Lots of Thoughts

It has taken me a while to get on and blog because Madalynn changed the password again and didn't tell me what it is. I have had a lot of things I have wanted to talk about.

The week before last was a difficult yet inspiring one. Sister Myrna Pratt passed away. I shall miss her sweet smile so much and her gracious personality and strong spirit. At her funeral, her daughter Pam spoke about the last year of her life as she battled leukemia. Pam was feeling sad about her mother's suffering the asked her one day if she ever wondered "why me?" That was an obvious question that many of us may have wondered about. Her mother answered her, "Yes. These are the things I wonder. Why was I so lucky to have such a wonderful husband? Why have I been so blessed with such wonderful children? Why has my life been so wonderful? Why did I get to serve as a temple matron and serve a mission in South America?" She went on, but you can see how Myrna taught each of us the power of gratitude and of being of good cheer. The last time that she was at church with us she talked about how she kept such a positive attitude. She said, "How can I help but be positive when the Lord has blessed me so much?" The next week, she was in the hospital for her last month of treatments that proceeded her death. She has inspired me to be a little more grateful and a lot more positive in my conversations and thoughts. I always came away from a conversation with Myrna feeling better about myself because that was the kind of person she was. I want others to have that same feeling when they talk to me. I have found these traits to be true talents that can be cultivated. I have also felt inspired to follow her example of having fun with my children more often and serving my family a little better.

The next thing that I want to blog about is my trip to California this last week. We went and visited my mom and family there. It was so nice to see everyone. The visit was too short. There were hard things that happened to family members as well as neat things while we were there. It was so great to see how my family rallied around each other for the good times and the bad. I love them all so much. I feel so blessed that my mom is still with us. She is so sweet. She has to get her hip replaced. She asked her doctor if she would stay alive long enough to make it worth it. He told her that she is in good health and could have another 10 or 12 years. I chastised her for thinking the liberal Obama way. Even if she only had a few months or a year left to live, why should she have to live them in pain. Why should politicians be able to decide her quality of life? Each time she stood up, it was with such effort and pain. She didn't complain, but if she stumbled a little, she would say, "How stupid not to be able to keep myself upright and walk without a cane!" It made me want to weep for her because she has always been so busy and active doing things. I know how she feels in a small way because I too have been discouraged when I have realized that I can't do things as well as I once could as I age. On the inside we still feel like young girls, but our bodies don't believe it.

Last, but not least, Lindsey is going to be leaving for Vermont soon to attend Law School. We are so proud of her and so excited for her. We are also scared to death for her and wish that she were going to be attending a school much closer. I had wanted to go with her back to Vermont so badly, but because the elementary schools here start so stupid early and I can't have Madii and Jake missing 8 days of school right at the beginning, and I can't bring myself to leave them for a week and a half, I don't get to go. :( Glen is taking her. We are going to have them miss 3 days of school so we can go up to Provo and see them off and say goodbye. My heart is aching over the whole thing. But, I know that this will be a wonderful experience for her and that she will do so great at whatever she chooses because she is so smart and hard working and determined and capable. Another bright side is that we will see her and Alicia while we are up there.

Summer break is almost over and I haven't done everything I had hoped. The heat always does me in before I do. But, we have had a lot of enjoyable family time, which I am grateful for. I hope the kids will remember it fondly.

Summer Time and the Living is Easy

Me in my new glasses! :)

Family camping!

He caught a bass and a blue gill. Dad was putting the blue gill on the stringer and dropped it back into the stream. But, Uncle Sean let him carry in the little trout he had caught. I don't know how to flip this.

I am enjoying summer and hate to see the days slip away. The top pic in this post is me in my new glasses.

Last week we went camping with Glen's family and we had a great time. Jacob caught a bass and a blue gill, his first fish ever, and you should have seen his face when he came into camp with his catch. We also enjoyed the benefits of the prolific crawdad catching of all of the kids. We boiled them up and ate them. They were a lot of work for the little bit of meat you get out of them, but it was a fun experience. Madalynn wouldn't eat any, but she was the only one of the kids brave enough to take them off the hooks and put them in the bucket. Her cousins dubbed her "Crawdad Whisperer." Jake is Bass Master.

The weather was awesome and we were right on the creek. It is called Clear Creek and it lives up to its name. You could see the fish swimming in it. Our nephew pulled out a bunch of catfish and a couple of trout. You could see them swimming to the bait. The water was cold but clear. The boys were not deterred by the cold. They went in swimming every day. There was a pretty deep pool there. Jacob showed us that he could float with just his head! We couldn't have campfire, but in the evenings we sat around with lanterns and played trivia games and laughed a lot.

Now we are home and Glen wakes me up to go walking in the mornings. So far we are having mild weather for Phoenix, so it is nice. His sister is leaving this week to go back to Texas, so we all went to eat at Olive Garden for lunch today. It was so nice. I love the peaceful pace of life right now. My kids all have important things going on in their lives right now, but I know the Lord will bless them, as he always does and we will get through the hard times through faith. I love Him and my family and feel so blessed. In spite of the difficult times in today's world, I feel at peace. I want to go and visit my extended family in California and enjoy them like we did Glen's and then things will be just right! (Especially if a little Disneyland could get thrown in there!)

I know I need to write a new post, but lately my thoughts are everywhere and I have nothing profound to say. I could use a good adventure I guess. I don't even want to wax political right now, even though if you got me started there is a lot I could say. The rise of Hitler comes to mind. Anyway, comments from you all would be nice, maybe they will get me thinking.

"I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places."

Here are a few things to think about that have recently happened concerning our new president:

He did not observe the National Day of Prayer. He signed a proclamation about it , whatever that means, and liberals used it as a chance to do more Bush bashing, saying that he only observed it for political reasons. This group of people cannot do anything without hurling insults at the conservative groups.

He told Notre Dame that in order for them to have him speak there, they would have to cover up or remove any religious words or emblems. They have ended up removing or covering many things, including the name of Jesus Christ. The Vatican is angry, as are many of the Priests. He asked them to give up their first amendment rights, and they are doing it, placing Mr. Obama as more important to them than Jesus Christ.

He is supposed to come to ASU to speak. Will he ask them to do the same thing? The LDS institute of religion in on the ASU campus. It isn't on an ajoining street or just off campus, but it is on campus. I know that we will not cover up the name of the Savior that is on the outside wall of all of our buildings. What kind of controversy and persecution is that going to cause?

To all of you stupid BYU students who complained when Vice Pres. Cheney was the speaker at your graduation ceremonies, do you realize that he didn't ask you to hide what you believe to accommodate him? Some of you protested his coming, but you were not persecuted. Do you not see the difference between that and what happens to those who disagree with Mr. Obama or any other liberal person or point of view?

I am waiting for the Elders of Israel to save the Constitution.

My Sabbath Day Musings

I haven't made it known on my blog yet that last Sunday I was sustained as the ward RS Pres. This is the third ward in which I have held that calling. Each time, the ward has totally had a differnt dynamic than the other wards in which I have been the RS Pres. That is a good thing I think, because I have to be on my toes and listen to the Spirit as I serve.

Today is a good example of what I mean. It is Fast Sunday and I started out my morning with prayer, of course. One of the things I asked for in my prayer was for an opportunity to share the gospel with someone. Then, I went to church and met and greeted people. I went back to my bench before the meeting started and sitting in front of me was a family that visits from time to time when they come down from Prescott. I spoke to them and told them that I had a new calling. She got excited and told me that her son and his non-member wife were now living in our ward and expecting her first baby in May and would I visit with them because her son really wanted to be active and to have his wife joing the church as well. She told me all about them and texted her son and told him that I would contact them, etc. Well, It is wonderful to see a prayer answered so quickly and I am really looking forwart to sharing the gospel with someone and taking part in an entire family being able to have the gospel in their home to teach to their young children. I am going to call them this afternoon and see if I can go over this week. Kathy Bentz said that she would go with me and I also know that there is a young couple in our ward who live just a little way from them who I think I can introduce to them.

We had a very wonderful testimony meeting today. Glen really felt the urge to stand and bear his testimony. He was really filled with the Spirit and he touched me and many others. He also gave a great lesson in Sunday School on the law of consecration. There wasn't enough time to cover everything about it, but one of the things we had discussed during the week was about how Satan uses counterfeit devices to lure us away from the way of the Lord. For example, many people think that socialism is the way to care for the poor and the needy. But, that way of doing things is counterfeit to the law of consecration which involves our free will as we choose to live that way and turn ourselves and all that we have over to the Lord. Satan also uses immoral sex as a counterfeit way for people to find love and use divine power to procreate. It has really struck us lately how important it is to be in tune with the Spirit so that we can recognize the counterfeits out there that would take away our agency.

I am beginning to recognize the blessings in my life already as I strive to serve in whatever capacity my Heavenly Father needs me in. I know that nothing I do can ever repay Him for all he has done and continues to do for me. I am so grateful for a family, especially a husband, who supports me and waits for me when I have to talk to people or visit them and who love me even though, unlike the rest of the ward, they know my shortcomings. Thank goodness the Lord is there to fill in the gaps for me when I fall short.

Right Wing Sightings, Beware!

Have you heard the new that our beloved Homeland Security Ex-Governor had to apologize about a memo that she apparently didn't read that came from her office that was a warning that veterans are at risk of becoming right-wing extremists? (that was a long sentence, sorry.) Anyway, she apologized to veteran groups and they seem to think all is well. But, there are a few other things about this entire episode that bother me. Here they are: (you knew I'd tell you.)

• Why is it that if people are conservative and disagree with the liberals in power right now, they are being labeled as "right-wing extremists"? Why was there an memo about this at all? This is America where it is supposed to be alright to have differing opinions. We don't all have to think alike or vote alike.
• Why was Ex-Governor, big budget deficit Napolitano, unaware of what was being sent out from her office? Isn't that her job or is she going to do it as badly as she did her job here in AZ?

Wow! Is it time for another election yet?

A Mother's Musings

I love my children so much and I am so proud of them. Sometimes, when I think about that, I will romanticize what they are like and unless I am with them for any length of time, I forget that like myself and everyone else, they have shortcomings and we don't always get along and they hurt my feelings or one another's feelings. I know that those things happen in all families, but it always makes me feel bad when I see it happen in mine.

Each of my children has very different personalities from the next. Yet, they also all have some similar qualities, most of which are very good. Of course, they also have annoying qualities and I fear that in a family setting we tend to focus too often on the negative instead of the positive. Sometimes we are less forgiving than we should be. Sometimes we are too judgemental. Sometimes we take one another for granted a little too much. Sometimes we forget to speak kindly and to express our gratitude for one another.

I want to list some of the really good things about my kids, and I hope if they are reading this, they will try to remember these good things about one another as well, and think of some of the good things you know about each other and experiences you have had as siblings that remind you how grateful you are to have the family that you have.

• It makes my heart glad to know that my kids will be there for one another when they need each other. When Lindsey needed something when Aaron was in Provo, he was there to help her. She introduced him to women.:)


• When Alicia was deathly ill, Lindsey took off work and took her to the doctor and got her meds and checked on her almost daily.


• Alicia's employers always love her because she is such a hard worker, with integrity. I have notice that about all of my children. I am really proud that they all have great work ethics.


• All of my children have testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Aaron and Tyler served honorable missions and are temple worthy. Lindsey goes to the temple to do baptisms as often as she can. Alicia loves to see the temple, too. Now Maddy has begun to be able to go to the temple to do baptisms.


• Jacob wants to stand up in testimony meeting and give his testimony, he just hasn't overcome his shyness yet.


• I have watched all of them do acts of service for others without being prodded by me.


• It does my heart good to see the glow Tyler gets about him when he is filled with the Spirit.


• Aaron, for all of his tough bravado, can be so kind and sensitive.


• Lindsey and Alicia can be very introspective. They work on their spiritual qualities in order to improve themselves.


• Madalynn has a generous spirit and loves us all so much.


• Like his dad, Jacob is meticulous and careful about his work.

It is funny how great this exercise is because as I think and list these qualities, I am filled with gratitude for each member of my family and more and more good feelings fill my heart for them and it is easier and easier to think of all of the things that make them each so special to me, their dad and to our family as a whole. I challenge you to try it. Especially if someone is bugging you, try making a list of all of their great qualities and see if your attitude doesn't change towards them. Then, when you forgive the annoying qualities, your relationship with them will improve at an amazing rate. I am not saying that they have been bugging me! (ha ha), But, sometimes I have seen them feeling bugged by one another. I know that college and working can be stressful and not always bring out the best in people, but as I said earlier, I know that the truth is that we are all here for each other. I love it when one of the boys tells me that they called and talked to Alicia or Lindsey that day, "just because." And, they almost always end those calls with, "bye, I love you!" And I know that they mean it.