Super Monday
As Marlin K. Jensen just noted...yesterday was "Super Sunday". Tomorrow is "Super Tuesday". Today, for the Saints, is Super Monday. Only 16 times in the modern history of the church has the membership had a new Prophet to sustain and support with our prayers and love and work. Thomas S. Monson is the new President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Henry B. Eyring as First Counselor and Dieter F. Uchtdorf as Second Counselor. We are thankful for these men. It is no small task to be given...prophets are never really appreciated by the world population at large. They are mocked, ignored, or treated lightly--sometimes even murdered just for trying to share what they know to be true. However, these humble men will work tirelessly to reach the few who will humble themselves and listen. May the Lord bless them with health, strength and vigor in their lives! The Holy Ghost is already a constant companion to each, and thus I'm sure they'll be fine. I pray for their beautiful and supportive wives who will have their lives forever changed because of the righteousness of their husbands and the heavy load they've just been given. I'm sure they will take it all in stride. They know the greatness of the men they married, and are equal to them, and thus will be a fantastic support to them.
As for my family, I hope they will take a few minutes to read my last post...look up those talks. Read them. Pray about them. Follow the council in them. And for the future, I hope they will listen to the Lord's prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. Really listen. Really try to do what they are asked (often it's really so little asked!!). (www.lds.org is where you'll find all you want).
I am thankful for this Church, and for the fullness of the teachings of the Gospel, and what I have learned about Christ and Heavenly Father from it. I'm am thankful for the fantastic people that are my friends and examples within the church. I'm thankful for the example of these great leaders as they strive diligently and daily to be like the Savior, and to guide and direct the Church as the Lord instructs them. My children will learn from them, and hopefully strive to become good people, as they are. I'll do my best, too. I'm thankful to watch history as it unfolds...It's a Super Monday!
2/4/08
2/2/08
Our Prophet (yes, he's yours, too, since all prophets are meant to teach anyone willing to listen to the Gospel), Gordon B. Hinckley, was buried today. He'll be remembered for all he did...the increased temple building, the new Conference Center, the updating of the Tabernacle, all the growth he over saw, the media outreach he encouraged. But mostly for his life, his example, his teachings, and the sheer amount of work he did. He was an inspiration to all of us on how to live well, truely love & serve those around you, and not take any day for granted. His parents, I am sure, are pleased and proud of him, and I'm sure his wife is glad to have him by her side, again. They were great together!
Below are some of my favorite talks he recently gave, or talks where he announced some of the monumental tasks he undertook during his last years, or gave strong council to us (have we listened?). He accomplished so much AFTER age 80 that it's motivating for those of us younger ones! I have no reason to complain about my workload...it's nothing compared to what the Lord allowed Pres. Hinckley to accomplish in his old age! I'm thankful for him, and will spend much time in the next week dedicated to teaching the children (and refreshing my own mind) what he taught. He reminded us of who we are, how we should be good friends/neighbors, and of why we're here. He bore clear testimony of the living Lord, Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father. He was a fantastic man. I hope my children listen. I can only add my puny voice to his...I know this is the true Church. I know Christ lives and is the director of this church; leading and guiding through these regular (but good) men that he knows will listen and guide unselfishly, and worthily. His testimony strengthens mine. His life motivates me to be better, stand taller, work harder, and love more. I'm thankful for my blessings given to me by Heavenly Father. I am thankful for the leaders of this church, and the service they give just to try to turn a few more hearts to God. Here are those talks:
“To the Boys and to the Men”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-22-20,00.html
Construction of the Conference Center
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-22-1,00.html
“Some Thoughts on Temples….”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-32-20,00.html
“Latter Day Saints in Very Deed”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-32-33,00.html
“The Things of Which I Know”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-690-30,00.html
“Seek Ye the Kingdom of God”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-602-26,00.html
BYU has much more about him, including his funeral services and a nice program highlighting his life. http://www.byub.org/preshinckley/programming.asp
Below are some of my favorite talks he recently gave, or talks where he announced some of the monumental tasks he undertook during his last years, or gave strong council to us (have we listened?). He accomplished so much AFTER age 80 that it's motivating for those of us younger ones! I have no reason to complain about my workload...it's nothing compared to what the Lord allowed Pres. Hinckley to accomplish in his old age! I'm thankful for him, and will spend much time in the next week dedicated to teaching the children (and refreshing my own mind) what he taught. He reminded us of who we are, how we should be good friends/neighbors, and of why we're here. He bore clear testimony of the living Lord, Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father. He was a fantastic man. I hope my children listen. I can only add my puny voice to his...I know this is the true Church. I know Christ lives and is the director of this church; leading and guiding through these regular (but good) men that he knows will listen and guide unselfishly, and worthily. His testimony strengthens mine. His life motivates me to be better, stand taller, work harder, and love more. I'm thankful for my blessings given to me by Heavenly Father. I am thankful for the leaders of this church, and the service they give just to try to turn a few more hearts to God. Here are those talks:
“To the Boys and to the Men”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-22-20,00.html
Construction of the Conference Center
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-22-1,00.html
“Some Thoughts on Temples….”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-32-20,00.html
“Latter Day Saints in Very Deed”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-32-33,00.html
“The Things of Which I Know”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-690-30,00.html
“Seek Ye the Kingdom of God”
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-602-26,00.html
BYU has much more about him, including his funeral services and a nice program highlighting his life. http://www.byub.org/preshinckley/programming.asp
2/1/08
Dirt-y Dreams
I've been lucky the last couple of days. I had a little time to myself. Dave took all the kids to Mutual/Scouts on Wednesday night...and even took the rest of the little ones with him to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things I had forgotten earlier in the day (I'm getting old, ya see!). This left me with a couple of hours to myself. Imagine that!! (This is where you're supposed to remember I home school, so I really don't have a couple of hours to myself most days.) The first thing I did was sit down and watch the GOP debate on the computer. No interruptions. I didn't have to explain anything to the children about what a "terrorist", or "amnesty" is, or why McCain was a P.O.W., or why it's funny that Mitt can't picture Bill Clinton in the White House with nothing to do all day! I'm glad I did. Fun stuff. I'm likin' Mitt Romney. I hope he wins. I can go on and on about this topic, but I'll save it for another day.
But, I couldn't blow ALL the time, so I got up and did what I told Dave I'd do...I actually got in a much needed SHOWER! Not a quicky like usual. You know the kind where you can get between the toes, and really wash your hair well, and actually use the conditioner that's not the instant kind? A REAL shower. Rare for me. Then I actually got time to file down my jagged finger nails, put on hand lotion, attempt to resemble a woman again, etc. I almost feel pampered. Almost.
But, for some reason, this led to "dirt-y dreams". The kind where you picture yourself out in the bright sun shine, surrounded by butterflies and sweet smelling flowers. The kind where you're going down the rows feeling the dirt between your fingers and toes, hot sun on your back, and then suddenly the ice cold sprinkler on your back (people without kids can't relate to that one). The kind where you laugh as your 2 year old takes a pod of peas, opens it, and proceeds to eat the "little green balls" behind your back because he thinks it's a treat and doesn't want to get caught! (What were YOU thinkin'? Don't you know me better than that? Sheesh.) The kind where you look at the garden you've created and feel that special "pat on the back" feeling from the Holy Ghost that you've done something you were asked to do, and you can see (and smell) the blessings you'll get from it. I drooled over seed catalogs, ordered what I wanted, and sat down to read about more and more cool things I could add to the landscaping. But, I just stuck to buying the seeds for the garden. The landscaping will have to wait.
Do you dream about gardens? Great big cutting gardens? Scads of bright, vibrant flowers everywhere (with no bees in my dreams!). Great paths with shade, singing birds, and fantastic smells? Vases of flowers in your house all the time to bring the sunshine in? Or a food garden...fresh strawberries (dipped in chocolate and topped with whipped cream!), blueberries, peaches fresh and right off the trees? Or a nice glass of home made grape juice, with a bowl of salsa--made from crisp tomatoes and peppers from your own land-- and chips? Or just a nice salad from your own garden? Aaahhh...those are good dreams. Refreshing. Motivating. Dirty; but refreshing.
But, for those wondering how a shower leads to dreaming about playing in the dirt and gardening...it all began when the word "ripe" crossed my mind as I headed for the water!
I've been lucky the last couple of days. I had a little time to myself. Dave took all the kids to Mutual/Scouts on Wednesday night...and even took the rest of the little ones with him to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things I had forgotten earlier in the day (I'm getting old, ya see!). This left me with a couple of hours to myself. Imagine that!! (This is where you're supposed to remember I home school, so I really don't have a couple of hours to myself most days.) The first thing I did was sit down and watch the GOP debate on the computer. No interruptions. I didn't have to explain anything to the children about what a "terrorist", or "amnesty" is, or why McCain was a P.O.W., or why it's funny that Mitt can't picture Bill Clinton in the White House with nothing to do all day! I'm glad I did. Fun stuff. I'm likin' Mitt Romney. I hope he wins. I can go on and on about this topic, but I'll save it for another day.
But, I couldn't blow ALL the time, so I got up and did what I told Dave I'd do...I actually got in a much needed SHOWER! Not a quicky like usual. You know the kind where you can get between the toes, and really wash your hair well, and actually use the conditioner that's not the instant kind? A REAL shower. Rare for me. Then I actually got time to file down my jagged finger nails, put on hand lotion, attempt to resemble a woman again, etc. I almost feel pampered. Almost.
But, for some reason, this led to "dirt-y dreams". The kind where you picture yourself out in the bright sun shine, surrounded by butterflies and sweet smelling flowers. The kind where you're going down the rows feeling the dirt between your fingers and toes, hot sun on your back, and then suddenly the ice cold sprinkler on your back (people without kids can't relate to that one). The kind where you laugh as your 2 year old takes a pod of peas, opens it, and proceeds to eat the "little green balls" behind your back because he thinks it's a treat and doesn't want to get caught! (What were YOU thinkin'? Don't you know me better than that? Sheesh.) The kind where you look at the garden you've created and feel that special "pat on the back" feeling from the Holy Ghost that you've done something you were asked to do, and you can see (and smell) the blessings you'll get from it. I drooled over seed catalogs, ordered what I wanted, and sat down to read about more and more cool things I could add to the landscaping. But, I just stuck to buying the seeds for the garden. The landscaping will have to wait.
Do you dream about gardens? Great big cutting gardens? Scads of bright, vibrant flowers everywhere (with no bees in my dreams!). Great paths with shade, singing birds, and fantastic smells? Vases of flowers in your house all the time to bring the sunshine in? Or a food garden...fresh strawberries (dipped in chocolate and topped with whipped cream!), blueberries, peaches fresh and right off the trees? Or a nice glass of home made grape juice, with a bowl of salsa--made from crisp tomatoes and peppers from your own land-- and chips? Or just a nice salad from your own garden? Aaahhh...those are good dreams. Refreshing. Motivating. Dirty; but refreshing.
But, for those wondering how a shower leads to dreaming about playing in the dirt and gardening...it all began when the word "ripe" crossed my mind as I headed for the water!
1/30/08
New things for a New Year .JPG)
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I have decided to do a few new things this year. It's so busy during the last 1/2 of the year for us, that the first part of the year I often find myself just regrouping! January tends to be a month when I get to sit and do nothing. Then I feel guilty for all of February. So, this time, I decided to use my "down time" more effectively (oxy-moron, I know, but...). I signed up to play volleyball for the women in my ward. I'm a TOTAL rookie, and an idiot out there, but I'm trying. My first serve went straight UP to the lights! As the game progressed, I knew that the other ladies were trying to work with me. I know NONE of the rules. So, I have no idea of when to serve, when a point is made, and when to rotate. After a few times of this, the gal next to me (who has great skills on the court) says to me (as she gets closer and closer to me--me having that lovely deer-in-the-headlights look as she approaches me), "Christie, when I get unnaturally close to you, it's time for you to rotate!" Check! Got it! So, now I know when to rotate! Eventually, I did score a couple of points, and my own girls signed up to play for their young women's team, too! So, that's one new thing.
The other new thing I did was learning to sew...this was "challenging". Seriously, I have made a couple of square pillows, and basic things like that maybe 3-4 times over the past 20 years. No sewing skills. But, I have to make a pioneer dress for the Trek our youth are taking this summer (actually, I have to make 6!!). While Dave and Dakota were on vacation, I thought I'd try to learn to sew one...it's 1/2 the cost of buying one, and I learn a new tightwad skill along the way (I can hear Lisa saying, "Uneducated people do it all the time, so can you")!!!
But, it's hard. You oughta be in my head as I read these sewing instructions (it doesn't help that it's very late at night)...very funny the random thoughts that roll in! Like who the heck thought to use the word "baste" for doing a long stitch?! Were they hungry, or what? Did they get their sewing instructions and their cooking instructions mixed up and were too prideful to fix it? (I'm guessing not, but can't you just picture a prissy woman like the girl Nellie on Little House on the Prairie INSISTING that you really are to use that word?! Then I laugh at the thought that Laura would pop her upside the head and roll her eyes that Nellie would actually think that Laura would believe her...and on and on the imagination rolls.) Anyway, I'm not having problems staying awake with all this mental entertainment! I think I need to have my head checked! How simple is it to get an apron done!? Well, for me, it took 3 stinkin' hours...but it's done, and I did it by myself! (Of course, AFTER I did this, I had a friend come over, and she showed me how to do one in 10 minutes, no scissors--just rip the fabric--and it looked great!! I felt about 1 inch tall!) Here's mine....hers I'm not showing you. Mine is the one we're lookin' at here.
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I got the bonnet done. It only took me 3 hours! I can only say it's nice that Dave's not home...I can just grumble and muddle through with no input! Here's the picture!
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Next is the dress....that's a whole 'nuther tale, tho. Besides, I've poked and cut my fingers enough for now!
Besides, I've learned a 3rd new thing...a new 4 letter word I am not fond of! It's in these blasted sewing instructions in lots of places..."turn". This is a deceptively simple term. What they TELL you it means is to sew a small strip (to make a tie for the apron, or bonnet), wrong sides out, and then flip it right side out. What it REALLY means is to spend HOURS trying to get a little dinky piece of fabric to turn inside out and NOT rip out all the stitching along the way! We tried pokin a pencil down it, got the hanger out (wrapped the end in tape to keep it from being so sharp), and tried that, etc. But, my fingers are tender from pulling the little bits of fabric from the inside through the top to the outside...tedious. So, "turn" is a new 4 letter word at my house!
SNOW!!
We woke up today to another snow day. It's the 2nd good one this week! It's so rare in our part of Oregon to have snow that stays long enough to play in! The children had a good time. They got their chores done and headed out the door! Before they made a mess, Cheyennah had a nice time getting some quiet, peaceful shots of the snow blanketing everything. Here are a couple of my fav's. (I love the sun coming up behind our big tree!)
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We woke up today to another snow day. It's the 2nd good one this week! It's so rare in our part of Oregon to have snow that stays long enough to play in! The children had a good time. They got their chores done and headed out the door! Before they made a mess, Cheyennah had a nice time getting some quiet, peaceful shots of the snow blanketing everything. Here are a couple of my fav's. (I love the sun coming up behind our big tree!)
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I really love how it makes everything seem so quiet and peaceful. .JPG)
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But, then the children got their dreams to come true...a snow day!
(Dakota frequently prays for these!) They had some fun.
Here are some of the cuter things they did.
Ryken's snowman is very RYKEN! A little wild child! Cheyennah made a snow horse...of course, and was sure to give everyone a ride! Jacqueline made this cute snow family (note the little puppy in the snow family!). But, the cutest thing that was made, was this itty bitty snow baby that Jacqueline made for Solomon! She brought it to the window (the baby was inside with me) and put it in a little chair for Solomon! After he left, she put it back with it's mother so that they were together! 
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