challenges

After General Conference on Sunday, I watched Mormon Times on KSL. They interviewed a couple named the Zabriskie's. Craig Zabriskie had been injured in a boating accident and had many physical challenges. I loved what he said, "Trials are mandatory. Misery is a choice." That has been echoing through my head ever since. Trials are part of life, but we choose our response.

This week has been spring break. I had a list of things I wanted to get done and a list of places I wanted to take my kids. But Ella woke up Saturday morning feeling sick and was sick until Monday. Tuesday she was feeling better and we went to the Natural History Museum (post to come). Wednesday, Gabby woke up and said she didn't feel well and spent the day throwing up. Michelle didn't feel great on Thursday, and I've got a cold now. My week didn't turn out at all the way I had hoped. But our illnesses were pretty minor. I got lots of time to cuddle with my kids. We had lots of time with just us. I didn't get everything done that I wanted to. We didn't get to do all of the fun things that I'd hoped. But we got lots of rest. We have done a few Easter projects. We've visited with my sister for a couple of days. I've had plenty of time to read and relax and to ponder on what I learned from conference. So I am choosing to focus on the blessings of this spring break rather than the disappointments.

And my sweet husband brought me home flowers today because he knew it had been a rough week and not what I'd been hoping. I am blessed.

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Also, on that same Mormon Times they interviewed a blogger that had lots of great ideas for teaching your children the true meaning of Easter, for making a Christ-centered Easter. I've read quite a bit of her blog now (it's great!) and copied several of her Easter ideas. There are some great ones. We made handprint lilies and did the carnation experiment. We have read several books about Easter. We are going to use jelly beans to learn the true meaning of Easter tomorrow. On Sunday, we will make the resurrection rolls as part of our Family Home Evening. Check out her ideas at We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ.

General Conference Thoughts

I have been reflecting on General Conference all week. I loved listening to the leaders of the church speak, and so many of the messages were things I needed to hear. I especially appreciated Elder Holland's talk and President Uchtdorf's talk. I liked President Uchtdorf's thought that if you are gossiping, judging, or envying others, Stop it! I am not sure I'd ever realized until I listened to conference that I do spend time envying others...and that I need to stop. Both Elder Holland and President Uchtdorf spoke about this.

Elder Holland said, "May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those."

I am richly blessed and should focus on what I do have and not what I don't and should not envy others. There is one particular area in my life where I find this most difficult, but I am going to work on it.

I loved Elder Holland's explanation of the parable of the workers in the vineyard. It used to really bother me that they all worked very different numbers of hours and received the same wage, but over the last few years I have come to realize that what the Savior promises those who are faithful is "all that the Father hath" and that none of us truly deserves that, but that our Father and Savior love us enough to bless us that completely. In addition, those who labor throughout their lives receive many blessings during that labor that they wouldn't receive if they didn't begin to labor until late in the day/late in their lives. There is peace from working and laboring in God's kingdom throughout your life. Elder Holland's explanation about this parable added new depths to my understanding of this parable and made me even more grateful for a loving Savior and Father that are so desirous to bless me despite my imperfections.

I love this quote by Elder Holland as well: "Which leads me to my third and last point. This parable—like all parables—is not really about laborers or wages any more than the others are about sheep and goats. This is a story about God’s goodness, His patience and forgiveness, and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a story about generosity and compassion. It is a story about grace. It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it."

Grace has been something I've been hearing about a lot lately. Our wonderful stake president spoke about grace in stake conference recently. A book on CD that I'm listening to has talked about it. Conference talked about it. As this Easter season is upon me, I have been reflecting on the grace that the Savior offers. The love that He offers us and how little, really, He asks in return. Repentance. Love. Obedience. That's all He asks.

Michelle, in particular, really tried to listen to conference. Ella was quite sick and slept through a lot of it and Gabby would listen for awhile but then get distracted. Michelle's favorite talk was the talk by Elder Neil L. Andersen. She especially liked the story about the family from Haiti where the three children were buried by the earthquake. The parents prayed and searched and finally heard a baby crying. Olgan Saintelus knew it was his baby crying, so they began to dig. Hours later, they hear a young child singing "I Am A Child of God". All three children were found alive. This story touched her heart, and it touched mine. Miracles do happen. I have a friend from high school whose son has epilepsy. He's been on medication for several years and they have taken him off the medication. If he can go an entire year seizure free without meds, they will consider him healed. He's now past 210 days. My friend updates every day on facebook and gives thanks to Heavenly Father. What a tremendous blessing and miracle! I know of others that have had miracles in their lives. In many ways, Ella's quick recovery after open heart surgery and her healthy heart now are a miracle. I know that God does hear and answer our prayers. But I also know that sometimes our prayers are not answered right away. Or that the answer that comes may not be the answer we were hoping for.

I loved what Elder Anderson said about that:"Miracles are not always so immediate. At times we thoughtfully wonder why the miracle we have so earnestly prayed for does not happen here and now. But as we trust in the Savior, promised miracles will occur. Whether in this life or the next, all will be made right. The Savior declares: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”31 “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”32

I testify that as you love Him, trust Him, believe Him, and follow Him, you will feel His love and approval. As you ask, “What thinks Christ of me?” you will know that you are His disciple; you are His friend. By His grace He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself."

Wisdom and old age

I've always (well at least since I was a teenager) loved General Conference. But for some reason this time I was even more overcome by how much love and respect I have for these wonderful men (and women) that lead our church. They have so much wisdom and they are so good. They love us and they love others and they set such good examples. I just found myself thinking of those who are critical of the church's leadership being older men and wishing they could really see the good works and the love that these men emulate. They are true disciples of Jesus Christ.

I happened to be reading a book called Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto. It is a novel in which one of the characters is immortal. At one point a priest is talking to the man that is immortal and is saying that in some ways old age is a blessing because it helps you see more clearly. He compares it to cooking a young chicken versus and older rooster and says that there is more flavor in the older rooster. I really liked what he said,

"Growing old is to be set free.... It is a slow and long-simmering process that extracts from you waht you are really made of. But it requires acceptance. You cannot put a flailing chicken into a boiling pot. You must accept the heat and the pain with serenity so that the full flavors of your life may be released. ...
As the body rots, so does the cage that traps us in our worldly concerns. when my legs became too weak to carry my body, I stopped pacing with worry. When my fingers became twisted I stopped pointing blame. When I lost my sight, I stopped seeing illusions. It may be dark in the pot that I am simmering in but I can see more clearly than I have ever seen in my life." (page 138, Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto)

I love this. I don't know that it is always true, but there is much to be learned from the wisdom of our elders. We as a society often don't show respect or honor to those who can often see more clearly and have learned from their past.

Easy and yummy dinner

I have recently started making the easiest but yummiest dinners chock full of veggies.

Mix together McCormick Gourmet Herbes de Provence Roasted Chicken and Potatoes seasoning mix (found by other seasoning packets like taco seasoning, fajitas seasoning, etc.) with 1/4 cup white wine (the alcohol cooks out), and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Then mix together cut up uncooked chicken, and whatever cut up veggies you want (potatoes, onions, carrots are what I used this time...but red/green/orange peppers would be great, squash, turnips, zucchini, broccoli could also be added). Pour the seasoning mixture over the chicken and veggies and coat well. Then place in a 9x 13 pan and bake at 425 for 45 minutes, turning after 30 minutes. (The recipe is right on the back of the seasoning packet. Yum!)

I love this because the seasoning packet is just made of dried herbs...no extra stuff...no MSG or other additives and it's easy and delicious and is a great way to get the family to eat veggies.

I also like the (not quite as healthy...some additives... but still delicious) Knorr roasters that come with a seasoning packet and a bag to roast the chicken and veggies. And since everything cooks inside a bag in a 9 x 13 pan, there is almost no mess to clean up.

Just one more way I'm getting more veggies into our diet.

Fairy Realm project

Michelle had to do a book report/project on a fantasy for school. She chose Fairy Realm #3 by Emily Rodda. Her project had to show the setting of the story and several of the characters. She had to write about important events and characters as well.

She chose to use a soda bottle and a bowl to make a mushroom house like the fairies lived in. Then we cut out a door and windows and she put the fairies in the house using popsicle sticks and playdough. She was pleased with how it turned out and quite happy that she got a good grade (although she felt very sad that one of her closest friends "only got a B even though she worked hard").

St. Patrick's Day

Several families in our neighborhood are visited by leprechauns on St. Patrick's Day. Leprechauns can bring trouble as well as treats. I've always been quite content that the leprechauns have not found our home...after all, I don't like milk much when it is white, so why would I drink it when it is green? And I have plenty of work to do without having to clean up green footprints on my wall or any of the ohter mischief that they cause. But it has been a source of disappointment for my kids that the leprechauns haven't come.

This year Lucy the leprechaun did pay us a visit, but fortunately, she was nice. The night before St. Patrick's Day, I made green rice krispy treats for the leprechauns and my kids. The next morning, my children were delighted to find that the leprechauns had left them some treats...green nail polish, green chapstick, green suckers, green drinks and a cute card. Thank you, Lucy, for making my kids' day!

Night, night, princess Ana

Gabby and I have a bedtime routine that we both enjoy (most of the time). After she's had a bath, brushed her teeth, and the older girls are in bed, I go into her room and read her a couple of stories. Then every night I tell her a "Princess Gabby" story. It goes something like this.
Me: "Once upon a time there was a Princess named Ana."
Gabby: "No, Gabby. Princess Gabby."
Me: "Oh, Okay. A princess named Gabby. She had a mommy and a daddy who loved her very much and she had 5 brothers named Max, Tylan, Shon, Austin and Francisco."
Gabby: "No. No brother."
Me: "Oh, yeah. She had no brothers. But she had three sisters named Brooklyn, Amaya and Sofie." (I should note that the number and names of moms, dads, brothers, and sisters changes every night.)
Gabby: "No, two sisters, Michelle and Ella."
Me:"Oh, okay, two sisters. She also had a purple and green dog named Buster."
Gabby: "No. His name is Chester! (said with some exasperation in her voice but a huge grin on her face.)
Me: "That's right, an orange and yellow dog named Chester."
Gabby: "Noooo, he's black and white."
Me: "Okay, well every night the mom would read Princess Gabby stories. She would hug her and kiss her (as I hug and kiss Gabby). She would tickle Gabby (as I tickle her and she giggles and laughs and squirms). And every night she would sing Gabby's favorite song, (then I begin to sing a song that she likes but is not her favorite.)
Gabby will then beg me to sing her real favorite song which is "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam". We sing it a couple of times with me throwing her in the air or bouncing with her in my lap. She giggles and grins. Then she climbs into bed, asks for a sippy cup of water, and almost always drifts off to sleep in minutes. It makes us both happy and usually helps me relax a bit after a busy day. I love to see her grin and hear her laugh and shriek, and somehow even after 3 or more months of this, it isn't getting old for either of us.