soooo out after sleeping on the hospital bed is doing very well.
Lessons about Heavenly Father's love for me
His son
my daughter
and understanding experiences and pain.
Warm meals.
Kind words and phone calls.
Prayers and fasts.
Family together.
Priesthood blessings for sick baby and a troubled hearted mom.
Comfort from the Holy Ghost.
Friends.
Book of Mormon.
Whispers of "I love you" from my children.
Rest.
"MEE Speaks"
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