There has been a push to take back the Sabbath, to remember who's day it really is. It used to be called the Holy Sabbath Day, then it became the Sabbath, then Sunday, and now it is known only as the weekend.
Our Young Men and Young Women lesson today was how we might keep the Sabbath more holy. Brother Douglas gave the lesson and he didn't make a list of do's and don'ts because that simply is too much like the Israelites living the Mosaic Law. Seriously, who really cares how many steps you take on the Sabbath is you're out and about doing good?
We did discuss relationships, especially our relationship with God.
When we enter into a relationship with another person, there is usually a great deal of time and energy that is put forth to make that relationship successful. Sometimes we get jilted, stood up, and it becomes more of a one-sided relationship. Nobody likes being in a relationship where you give and get nothing in return.
In a marriage relationship, both spouses have to put forth 100% to make it work. You make sure date nights happen frequently. You let your spouse know you love them and care about them continually. You put thought into making your relationship thrive.
Well . . .
How is your relationship with God?
Are you "dating" him weekly?
Would you ever consider standing up a date? (I did that once, but that's another story.)
If you consider the Sabbath as your weekly date with God, would you ever consider standing him up?
Keeping the Sabbath Day holy and consecrated is way more than a set of rules and what can be, should be, shouldn't be done on that day. It is about how you really feel about our Heavenly Father. When you love him and honor him, you sincerely want to put forth your best effort to get to know him better and strengthen your relationship with him.
Simply think of the Sabbath as your weekly, standing date night with God. Just as you probably wouldn't stand up a date, don't ever consider doing the same with our Maker.
Good things
clean, cool sheets
cold, drinking water
beautiful sunrise walks
30 August 2015
28 August 2015
Summer update
School's in session which means technically summer has come to an end. I have to admit that this past week has been rather quiet and a little subdued. I did get in my last kid date with Alex on Wednesday. This summer I took each kid individually school shopping and to lunch. I love lunch dates with my kids and the one-on-one it gives me to chat and bond.
Let's see. There were swimming lessons
and a couple of concerts. ABBA was so much fun and Peter Breinholt is always a good show.
There was a new nephew to be snuggled,
and preschool graduation for Alex and his friend Kristin. This year we tried the Utah state sponsored online preschool called Upstart. I was very impressed at how quickly and how well Alex was reading after just a couple of months.
We took a day trip to Great Basin National Park to tour Lehman Caves and hiked to some very, very ancient Bristlecone Pines, and . . .
what's road trip without a shoe tree. Boy did that bring back memories of our trips to Oregon and the shoe tree we would pass on our way to Grandma's house.
There was hiking. I've always thought my kids enjoyed hiking. Guess I was wrong or so they tell me. But we still take them anyway. Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood canyon is one of our favorites and this year we decided to hike to Lake Mary and Twin Lakes and loop back around to Silver Lake. On our way up, four moose were meandering down the path. I don't think I've ever been that close, especially to four. We were just hoping they would mind their own business.
Summer relaxing is a must. Kiersten deserved it with all her running and school work she was required to do.
I took my graduated Laurels (5 of the 7) out to dinner to celebrate one last time together before they all took off for their various parts of the world -- a couple of BYU-Idaho, one to USU, another to Snow, one on a mission to Switzerland, and another to SUU (although she has now decided to stay home).
Our fun sixth-grade-teacher neighbor held weekly science classes for the kids. One day they did solar ovens which we tried again at home.
On our way home from touring USU campus, we stopped in Ogden for dinner and found this cute baby grand on the sidewalk just begging to be played. So my pianists obliged.
And that is just a small sliver of some of our summer. I love when summers begin. I love summers. And I love when summers come to and end. I guess I love change. It sparks something in me to do things differently.
Good things
chocolate chips
bus transportation
air conditioning
Let's see. There were swimming lessons
and a couple of concerts. ABBA was so much fun and Peter Breinholt is always a good show.
There was a new nephew to be snuggled,
and preschool graduation for Alex and his friend Kristin. This year we tried the Utah state sponsored online preschool called Upstart. I was very impressed at how quickly and how well Alex was reading after just a couple of months.
We took a day trip to Great Basin National Park to tour Lehman Caves and hiked to some very, very ancient Bristlecone Pines, and . . .
what's road trip without a shoe tree. Boy did that bring back memories of our trips to Oregon and the shoe tree we would pass on our way to Grandma's house.
There was hiking. I've always thought my kids enjoyed hiking. Guess I was wrong or so they tell me. But we still take them anyway. Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood canyon is one of our favorites and this year we decided to hike to Lake Mary and Twin Lakes and loop back around to Silver Lake. On our way up, four moose were meandering down the path. I don't think I've ever been that close, especially to four. We were just hoping they would mind their own business.
Summer relaxing is a must. Kiersten deserved it with all her running and school work she was required to do.
I took my graduated Laurels (5 of the 7) out to dinner to celebrate one last time together before they all took off for their various parts of the world -- a couple of BYU-Idaho, one to USU, another to Snow, one on a mission to Switzerland, and another to SUU (although she has now decided to stay home).
Our fun sixth-grade-teacher neighbor held weekly science classes for the kids. One day they did solar ovens which we tried again at home.
On our way home from touring USU campus, we stopped in Ogden for dinner and found this cute baby grand on the sidewalk just begging to be played. So my pianists obliged.
And that is just a small sliver of some of our summer. I love when summers begin. I love summers. And I love when summers come to and end. I guess I love change. It sparks something in me to do things differently.
Good things
chocolate chips
bus transportation
air conditioning
23 August 2015
Blogged down
Ugh! Brain cramp. Writer's block. Whatever it is, I have it.
I've been trying to gather my thoughts together about girls camp which was so long ago, but I can't seem to make my thoughts work out as words on paper. One day that post will come.
Kids will be back to school on Tuesday and I'm hoping to get those juices flowing again with a schedule and routine to my day.
So for today here are a few thoughts I've jotted in a notebook I take with me to church, to firesides, to conferences.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*When God wants to give you a gift, he gives you a problem. The bigger the problem, the bigger the gift.
*We are given this life because we are strong enough to live it.
*There are no spiritual plateaus.
*The Sabbath is not restrictive but protective.
*Seeing is not a shortcut to faith.
*Feelings change thoughts into BELIEFS. Doing changes beliefs into KNOWLEDGE.
*Don't become jaded with the spiritual things in life.
*Satan may know my weaknesses but he does not know my strengths.
*God knows what is best for you. But he wants you to choose what is best for you.
*The temple is a place of intersection between earth and heaven.
*Ordinances are performed when we want to make the covenant valid.
*A testimony is what we know. Conversion is living what we know.
*Promptings come at inconvenient times.
*The commandments reveal to us who God is. They are not rules to keep.
*The next life is not a church. It's not a kingdom. It's a family.
* You have to protect your faith from those who want to change it.
*When we are baptized we have now left neutral ground and have enlisted to serve God.
Good things
faith
Sunday naps
emails from missionary parents
I've been trying to gather my thoughts together about girls camp which was so long ago, but I can't seem to make my thoughts work out as words on paper. One day that post will come.
Kids will be back to school on Tuesday and I'm hoping to get those juices flowing again with a schedule and routine to my day.
So for today here are a few thoughts I've jotted in a notebook I take with me to church, to firesides, to conferences.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*When God wants to give you a gift, he gives you a problem. The bigger the problem, the bigger the gift.
*We are given this life because we are strong enough to live it.
*There are no spiritual plateaus.
*The Sabbath is not restrictive but protective.
*Seeing is not a shortcut to faith.
*Feelings change thoughts into BELIEFS. Doing changes beliefs into KNOWLEDGE.
*Don't become jaded with the spiritual things in life.
*Satan may know my weaknesses but he does not know my strengths.
*God knows what is best for you. But he wants you to choose what is best for you.
*The temple is a place of intersection between earth and heaven.
*Ordinances are performed when we want to make the covenant valid.
*A testimony is what we know. Conversion is living what we know.
*Promptings come at inconvenient times.
*The commandments reveal to us who God is. They are not rules to keep.
*The next life is not a church. It's not a kingdom. It's a family.
* You have to protect your faith from those who want to change it.
*When we are baptized we have now left neutral ground and have enlisted to serve God.
Good things
faith
Sunday naps
emails from missionary parents
13 August 2015
True Aggie
A tradition for anyone attending Utah State is whether or not you become a True Aggie.
True Aggie?
And just what is an Aggie?
Well, an Aggie is . . . an Aggie. I guess it's short for Agriculture. Ya . . . Agriculture.
First picture taken of me as an official Aggie, not a True Aggie though. This was the first week before school officially started sometime in August of 1994.
Picture of my awesome roommates. I'm not sure if any were True Aggies or not. And I think the bench was moved at some point to its current location while I was attending. In the back is Angela, Crista, Me, Angel. Front is Heidi and Kristy.
Picture of me and Kristy Breinholt, my roomie who I roomed with for a couple of years. She was a runner and I find it ironic that I never caught her bug until many years later.
Anywhooo, I did not become a True Aggie while at college. So a couple of weeks ago when we made the trip to Logan to show off the campus to Kiersten who is thinking about attending
Tyler and I decided to make it official.
Except, the plaque below said:
Full moon. Nope. Midnight. Nope. Homecoming night. Nope.
I'm afraid True Aggiehood has alluded me once again.
* * * * * * * * * * *
During this same outing, we wanted to show the kids our first apartment. We were in the bottom, back basement. Somehow they fit four apartments in that little house.
Except it isn't there anymore. How my heart hurt when I saw the empty lot. The houses on both sides are still there but our first little home is gone.
True Aggie?
And just what is an Aggie?
Well, an Aggie is . . . an Aggie. I guess it's short for Agriculture. Ya . . . Agriculture.
First picture taken of me as an official Aggie, not a True Aggie though. This was the first week before school officially started sometime in August of 1994.
Picture of my awesome roommates. I'm not sure if any were True Aggies or not. And I think the bench was moved at some point to its current location while I was attending. In the back is Angela, Crista, Me, Angel. Front is Heidi and Kristy.
Picture of me and Kristy Breinholt, my roomie who I roomed with for a couple of years. She was a runner and I find it ironic that I never caught her bug until many years later.
Anywhooo, I did not become a True Aggie while at college. So a couple of weeks ago when we made the trip to Logan to show off the campus to Kiersten who is thinking about attending
Tyler and I decided to make it official.
Except, the plaque below said:
Full moon. Nope. Midnight. Nope. Homecoming night. Nope.
I'm afraid True Aggiehood has alluded me once again.
* * * * * * * * * * *
During this same outing, we wanted to show the kids our first apartment. We were in the bottom, back basement. Somehow they fit four apartments in that little house.
Except it isn't there anymore. How my heart hurt when I saw the empty lot. The houses on both sides are still there but our first little home is gone.
11 August 2015
Three teenagers
Nate had a birthday several weeks ago which brought our teenagers to a total of three.
I know parents who dread the teenage years, but I'm absolutely loving it. I believe it's all a matter of attitude. If you head into those years knowing that they can be some of the best, I think they can. Every kid needs someone who is crazy about them.
And you know, if you want to really connect with those kids, you have to think like a teen.
*I do fist bumps and lip sync concerts.
*I do crazy dance moves and try to keep up with the music they like.
*I ask lots of questions about what they're up to. I'm sure it might drive them crazy, but I really think they enjoy the fact that mom is interested in them.
*I try to work along side them and be interested in their friends when they are at our house (those friends must like our house because it seems there is a never-ending stream coming and going).
*I try to treat them like adults and will ask for their advice.
*And for heavens sake, I feed them. Teenagers, especially teenage boys, love food. We do one-on-one lunch dates. Even the Savior fed the masses physically before feeding them spiritually.
It's a time of growing and developing and figuring things out and I try to be their biggest cheerleader in all their endeavors and do my best to be at the crossroads. Life seems to be lived on the road a lot, but carpooling gives me a chance to talk with them uninterrupted and more importantly to just listen.
It's a time for them to start making their own choices about who they are and who they want to be. It's absolutely crucial and essential that they be given freedom to do so. They've been taught a great deal up to this point and now is the time to put into practice those teachings under the tutelage of wise, encouraging, guiding parents before heading out on their own. They're going to be unwise in how they use their time, their money, my time, my money. They are going to make some stupid decisions which will make me want to cringe, but if they are not given the chance to do so now at this young age, the consequences of their choices later in life might be more detrimental.
Tyler and I were at the nursery the other day picking up a few more trees (I think we seriously have an addiction, but I do think we are at the tail end of buying and planting trees.). Last fall we planted four Crimson Spire Oak trees. In the spring one of them didn't quite leaf out like the other three and hasn't looked as good. While we were at the nursery, we found another Crimson Spire Oak and Tyler was very tempted to buy it and replace it, although our tree at home is still alive.
I talked him out of it with "Just because some of our children don't act or look like the others, are you just going to give them the boot and trade them in?"
I've always wanted my kids to be musical and at least learn to play the piano. Erik and I struggled in this arena for a long time and I finally decided he is his own person and I valued my relationship with him more than the piano. There is no molding him into who I want him to be. He is who he decides he wants to be . . . and sadly for me that is non-musical.
My kids have come to our family with all their different personalities, quirks, strengths, weaknesses which means our parenting approach doesn't necessarily work the same with each child. And this makes it very difficult to have a broad parenting style for the entire group. An umbrella of rules simply does not work for all five. Each one is unique, and at differing ages will require varying rules and guidelines.
And rules . . . well Tyler and I have concluded that less is better. "Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves" seems to work the best.
I know parents who dread the teenage years, but I'm absolutely loving it. I believe it's all a matter of attitude. If you head into those years knowing that they can be some of the best, I think they can. Every kid needs someone who is crazy about them.
And you know, if you want to really connect with those kids, you have to think like a teen.
*I do fist bumps and lip sync concerts.
*I do crazy dance moves and try to keep up with the music they like.
*I ask lots of questions about what they're up to. I'm sure it might drive them crazy, but I really think they enjoy the fact that mom is interested in them.
*I try to work along side them and be interested in their friends when they are at our house (those friends must like our house because it seems there is a never-ending stream coming and going).
*I try to treat them like adults and will ask for their advice.
*And for heavens sake, I feed them. Teenagers, especially teenage boys, love food. We do one-on-one lunch dates. Even the Savior fed the masses physically before feeding them spiritually.
It's a time of growing and developing and figuring things out and I try to be their biggest cheerleader in all their endeavors and do my best to be at the crossroads. Life seems to be lived on the road a lot, but carpooling gives me a chance to talk with them uninterrupted and more importantly to just listen.
It's a time for them to start making their own choices about who they are and who they want to be. It's absolutely crucial and essential that they be given freedom to do so. They've been taught a great deal up to this point and now is the time to put into practice those teachings under the tutelage of wise, encouraging, guiding parents before heading out on their own. They're going to be unwise in how they use their time, their money, my time, my money. They are going to make some stupid decisions which will make me want to cringe, but if they are not given the chance to do so now at this young age, the consequences of their choices later in life might be more detrimental.
Tyler and I were at the nursery the other day picking up a few more trees (I think we seriously have an addiction, but I do think we are at the tail end of buying and planting trees.). Last fall we planted four Crimson Spire Oak trees. In the spring one of them didn't quite leaf out like the other three and hasn't looked as good. While we were at the nursery, we found another Crimson Spire Oak and Tyler was very tempted to buy it and replace it, although our tree at home is still alive.
I talked him out of it with "Just because some of our children don't act or look like the others, are you just going to give them the boot and trade them in?"
I've always wanted my kids to be musical and at least learn to play the piano. Erik and I struggled in this arena for a long time and I finally decided he is his own person and I valued my relationship with him more than the piano. There is no molding him into who I want him to be. He is who he decides he wants to be . . . and sadly for me that is non-musical.
My kids have come to our family with all their different personalities, quirks, strengths, weaknesses which means our parenting approach doesn't necessarily work the same with each child. And this makes it very difficult to have a broad parenting style for the entire group. An umbrella of rules simply does not work for all five. Each one is unique, and at differing ages will require varying rules and guidelines.
And rules . . . well Tyler and I have concluded that less is better. "Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves" seems to work the best.
07 August 2015
Mini vacation
Tyler and Jason took all the kids backpacking.
Originally I was to be part of the mix and part of me really wanted to go. I love backpacking and hiking. But the part of me who was relishing the idea of being home BY MYSELF for two days won out and I after the crazy, busy summer I needed time to regroup, organize, and pull things together before school starts back up.
The original plan was altered when I was headed outside to the garbage. I heard a noise over by the van in the garage and then opened the outside door to see a man standing there. I might have screamed a little before I realized it was Erik, home a day early due to a wicked storm that was on the horizon. He should not frighten his mama like that.
So my two days turned into a day and half but I'll take it. Closets cleaned out, papers thrown away, house mostly clean, a little yard work, a leisure run. The feeling of being able to go and do on my time schedule was heavenly. And the quiet was exhilarating. I soaked it all in knowing it would come to an end. I love my family and love having them home, especially as I cringe at the crazy weather wreaking havoc on my yard and am thankful they are not out in it. I would have worried all night.
As I was sorting and organizing, I came across an old tape of an interview I had with my great-grandma "Ma." She is a hoot and the tape is priceless. Many times I've thought about throwing out the old stereo system we have downstairs because who listens to tapes anymore. Oh, I'm so grateful today I did not.
The little gem I discovered after my interview was an audio recording of Kiersten and Erik when they were probably around two and one. Doubly priceless. It was an afternoon of listening and being taken back in time.
I'm sure I never thought one day they would be teenagers.
Good things
rain
pepsi with a splash of coconut
cafe rio salad dressing
Originally I was to be part of the mix and part of me really wanted to go. I love backpacking and hiking. But the part of me who was relishing the idea of being home BY MYSELF for two days won out and I after the crazy, busy summer I needed time to regroup, organize, and pull things together before school starts back up.
The original plan was altered when I was headed outside to the garbage. I heard a noise over by the van in the garage and then opened the outside door to see a man standing there. I might have screamed a little before I realized it was Erik, home a day early due to a wicked storm that was on the horizon. He should not frighten his mama like that.
So my two days turned into a day and half but I'll take it. Closets cleaned out, papers thrown away, house mostly clean, a little yard work, a leisure run. The feeling of being able to go and do on my time schedule was heavenly. And the quiet was exhilarating. I soaked it all in knowing it would come to an end. I love my family and love having them home, especially as I cringe at the crazy weather wreaking havoc on my yard and am thankful they are not out in it. I would have worried all night.
As I was sorting and organizing, I came across an old tape of an interview I had with my great-grandma "Ma." She is a hoot and the tape is priceless. Many times I've thought about throwing out the old stereo system we have downstairs because who listens to tapes anymore. Oh, I'm so grateful today I did not.
The little gem I discovered after my interview was an audio recording of Kiersten and Erik when they were probably around two and one. Doubly priceless. It was an afternoon of listening and being taken back in time.
I'm sure I never thought one day they would be teenagers.
Good things
rain
pepsi with a splash of coconut
cafe rio salad dressing
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