sit down. relax. close your eyes...no. on 2nd thought open your eyes and watch and listen and feel the Spirit.
sending you Christmas love...here
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Friday, December 14, 2018
RIF
"The Valiant 11 Primary class is discontinued." read about it here
I have enjoyed teaching the last class in a program that is soon to be history! loved every minute of it! I know this is needed and is going to be wonderful as things shift and change. It feels strange to think that my calling has been done away with! At the same time it feels exciting to contemplate the good that will be accomplished, in growth of the youth, as this program becomes official in a couple of weeks.
A few weeks ago the Stake asked me to take charge of one hour of teaching/discussing teaching in Primary Stake Leadership training (I think that is what it is called). For those that teach 8-11 year olds. I find it funny that most likely I will not be serving in Primary anymore so it will be interesting to see what they want me to do!
I'm all for change and find it fascinating. How about you?
I have enjoyed teaching the last class in a program that is soon to be history! loved every minute of it! I know this is needed and is going to be wonderful as things shift and change. It feels strange to think that my calling has been done away with! At the same time it feels exciting to contemplate the good that will be accomplished, in growth of the youth, as this program becomes official in a couple of weeks.
A few weeks ago the Stake asked me to take charge of one hour of teaching/discussing teaching in Primary Stake Leadership training (I think that is what it is called). For those that teach 8-11 year olds. I find it funny that most likely I will not be serving in Primary anymore so it will be interesting to see what they want me to do!
I'm all for change and find it fascinating. How about you?
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Loving this season!
What a great time of year! I'm enjoying this year and this season so much! I think because I feel at peace and am happy and excited about being a member of the Church. My love for my children is so tangible and I'm savoring those feelings. Our family has members that are really dealing with a lot of health issues but endurance and faith and hard work, are carrying each forward.
It is cold but no snow and I really want a White Christmas!!! No matter how many times I hear that song...tenderness and tears usually happen and my mind goes back to frigid winters...wood burning stove...children sprawled on the carpet, enjoying that penetrating warmth and me reading a book to them. I loved reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was so easy to relate to and had the power to bring you right into the story. It was best read in the coldest of the winter!
Do parents still read to children sprawled on carpets with a fire ablaze in a wood burning stove? I hope so!
These 2 brand new videos, about Temple Endowment and Temple Garments, are beautiful!! How wonderful!!
It is cold but no snow and I really want a White Christmas!!! No matter how many times I hear that song...tenderness and tears usually happen and my mind goes back to frigid winters...wood burning stove...children sprawled on the carpet, enjoying that penetrating warmth and me reading a book to them. I loved reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was so easy to relate to and had the power to bring you right into the story. It was best read in the coldest of the winter!
Do parents still read to children sprawled on carpets with a fire ablaze in a wood burning stove? I hope so!
*************
These 2 brand new videos, about Temple Endowment and Temple Garments, are beautiful!! How wonderful!!
Monday, December 10, 2018
a memory....
The Christmas music that I absolutely love and enjoy is what would be termed old-fashioned. I'm not charmed by Granny getting run over by a reindeer and Rudy's red nose is a fun-sort of song with it's own fame, is not my #1 go-to for what I enjoy the most. The Church has Christmas music 24/7 on The Mormon Channel radio. I really appreciate that gift! hours and hours of a great assortment of Christmas music!!
This morning they played the wintry song of The Skaters Waltz. I sat down and relived a memory from long ago. My parents had made great effort to purchase figure skates for Dixie and I. In order for us to have skating lessons, and a place to skate on!, they would drive us from Spenard to Anchorage to the outdoor Hockey Rink. It had wood sides and we clung to the wood until we could venture out on our own. It was freezing cold and even the warm-up shack offered little warmth. Exhaling our breath into myriads of little puff clouds...it felt we were freezing, including our dripping noses.
We were unaware and therefore didn't appreciate the effort and expense that took on my parents part...but we did learn to skate and we enjoyed it so much.
Then came the big day that an ice-show was coming to Anchorage! A real one! With a headliner! To me this was like royalty was going to arrive and we would be in the presence of famous, surely world famous, people. My Mother did not remind me that the group was coming to perform at an outdoor hockey rink with scarce seating for hockey fans.
Our skating club got invited to skate!! We were going to skate with stars! Bliss!
My Mother needed to sew the costumes that Dixie and I would wear. This was real drama! A costume! 2 costumes each! All were different! Mother was a perfectionist on sewing and much like the disgruntled Father, in A Christmas Story, that forever fought his furnace, she would let fly with foul words about the pattern or the fabric or on and on. When she saw the other costumes performance night...she declared they were sloppy. Mother made no mistakes... ever.
It all felt so glamorous and so exciting and as we practiced I dreamed of skating to perfection. The instructor put me in as the last link on a spinning pinwheel. We were lined up as Policemen. (Mother hated making that costume almost as much as the Harem one) The last person to link arms, on that straight line really spinning around, had to be fast. And I was the shortest. They were counting on me! Confidence that I was the one to do the job! They buoyed me up to do the deed!
I stood straight and listened for my cue as to when to leave so that the timing was perfect for my arm grab. Suddenly I was sitting on the ice, legs extended out front, flying across the ice, right into the wooden fence! Horrors! I wanted to die. I knew I'd disgraced everyone by slamming into the fence, and wrecked the number, and destroyed the entire ice show!!!! what to do?
They were still spinning and I got up and started skating furiously and the snippy girl that was to put out her arm for me to link onto wasn't doing it. I yelled at her....give me your arm!!! Next circle...she did. The audience applauded.
Skating off and sobbing my heart out in the deepest embarrassed painful humiliation. I started planning how to never be seen in public for my entire life.
I wanted to take off my costume but was told I had to take a bow with the cast.
Then the Star of the show was at my side. The most beautiful person I'd ever seen-- in her dreamy costume. She hugged me as I sobbed and she confessed she had fallen before and she helped me to survive. In spite of my insisting I'd wrecked the entire show...she reassured me that I hadn't.
At the curtain call...I got an extra boost of applause.
Funny how a young girl can feel an entire ice show, that was definitely not a Holiday on Ice extravaganza, rests on her shoulders.
I don't remember what my parents said afterwards, on the drive home, except they kept trying to get me to look out the car window at snowy trees and snowy roads! Diversion tactics.
Obviously my Psyche is impacted, if at this age I still see the scene in my mind, with such clarity and detail! The memory is now tempered with humor and realism ... also great appreciation for my parents, doing their best, to give Dixie and I some fun!
This morning they played the wintry song of The Skaters Waltz. I sat down and relived a memory from long ago. My parents had made great effort to purchase figure skates for Dixie and I. In order for us to have skating lessons, and a place to skate on!, they would drive us from Spenard to Anchorage to the outdoor Hockey Rink. It had wood sides and we clung to the wood until we could venture out on our own. It was freezing cold and even the warm-up shack offered little warmth. Exhaling our breath into myriads of little puff clouds...it felt we were freezing, including our dripping noses.
We were unaware and therefore didn't appreciate the effort and expense that took on my parents part...but we did learn to skate and we enjoyed it so much.
Then came the big day that an ice-show was coming to Anchorage! A real one! With a headliner! To me this was like royalty was going to arrive and we would be in the presence of famous, surely world famous, people. My Mother did not remind me that the group was coming to perform at an outdoor hockey rink with scarce seating for hockey fans.
Our skating club got invited to skate!! We were going to skate with stars! Bliss!
My Mother needed to sew the costumes that Dixie and I would wear. This was real drama! A costume! 2 costumes each! All were different! Mother was a perfectionist on sewing and much like the disgruntled Father, in A Christmas Story, that forever fought his furnace, she would let fly with foul words about the pattern or the fabric or on and on. When she saw the other costumes performance night...she declared they were sloppy. Mother made no mistakes... ever.
It all felt so glamorous and so exciting and as we practiced I dreamed of skating to perfection. The instructor put me in as the last link on a spinning pinwheel. We were lined up as Policemen. (Mother hated making that costume almost as much as the Harem one) The last person to link arms, on that straight line really spinning around, had to be fast. And I was the shortest. They were counting on me! Confidence that I was the one to do the job! They buoyed me up to do the deed!
I stood straight and listened for my cue as to when to leave so that the timing was perfect for my arm grab. Suddenly I was sitting on the ice, legs extended out front, flying across the ice, right into the wooden fence! Horrors! I wanted to die. I knew I'd disgraced everyone by slamming into the fence, and wrecked the number, and destroyed the entire ice show!!!! what to do?
They were still spinning and I got up and started skating furiously and the snippy girl that was to put out her arm for me to link onto wasn't doing it. I yelled at her....give me your arm!!! Next circle...she did. The audience applauded.
Skating off and sobbing my heart out in the deepest embarrassed painful humiliation. I started planning how to never be seen in public for my entire life.
I wanted to take off my costume but was told I had to take a bow with the cast.
Then the Star of the show was at my side. The most beautiful person I'd ever seen-- in her dreamy costume. She hugged me as I sobbed and she confessed she had fallen before and she helped me to survive. In spite of my insisting I'd wrecked the entire show...she reassured me that I hadn't.
At the curtain call...I got an extra boost of applause.
Funny how a young girl can feel an entire ice show, that was definitely not a Holiday on Ice extravaganza, rests on her shoulders.
I don't remember what my parents said afterwards, on the drive home, except they kept trying to get me to look out the car window at snowy trees and snowy roads! Diversion tactics.
Obviously my Psyche is impacted, if at this age I still see the scene in my mind, with such clarity and detail! The memory is now tempered with humor and realism ... also great appreciation for my parents, doing their best, to give Dixie and I some fun!
Saturday, December 8, 2018
found the source!
Regarding my last short post here-- Turns out that 9th Article of Faith comment...the one that really captured my attention...was a special article written for the Church magazines by Elder Holland. I listened to it online but couldn't remember for sure where and whom etc. (or is that who? I need to refresh my mind on that!) Anyhow...it's in the new December Ensign and it is wonderful.
Here is the paragraph that grabbed my thoughts and has kept me pondering... more to come. Those words keep popping up by the Prophet and some of the 12. More to come.
And surely there is more to come. As our ninth article of faith declares, “We believe all that God has revealed”—that’s often the easy part. It takes a special kind of faith to “believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom,” and then to be ready to accept them, whatever they are. If we are willing, God will lead us to places we’ve never dreamed we could go—as lofty as our dreams might already be. His thoughts and His ways are certainly much higher than ours (see Isaiah 55:8–9). In a sense, I suppose we’re not unlike those in Kirtland to whom the Prophet Joseph Smith said, “You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap.”
Here is the article by Elder Holland
I also really enjoyed D&C 124:41. footnote a , check it out!...refers to the 9th Article of Faith! Wowzer! Exciting!
For I deign to areveal unto my church things which have been kept bhid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the cfulness of times.
Here is the paragraph that grabbed my thoughts and has kept me pondering... more to come. Those words keep popping up by the Prophet and some of the 12. More to come.
And surely there is more to come. As our ninth article of faith declares, “We believe all that God has revealed”—that’s often the easy part. It takes a special kind of faith to “believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom,” and then to be ready to accept them, whatever they are. If we are willing, God will lead us to places we’ve never dreamed we could go—as lofty as our dreams might already be. His thoughts and His ways are certainly much higher than ours (see Isaiah 55:8–9). In a sense, I suppose we’re not unlike those in Kirtland to whom the Prophet Joseph Smith said, “You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap.”
Here is the article by Elder Holland
*************************
I also really enjoyed D&C 124:41. footnote a , check it out!...refers to the 9th Article of Faith! Wowzer! Exciting!
For I deign to areveal unto my church things which have been kept bhid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the cfulness of times.
********************************
Back to Christmas! It's cold outside and I love it!!
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
On Board
Recently, Terry and I, listened to a talk that really made me think. I did not jot their name down so I can't remember who it was!! Anyhow...he (whomever/whoever) mentioned the 9th article of faith, in light of the many changes happening in the Church... and said we are okay up to...and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
You know that I believe in boarding that train on the covenant track now and not later. Between that talk and President Nelson, and other Apostles, telling us that more changes are coming, I've thought about that 9th article of faith. This morning as I was pondering about...am I willing?...am I ready?...for whatever else is revealed--I read the footnotes in that 9th article and the one that really grabbed me was D&C 121:26-33 also referencing the TG to Scriptures to Come Forth leads to things to think about.
Sunday, December 2, 2018
One little candle
Today I am not at Church and I miss being there. I need to be here with Terry today plus I'm furiously determined to not let a cold get the best of me.
#Light the World, is all over the place. Lately I've noticed people doing wonderful things for others. I shared a couple on FB. Not people I know but people that I would like to know! The world seems to be feeling the need to heed the call to light it up. Well, at least some of the world is!
I was thinking this morning about Christmas and about star light and Christmas lights and into my mind popped a memory from 1955. I was in high-school and we were living in Anchorage, Alaska. At that time we lived in an area on the outskirts called Spenard. Alaska was new and very pioneering and TV was slow to arrive there. When it did come...3 channels...rabbit ears...get up and change the dial...were all a part of accessing the couple of hours available in the evening. We would sometimes watch the earlier Test Pattern and we weren't alone in that fascination!
None of us had seen TV's and it was viewed as a home movie screen. When it was time to watch the show, we'd bring our 4 kitchen chairs into the living room and line them up. We'd sit there side by side enjoying our movie. No popcorn or snacks as you did not eat in my Mother's living room!
This was the era of musicals and it was marvelous to be in that time period. One of the weekly shows was The Perry Como Show. He had singers and dancers and guests and we loved his voice. The memory I had today was a show that he sang the song...If Everyone Lit Just One Little Candle. You can watch it here.
Before you watch it...I was struck by lyrics and how religious it would be perceived today. and wouldn't ever make it. Modest dresses!
I just found this song so appropriate for the #Light the World campaign.
Enjoy this
#Light the World, is all over the place. Lately I've noticed people doing wonderful things for others. I shared a couple on FB. Not people I know but people that I would like to know! The world seems to be feeling the need to heed the call to light it up. Well, at least some of the world is!
I was thinking this morning about Christmas and about star light and Christmas lights and into my mind popped a memory from 1955. I was in high-school and we were living in Anchorage, Alaska. At that time we lived in an area on the outskirts called Spenard. Alaska was new and very pioneering and TV was slow to arrive there. When it did come...3 channels...rabbit ears...get up and change the dial...were all a part of accessing the couple of hours available in the evening. We would sometimes watch the earlier Test Pattern and we weren't alone in that fascination!
None of us had seen TV's and it was viewed as a home movie screen. When it was time to watch the show, we'd bring our 4 kitchen chairs into the living room and line them up. We'd sit there side by side enjoying our movie. No popcorn or snacks as you did not eat in my Mother's living room!
This was the era of musicals and it was marvelous to be in that time period. One of the weekly shows was The Perry Como Show. He had singers and dancers and guests and we loved his voice. The memory I had today was a show that he sang the song...If Everyone Lit Just One Little Candle. You can watch it here.
Before you watch it...I was struck by lyrics and how religious it would be perceived today. and wouldn't ever make it. Modest dresses!
I just found this song so appropriate for the #Light the World campaign.
Enjoy this
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