Facelift

I really miss being able to post some pictures, even if they are amateurish, of my geraniums.  I hid my wicker chairs, stored is a better word, on the back deck.  They will be out of view and yes, I'll put the redneck tarp on them.  Who moved the chairs and my Dad's macrame table and the fake ivy topiary (of sorts) and the cushions?  Who will move the area rug tomorrow?  Why I did!!

A sweet, truly strong young Mom stopped by and it was tender as she had planned to move them herself!  Aren't people nice??

I enjoyed the deck so much and am looking forward to those new cushions next year!

This year I had the opportunity to sit and visit with our three 20-something Granddaughters.  It was interesting to hear their take on the porch.  It was an individual thing with each of them.  All totally agreed that they loved the porch and wanted one for their own homes someday.  All of them liked my colors but none of them particularly wanted the same ones when they were painting their own.  The real difference was in the mismatched chairs.

I like mismatched things because everything is always at home and welcome whereas if I have all matched things and one has to be replaced...it throws it off.  It's not balanced and you will notice the odd one.  My porch unity is wicker type furniture and chairs painted the same color and I'll probably go with the same cushions.  2 of the girls want mismatched eventually and the other girl wants matched.  Interesting-- their Moms feel the same way that they do.  I can be comfy with sets of things as long as nothing is thrown in to be out of place.

Now my sister was all about sets.  Not only sets but sets of 12!  On everything.  I've mentioned before her horror when I felt no compulsion to buy 12 but would settle for 5!

There is a gospel analogy in this porch preaching, don't you think?  Somewhere.  It's in there.

Maybe it ties in with change and making decisions and savorings and enjoying the moment and accepting each other whether we are matchy-matchy or helter-skelter...balanced or unbalanced...broken or whole.  Variety is the spice of life, so the saying goes.  Aren't our lives richer and fuller and more incredible because of how diverse we are?  We are blessed with being so different and yet exact replicas, in one aspect...we are mortal!  Privileged by good choices made long before we arrived here.

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!

-William Wordsworth, Ode: Intimations of Immortality From Recollections of Early Childhood

and then to top it off, after our arrival on earth...we re-chose to follow Christ.  Here we are in the Gospel and even in that, we have testimonies of varying degrees, but the core of our sameness is we do believe in Christ and His Church restored in it's fullness.

These last few days, handling challenges like we all do, was just that...challenging! but!....I have been on a spiritual excitement and feeling joy just thinking about the upcoming changes on the General Church level.

Some people don't like policy or procedural changes...to me it's the sign of a living Church.  It's refreshing!  Envigorating!  Exciting!

I have been trying to calm myself down and tell what I'm excited about on all the upcoming changes and instead my brain is on speed-dial and just whizzing about.

Changes in Primary? maybe this is old? here

Changes in Young Women?  didn't I read something?  somewhere?  here?

Changes in Missionary work  here  Wow!!!

Changes in Melchizedek and Relief Society Sunday Meetings  here

Changes in Visiting Teaching  here  (heaven sent!!!)

ALL of this will begin in January!  Yes...2018!  It is all so amazing to me!!  The thing that I was most excited about, and felt the load of guilt bricks lift off of my back, was the VT announcement!!!!  I love thinking that I'm not some sinner because I didn't go to a home each and every month and sometimes never!  I was in touch.  I did care.  I do love them but was always flailing myself with the guilt baton over how wicked I was for not gifting and baking and sitting on their couch in their cozy home, like everyone else was doing.  Now I just feel so free to just do whatever I want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Whatever will be sincere and from my heart and it will be enough!  Yes!!

Actually if I calm down for a minute and think of how exciting all of this will be, then way up at the top of the list, the #1 all time favorite change, in big bold print is Sunday RS lessons going to be current General Conference Talks.

I've not been to RS in years but I'm so excited for this change anyhow!

Waffling a bit.  In all honesty, I'm still ecstatic about the VT change!!  I read Conference talks all the time and will do so, no matter what is taught in RS but to think of discussing current GC talks...oh, amazing!!  But the winner is, in my book, for the most exciting change and the one I'm eager to embrace is (drumroll).... Visiting Teaching!!!  

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I was going to copy the parts of all the changes that I think are so exciting.  So I started with the Missionary one and then stopped. Turns out it was all exciting to me   It's in the places I linked you to above and the FAQ below.

Missionary:
Such changes will include a new set of interview questions to be asked of prospective missionaries; a trimming of the number of missions to better fit the needs of each region of the world; replacing tablets with smartphones and an increased use of technologies that help find those interested in religion.

According to the Frequently Asked Questions document provided by the Church, information relating to the physical, mental, and emotional preparedness of the missionary candidate will be shared with medical professionals in the Missionary Department and will help in determining the best assignment opportunities for missionaries.