Home

(An article I wrote from The Gunlock Informer, September 2011)
  Home is a place we saw little of during the summer months. My children provoked this article since they have really missed their home. The children were used to long days at our home playing in the yard, going to the splash parks and checking out books at the library in past years for summer activities.
   Disappointment struck briefly as those past events were not to take place during this last summer. That disappointment faded quickly as the pursuit of the new and unknown came.   The excitement of preparing and thinking of all the fun things to be done while on vacation, going to family reunions or just supporting their dad working on the farm, was special.
   With each trip a new adventure unfolded, it created a summer that leaped by while time was flying just as fast. Packing and unpacking, doing laundry just to put it back into the bags. Doing dishes by hand, sitting in tractors, counting ladybugs and grasshoppers, applying layers of sunscreen. Collecting a hay cube to show off to mom so she could see the success of the day.
   The return home was welcomed more and more with each trip. The door to the house would unlock and the children would disappear to be with the things they love most in their own home. Sighs were more and more heartfelt each time their heads lay on their very own pillow, in their very own room, surrounded by their very own belongings.
   Although it is fun to be constantly doing things and going from one event to another, there is something to be said about being home. I believe my children have learned for themselves how special a home can be.

Paradox

"Man is nothing but to God we are everything" -President Uchtdorf

Again, Small Desires

I have wanted a surger for years and we planned to get one and it fell through a few times and I just figured it would be a while before it actually happened. A woman moved into the ward who had a surger that was given to her in the past that was barely used and didn't want to take the time to figure out how to use it, so she gave it to me.
My smallest desires are heard. The things in this world that I want are things my Heavenly Father is mindful of.

Small Desires

Two years in a row I have shown up at the school on picture day to help a teacher and end up helping the photographers. This means I get a free portrait package for one of my kids. Every year the price of the package goes up and I decide to take pictures in my own yard. This year I wanted my youngest to have school pictures since I've done it for the older two at least once. (My son got the free package last year.) So I just show up to help her class and they need a parent helper. I think even my smallest desires are heard.

Priceless Peace

This last summer I have felt amazing peace through the good and the bad.  Since my husband has started working on his family farm again, I have felt peace in knowing it is what we are supposed to do as a family. We had some confrontations to fix past conflicts and made it through better.
This peace has been priceless to me since so much has been required of me and there's been so much change. I know my life and happiness is important and what I do matters and how I feel matters too.

Prepare and Prevent

It is better to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent.

Dog's Perspective

I want to live my life to be the person my dog thinks I am.

Marriage Warranty

Marriage doesn't come with a guarantee, but it comes with a warranty. Marriages can break or malfunction but we are given tools to fix it as part of the warranty.

Tonsils

My youngest has needed her tonsils out for many reasons-snoring, teeth, mouth breathing, sore throats, etc. Finally I took her in since the symptoms were getting worse. Within one week she had her tonsils out.
Day 3 of recovery and she is doing GREAT! The doctor said she'd have a rough first 2 days and, especially day 2 and she has done amazingly well. She is eating and drinking like she's supposed to. We haven't had any problems and she is smiling and playing. This is a great blessing, especially since she is so small for her age. It is dangerous for her to get dehydrated and we have experienced no threat!
Before her surgery, her dad gave her a blessing and said she would recover well and us as parents would know how to take care of her.
I know the priesthood blesses our lives directly through my husband from the Lord. I know Heavenly Father cares about our daughter specifically (and our other kids too) to help guide and direct us to take care of her and help her heal quickly. I know He has given her comfort to get through this hard experience.
My son got horribly sick right after his sisters' surgery. He was out of school for almost 2 weeks. We took care of him too at the same time and we know the Lord was watching over all of us to meet each need when needed.

The Easy Lie

Satan wants us to think life is supposed to be easy. This is a lie. We are supposed to have trials and tribulation so we can learn and grow.

Priesthood

The priesthood is an important part of the gospel for men and women. Some people have a problem with it being given only to men. I can see how they feel, but I'm going to use my husbands words to explain.
Men and women are clearly different. It can be said that generally women are closer to the spirit and have a more service oriented attitude than men. Men are good but get focused in and can miss stuff. Men have the priesthood to give service and as an opportunity to be closer to God. The priesthood can never be used selfishly. It can only bless others. A priesthood holder can never bless himself.
Although the priesthood is only given to men, it equally blesses men and women. It is a way to use God's power to serve others.
Eve was made for Adam as a helpmeet. Adam goes to the Lord and is guided. Eve is guided by what Adam was told by the Lord. So it makes sense that Adam would have the priesthood since he is the one directly guided by the Lord and Eve receives full benefits through Adam. There is an order and the order makes sense.

Good Rut Made Better

My oldest came and asked me if we could read the scriptures together as a family after church. We already read scriptures together as a family every night with picture books, and we've read the Book of Mormon together already (without pictures).
What she wanted was for everyone to read from their own scriptures since everyone has some. It was such a great idea and really made sense. Sometimes we get stuck in a good rut and miss a good thing. I'm glad she made us get out of our good rut for something better. She is such a good girl! We read after church and plan to read the picture scriptures during the week and from our own on Sundays together.

Salt of the Earth

Salt makes things better. We need to be like salt, and make others better.
Example: I thought of a girl in my neighborhood and she was a great basketball player when I was in young women. She was a year younger than me. When we played basketball, she made us all better. Without her we were terrible and had no savor-and we never won! She was our salt.

Mustard Seed

Faith like a mustard seed can mountains. Our problems, sins, pains, are mountains that we can move with faith.
Faith is a choice though. We have to choose to do our part. We are responsible for our faith. Do we pray, seek knowledge, have hope, etc? If we do, our mountains will move with the Lord's help.

Jealousy Has a Mind of it's Own

Jealousy has a mind of it's own. I'm watching 3rd grade girls go through it. They get so blinded and really, I'm learning a lot, but it is hard to direct a child to get away from it. When jealousy takes over, its hard to talk sense into them! It doesn't leave us as we get older. We can always be led by jealousy if we let it. We have to make sure we change our hearts and get away if it starts taking over. Lesson relearned.