Farewell

This will be our final post on MMW.  We have decided that it is time for us to step down from our Sunday position.  We want to thank each and every one of you that makes up this amazing writing community.  We are so grateful that we've been able to share in this blog.  We have learned so much in our time here.  Writing for MMW has helped to shape us as writers and forced us to stretch beyond what we could have done on our own.  We want to thank Nikki for giving us this opportunity, and a big thank you to former MMW writer Amber Lynae for introducing us to MMW.
Thank you, again, for letting us be a part of your lives and a part of this amazing community.

Survival in the Desert

A couple of weeks ago we were able to take a bit of a road trip together. We had piled safely buckled our kids in the back of a minivan at o'dark hundred and were headed to St. George, UT. We had so much fun.  We talked, we laughed, we sung songs, and played games.  We even got some writing done!  Yay us! But as the sun came up we began to notice things about our surroundings.  To put it bluntly it was ugly.  Dry, flat, and ugly.  There were no real trees to speak of and no pretty flowers growing along the road.  But there was a whole lot of nothing.  For miles.

We did see some of those rough-looking desert plants.  Surprisingly those scrubby, boring plants actually gave us quite a bit to talk about.  We started to notice some of these hardy survivor-plants were actually growing up through the asphalt at the edges of the road.  As if growing in the desert wasn't hard enough, these plants wanted to go the extra mile.  We got to thinking about these plants.  To survive in this harsh desert climate they had to be specialized, unique, and able to withstand some of the harshest elements.  The desert is certainly not an ideal place to grow much of anything, so the things that do grow there must be hardy and strong.  They develop deep roots to search out and reach the much needed water and also to anchor themselves against the gusty desert winds.

We, as followers of Christ, are not too different from these desert plants.  In the coming years we will have to make ourselves somewhat "specialized" to survive in the harsh world, a place we know is not an ideal place for spiritual growth and development .  We need to be hardy and strong.  We will need to develop thick skins like that of a cactus to protect us from enemies who would suck out our inner goodness.  

We can create an oasis of sorts, within our communities, a place that people can find spiritual refreshment. Together we can stand strong and give strength to each other.  And for those who are truly standing alone, be strong, set your roots deep, and do not give way to the harsh winds and back lashes of the world.  

We will survive in the harsh desert. 

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all of you!
I love Easter.  My childhood is filled with so many happy Easter Mornings of spending the morning with my family and feeling the joy and love of my Savior.  Now that I'm grown and have a family of my own I want to ensure my children know the true reason we celebrate Easter.  We still do Easter baskets filled with goodies from the Easter Bunny, but our focus is always on Jesus Christ and His great sacrifice for each of us.  Earlier this month I had asked my youngest why we celebrate Easter.  We had discussed our reasons as a family before and I was curious to see how much of that discussion was absorbed by my wee little 4 year old.  Her response was, "To get candy?"  I had to resist a face-palm.  Since then I have made it a point to talk about Jesus and his Atoning Sacrifice as often as possible. 
 It wasn't until I was out Easter shopping that an idea came to me.  I wanted to start a new tradition with my family, something that would help us to remember Christ, not just on Easter, but through out the year.  It was then I recalled my own teaching words to my children as we had discussed why we celebrate Christ's resurrection and how it related to spring.  I had told my children that the earth and its plants seem to die during the cold winter months, but in spring time they come back to life; in this way spring is symbolic of Christ and His Resurrection.  At this recollection I made a detour from the candy aisle and headed for the gardening section.  I scanned the seed display and chose a packet of flower seeds.  

I then grabbed a big bag of potting soil and headed for the check out, more excited with my seeds and dirt than I was about the candy and goodies piled in my cart.  

The next morning as my girls got ready for school I asked them, yet again, why we celebrate Easter.  This time both my girls responded by telling me the same things I had tried to instill in them in all our previous discussions.  My heart swelled a little, and I was grateful my words were finally sticking.  My girls were so excited when I told them about the seeds and how we would plant them the day before Easter and watch for the little flowers to grow and bloom.  I told them that these flowers would be a reminder to us all year about how Jesus, like the flowers in spring, came back to life.  

So yesterday we planted out tiny seeds.

So let's remember why we celebrate, and always remember Him, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Flip Flops...But Not the Kind You Wear On Your Feet

I have a confession to make.  I don't watch TV.  I haven't even watched the news in quite a few years...yikes, I know.  But for me it seems to make my life a little less hectic and gives me fewer things to worry about.  As a result I rely on social media for information on the going-on's in the world.  If I happen to see something of interest I will click on its link and read.  If it happens to pique my curiosity I will sometimes Google the topic and read more.  This method also keeps me up-to-date on whatever ideas are making the rounds, trendy blog posts, or the latest meme.  Lately, though, it seems that for every article or opinion released into the world there is another to counter it almost instantly.  We live in a world of differing ideas and beliefs, and while this can be wonderful and give a great variety and excitement to life, it can also have a darker side.  
So how do we know where to stand and who to ally our own opinions and ideas?  Just in the past few weeks or so I've seen conflicting articles or posts on parenting, holiday celebrations, "easy weight loss," homeschooling, politics, media, and religion.  It can be a bit overwhelming.  Sometimes after reading some of these things I feel a bit fickle thinking, "Oh, I agree with what they're saying." Only to pull a flip-flop after reading a conflicting response and think, "I completely understand where they're coming from!"  Am I really so wishy-washy?  No.  At least not about this, and neither are any of you. (I'm not the only one who flips back and forth, right?)  The fact is every situation, every child, every background is different and can produce a different experience and opinion to go with it.  Here's my solution-

I go with my gut.

It's pretty simple.  Any time I come across one of these blog posts or articles, whether it's conflicting with anything else or not, I read it and digest it then I let it be.  When I come across something of great importance or significance that might impact me personally I take some time to think about where my own beliefs lie and if I feel negative or torn, I pray.  That seems to be a pretty safe and sure way of not getting tangled up in the sticky webs of the world.  

Another Branch to Our Tree

A lot has happened for my family the last few months.  The most significant being that we have moved from Virginia to Texas.  Moving can be so crazy.  Lately I have felt like there's been too much to do in the few short hours of the day.  Now that we are in our new home and starting to get settled I am looking forward to being able to do a few of the things that were pushed aside during our move. 
 One of the bigger projects I have anxiously been waiting to do is my husband's family's genealogy and temple work.  I wrote a post a few months ago about receiving a packet of genealogy for my husband's paternal side.  We never thought it would happen, so we were very excited about it.  We felt that it was an enormous blessing and we were grateful.  Little did we know that that first packet of family history was only the beginning.  A couple of months after I finished going through the first packet we received word from my husband's maternal side of the family that, while going through some things, a relative had found copies of an extensive genealogical collection.  She had asked if anyone was interested in having a copy.  My husband jumped at the opportunity and within two weeks we had received the packet of information.  My husband and I were unprepared for the amount of information that was being given to us.  This amazing collection of family history contains dates and stories dating back to the 1500's.  As I had stated in my previous post, my husband and I did not expect to be given any information.  My husband is a convert to the LDS church and is the only member of his entire family.  While we had prayed that some day we would be allowed to do the work for his ancestors, we never thought it would happen so soon or that we would be given so much.  I don't think it is a coincidence that we were given this great blessing at the same time we were moving to a place where we would be within a short drive of a temple.  Previously, it would take us hours to get to our nearest temple.  The thought of being able to complete all of the work for his family was daunting.  
I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and that if we have faith and a good deal of patience we will truly be given all that is promised.  
To any of you who are awaiting the opportunity to do the temple work for your ancestors, or to anyone who feels that because of certain situations or family conflicts that it seems it is not possible or that it will never happen - please have faith and don't give up.  It may happen when you least expect it.  And for those of you that have already been blessed with information - Get to work! :) I am so excited to dig into this information and get to know these people from long ago.  I would love to hear any stories you have about your own genealogy experiences.  

A Makeover Story

Once upon a time there was a mom.  She was just an ordinary, every day sort of mom.  She lived a pretty ordinary life.  Then one day a very skilled up-and-coming stylist asked if she could do the mom’s makeup and hair.  This wasn’t the first time the young beautician had asked.  The mom thought for a moment and decided that perhaps it was time for a makeover, and agreed to the stylist’s request.

At first the mom had some serious doubts and thought that perhaps the whole idea was a big mistake.  However, she decided that life was meant to be lived and realized sometimes you just need to throw caution to the wind. 

After quite a few minutes the stylist handed the mom a mirror.  When the mom looked in the mirror she realized her new makeup would take some time to get used to, but when she saw the look of pure joy and satisfaction on the stylists face she new it was worth it. 

Next it was time for a new hair-do.  The stylist began to sing softly to herself as she pulled and tugged on the mom’s hair, pinning it here, clipping it there, until the stylist chirped out in a cheery voice, “All done!”

Then it was time for a mani-pedi.  The stylist began searching her collection of polish for the perfect combination of colors.  The mom gingerly rolled up her sleeves and pant legs and held her breath as the stylist dipped the tiny brush into the bottles of colorful paint. 

Finally it was time for the final touches of makeup.  The tiny beautician smiled and fluttered about adding bits of color for the perfect finishing touches. 

At last she once again handed the mirror over to the mom.  The mom stared into the mirror and could only smile.  She took her baby girl into her arms and squeezed her tight as she kissed her cheeks.  She thanked her daughter for the wonderful makeover.  The little girl's eyes lit up.  She clapped her hands and asked repeatedly, “Do you like it?”  The ordinary not so ordinary mom responded, “Yes, I love it.  Thank you.” And again she hugged her little girl.  

The Master Potter

For Christmas one of my daughters received a children's pottery wheel from her grandparents. Both of my girls were very excited to use it and make a little pot. It took some time, but soon enough my girls had learned how to press on the clay and shape it as is spun one the wheel. As I helped them and watched their little hands shaping the clay I couldn't help but think of the analogy taught in the church of the Potter and the Clay. 

There were some instructions that came with this little pottery wheel.  They were pretty basic and easy to follow.  The first step was to squeeze and squish the clay a bit in our hands to soften it up.  Amazingly, this is where the analogy begins.  Before anything can be made of us we must soften our hearts and be willing to be molded and shaped by The Lord, the Master Potter.  If we harden our hearts and become stubborn or proud the Lord will not be able to work with us and mold us into something better. 

The second step was really simple too, however the instructions emphasized that it was crucial this step was taken or we wouldn't be able to progress.  The instructions stated that the softened clay MUST be placed in the CENTER of the wheel.  If it wasn't centered the clay would be unbalanced and the force of the wheel spinning would either break the clay, or it would be flung off the wheel.  So it is in our own lives.  It is not enough just to soften our hearts; if we do not have a Christ-centered life we will break and be placing ourselves outside the “safety zone” of Christ’s blessings and protection.  If we have a Christ centered life and allow ourselves to be sculpted by the trials given to us by the Master Potter we will be strong and become a beautiful vessel that can benefit mankind and bring joy to our maker. 

The next step was where things became a little more difficult.  This was when we needed to start applying pressure to the clay.  This seems easy enough, but as we learned, there has to be the right amount of pressure.  We needed to have a steady hand and be gentle so we didn't break our fragile pot, but if we didn't use enough pressure the clay would not move or change.  How lucky we are to have a Master Potter that knows exactly what we require in order to take shape and grow. 

In our instructions it told us that there were many different shaped pots we could create depending on how we molded the clay and which tools we used to shape it.  So are we, as God’s children, capable of being many different things.  And just as certain types of pots or vessels have a particular purpose, so do each of us.  Heavenly Father knows from the beginning what it is we are meant to be, what we are capable of.  And it is our Loving Maker that knows just what tools to use to change us and help shape us into who we need to be in order to fulfill our calling and purpose in this life.

There were other things that were necessary for us to make our little pots.  The instructions informed us that we would need to keep the clay wet during the whole process so that our hands could slide across it.  If the clay became too dry it would “snag” on our fingers and hands, which resulted in a misshapen pot.  At one point this even caused my daughter’s pot to crack and break.  Like the clay we also need things that will make this sculpting process easier, things that will help lessen the friction and pain of difficult times.  Things like prayer and scripture study will not only help keep us centered on Christ, but will allow the Holy Ghost to dwell with us and soothe our “snags” or rough spots. 

The final step in sculpting a clay pot is to put it in the oven or furnace and bake it so that it becomes solid and firm.  Sometimes our worst trials are the things that make us the strongest, so long as we trust in Heavenly Father, the Master Potter.

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8)

The Best Gift

Written by Ashley & Jessica

The hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping is done, the excitement and rush of celebrating is over, and the stress of the season has dissipated.  We’re seeing the end of holiday sales and annoying commercials.  The “after Christmas shopping” has peeked and surplus or unwanted gifts have been returned or exchanged.  The noisy, flashing toys may already be broken of have batteries half worn down…or removed by desperate parents.  Through all of this it’s important to remember the true gift of Christmas, the gift of Christ and His Atonement.  It is the greatest gift we could ever be given in this life.  It can’t be broken, it won’t lose its shine; it won’t be forgotten and replaced by a newer version once the current fad passes.  It is everlasting and eternal. 

As we put away our Christmas trees, we should not “put away” those thoughts of service, love and charity.  As we take down the twinkling lights let us remember the Light of Christ and strive to share it with others all year that Christmas will always be in our hearts.  As we come upon this New Year we should strive to remember this precious gift Christ gave us, the opportunity to repent and live again.  We challenge you as you make your New Year’s resolutions to consider this – How can each of us keep these things alive and special in our homes each and every day?  And what do we need to do to make it happen? We have both decided to put this at the top of our list of resolutions.  

I'm Too Tired...

Life has been so crazy lately.  I’m sure many of you feel the same. Since the week of Thanksgiving there has been something going on every single day.  It seems likes there’s been a little bit of everything, from making and decorating two cakes to learning music for Sacrament meeting and birthday parties and Christmas parties, calling So-and-so, planning lessons, going here, picking up that…the list could go on and on.  At the end of each day I found myself not wanting to do anything.  I’d think I’m too tired.  It seemed like I was thinking this whenever anything new came up, or if my children or husband asked something of me.  It most definitely popped into my head when I found a moment to do some writing.  I’d have a perfect opportunity to sit and write, but I’d tell myself I’ll do it later, I’m too tired now.  It didn’t take long, but I got sick of my own mental whining.  It occurred to me, I’m not really too tired to do whatever thing needed to be done, I just didn’t want to do it.  What I wanted was to take a nap.  However, once I realized I could in fact muster the energy I discovered a little more mental strength and was able to do what needed to be done. 

I also realized that I’ve had this “too tired” attitude before.  It has touched pretty much every aspect of my life at one time or another.  There have been times when I allowed the physical and mental fatigue to dictate my choices and, in the end, my accomplishments.  But when I put forth that last bit of effort and pushed myself just a little bit further I found that I was always able to achieve whatever goals I had.  I also found that after giving it my all the reward was that much greater. 

I think this is part of Heavenly Father’s plan.  He wants to test us, He wants to see how hard we are really willing to work, and when we show our determination He always pours out His blessings upon us. 

I know at the end of the year every one seems to be stressed and tired, so to all of you I say-

Don’t give up.  Keep going.  You can do great things, And when you do feel like you just cant give anymore – pray.  Heavenly Father will give you the strength to carry on. 

The Reason for the Season

Written by Ashley & Jessica

It’s officially December.  The Christmas season is now in full swing.  Shoppers are out in force eager for the best deal on gift items.  Holiday music can be heard everywhere.  I find myself singing lines from Silver Bells as I pass Christmas banners hung on the sides of city streets.  Santa has made numerous sightings, and snowmen (the decorative ones) are popping up all over.  Homes and other buildings are getting a Christmas makeover, decked out in twinkle lights and other festive decorations. 

 

But where is Christ? 

 

I love Christmas and pretty much all this season brings.  (I do not like the extra traffic and holiday shoppers)  I love the rush of picking out gifts for the people I love and planning the holiday goodies I’m going to make.  But the thing that makes this time of year special is the very Person that is often forgotten and is being pushed from the public eye.  Let us not forget the real reason for celebrating this Christmas.  Let us not forget the reason behind our joy and thanks.  Let us all remember our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Let Him be the center of our holiday, and lets all try a little bit harder to share Him and His message of love and joy with those around us.

 

Merry Christmas to all of you!  I hope this month and this Christmas season brings you joy!

 

Mundane Chores

Written by Ashley & Jessica

We're now half way through November.  Many of you have probably participated in NaNo, kudos to all of you!  We have not this year.  We have both been very busy.  Ashley just moved into a new house and is busy unpacking.  We haven't had much time to sit together and write.  I do, however, have a suggestion for those of you who, like us, may not be able to hammer through and write an entire novel this month. 
Last September fellow MMW, Amber Lynae, and I did a week of writing prompts.  Each day we were  given a short writing prompt and we wrote a response that was between 500 and 1,000 words.  It was a lot of fun.  When we first started the week I was a little intimidated and wasn't sure I would be able to finish, but I did it and learned so much about myself as a writer and what I could push myself to accomplish.  So, if you can't tackle a whole novel this month don't worry about it, but don't let that stop you from writing.  Take at least one day and write something wonderful!

I'm going to share with you one of the writing prompts we did.  When I first read the prompt I was worried I wouldn't come up with anything, but as I let the words start coming a fun picture came together in my mind. 


Writing prompt: "The best time to plan a book is while you're doing the dishes." Agatha Christie



 At the end of every meal another undertaking begins. The task in front of me is towering, rising up and intimidating, but it is my task. I don't complain, I know that it is an illusion. What seems like work is really a moment of freedom, so I embrace it as I roll up my sleeves and suds up my rag.

 My ideas are fluid and flowing like the water running over my hands.
 The clanging noises of pots and silverware awakens my sleeping muse. I feel her stretch and ready herself. The hot water rouses her magic...
 
 Each idea comes and goes, one dissolving into the other. I see battles and warriors, Queens and crowns. Perhaps there is a sleeping dragon guarding his copious treasures. And if there's a dragon there must be a hero to challenge him. Where did my hero come from? What is his life story? He must have had good parents with strong morals and valor. How else would he become such a valiant champion? I wonder at who his parents are and I think now about proud men and strong women. How can a stubborn man absorbed in his own arrogance be brought to love and appreciate the woman who is an outcast of society? The woman must be strong and stalwart in spite of adversity. She doesn't back down from a challenge. She's probably a bit of a curiosity at first, but the man would soon see her true valor and come to adore those very things that set her apart. They would then have their happily ever after and settle down in a beautiful cottage. A cottage surrounded by a rainbow of wildflowers. What other stories wait to be found in a sunny meadow? Every sunny meadow must have a dark forest looming in the distance. I see a stone cottage buried in the depths of the forest, its wall covered in moss. The dweller of the this cottage is an ancient witch. She sits at her table staring at her caldron as she strokes the ebony feathers of her companion. Ghosts and fair folk hover gracefully in the corners of my mind silently making their presence known. I see the little pixies dance in the moon light as they taunt the spirits that linger behind the branches of the trees. They whisper their stories to waiting ears until a dark demon forms and chases  them into the deep recesses of my mind. The shadowy demon is oppressive and terrifying but just as I feel it start to devour my thoughts I hear an angelic melody playing through the darkness. It chases away the sinister demon. Soon the sweet music melts into visions and can now see a small town carnival. I hear laughter and excited shouting. There's a little girl pulling on the arm of her mother begging for cotton candy. The whirring and dinging of the carnival games pulls at my mind's eye and I see a young couple holding hands. She points to the oversized stuffed animal and he wins it for her. Summer love. But what comes after the summer ends? My mind begins to play the story of struggling  newlyweds fighting for their love desperate to regain their lost passion. And then I see a couple who's love is as old and strong as a mountain. They have weathered the storms of life. They sit together and look at one another, always seeing the other as the one they could never live without.
 I look over at my husband and my heart swells with love and appreciation. He smiles back as he dries another dish. I think of our own love story and the places it has taken us.
 Bustling cities, quaint countries, far off islands. We've seen many horizons and  each journey has brought us closer together. I tell him I love him as I remember the sunset from our last cruise. It reminded me of the blazing sunsets of the old west. Cowboys ride through on their trusted horses, but as they disappear on the horizon a new story rises and I see an English gentleman on his thoroughbred galloping through the fog.  The fog swirls and dances as it envelopes the nobleman.  I can no longer see him but I hear the beats of horse hooves fading into the swirling white wisps. 
 
 My sink is empty, but my mind is full. All that is left is to write the many thoughts and breathe life into their waiting stories.

Four Walls and a Roof

Written by: Ashley & Jessica

 

Between the two of us we have moved 17 times in the past ten or so years. And now, one is moving again and the other is facing a potential move.

Sometimes moving can be difficult. We leave behind a house and friends, perhaps a place that we loved and enjoyed. Sometimes we may have to leave our "dream home." It can be hard. We have both had instances of difficulty leaving behind friends and family to go to a place we know almost nothing about. 

As these thoughts and ideas have passed between the two of us other questions surfaced: When we move and leave behind a house, are we really leaving behind a home?  Is a home something that can be left behind?  Or is it something we take with us, wherever we may move to?

What makes a house a home?  Is it the floor plan? The decorations or the furniture? These things can help, but are they the heart of our homes? We have been given much guidance over the years to help us make our homes. There are some physical things we keep in our houses that can add to our home.  We could keep our scriptures where they are not only seen but are easily accessed.  We can hang pictures of our family, the prophet, or other images of spiritual worth. We have been counseled to keep a picture of the temple in our homes.  President Spencer W. Kimball said, "It would be a fine thing if … parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so their children from the time they are infants could look at the picture every day until it becomes a part of their lives. When they reach the age that they need to make the very important decision concerning going to the temple, it will have already been made.”

  But what if all those physical things were lost?  Would our homes be lost as well?  In our case, the things that have made our houses into homes, wherever they've been, however small or large, have been the spiritual things we fill them with. It is the family prayer, the kind words and acts of selflessness and service.  It is when we focus on Jesus Christ and make Him the center of our lives that our houses, apartments, (or whatever dwelling we may reside in) become a home.  If we fill our hearts with love and charity any place can become a home because it will become a place for the Spirit to dwell. 

 

The Legend of Stingy Jack

Written by Ashley & Jessica

We are well into October now and fall is in full swing.  That means Halloween is just around the corner.  We both love Halloween.  Thinking of Halloween always stirs wonderful memories, from all the cute decorations through our childhood home, to trick or treating and all the costumes and our Halloween party where you can always find the best home made sloppy Joes. 



Something else we both enjoy are the fun stories and legends that surround Halloween and its traditions.  We wanted to share one of those fun stories, just in case you hadn't heard it before. 
I'm sure if asked to think of some of the symbols or icons associated with Halloween one of the first things most people think of is a Jack o'lantern.  But do you know the history behind these iconic pumpkins?  It is believed that the origins of Jack o'lanters come from Ireland and the Legend of Stingy Jack.

There once was a man named Stingy Jack.  Some say he was a thief, others a drunk, but all agree he was stingy.  Near the end of his life he was having a drink when the Devil came to collect his soul.  He asked the Devil if he could have just one more drink.  True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to have to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil, who could take any shape he chose, to turn into a coin Jack could use to pay for the drink.  The devil could then change back and no one would be the wiser.  The devil agreed, but once he turned into a coin Stingy Jack decided to keep the coin instead.  Jack placed the coin in his pocket next to a silver cross which prevented the Devil from changing back to his original form.  Jack eventually freed the Devil, but only after the Devil agreed to not bother Jack for a whole year and would not claim his soul when he died. 
The next year Jack again tricked the Devil, and convinced him to climb into a tree to pick a piece of fruit.  While he was up in the tree, Jack carved the sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down.  Jack did not let him down until the Devil promised Jack he would not bother him for ten more years. 
Soon after Jack died.  As the legend goes, God wouldn't allow such an unsavory and dishonest soul into heaven.  The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him, and keeping to his word not to claim Jack's soul, would not allow Jack into hell.  So he sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way.  Jack put his piece of coal into a carved out turnip and has been seen roaming the Earth with it ever since. 
The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," or "Jack o'Lantern."
In Ireland and Scotland people began to make their own versions of Jack's lantern by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy jack and other wandering evil spirits.  Eventually immigrants from these countries brought the Jack o'lantern tradition with them to America.  It was soon discovered that the plentiful pumpkins, which are native to America, made perfect Jack o'lanterns, and the tradition stuck.

 

 

 



What are some of your favorite Halloween traditions?

Where Can I Turn For Peace?

Written by Ashley & Jessica

What an amazing conference this has been!  We are so blessed to have a prophet of God on the earth to speak to us and give us direction, as well as all of the other men and women called of God to teach and guide us. 

The other week I was able to attend the temple.  As I sat pondering and enjoying the spirit of peace that surrounded me I suddenly realized that there was no noise.  There were no cars honking, no people yelling, no machinery or construction noise.  You'd never guess I was sitting in the middle of Manhattan.  It was amazing to ponder what a blessing this oasis of peace was in the middles of all the chaos. 



In today's world it can seem hard at times to find a place of peace.  We live in a world where, in most cases, we are surrounded by a whirlwind of things to do and places to be.  We have been counseled to attend the temple as often as we can.  However, depending on where you live and what stage of life you are in, this can be difficult to do.  For those not living near a temple it probably doesn't happen as often as we'd like.  Some may not have the time or means.  It is for this reason that it becomes all the more important, nay, critical that we make our homes a Heaven on Earth.  In this tumultuous world it is necessary to have a sanctuary, a place we can go to recharge and strengthen our spirits and minds.  In order to make our homes a holy place where the Spirit can dwell we need to treat them as holy places.  We need to make them our fortresses and keep evil without our walls.  If we fail to treat our homes as a special and holy place our spiritual fortifications will crumble.  I believe all of us are capable of making our homes a place of peace.  This doesn't mean we have to have spotless homes that are perfectly organized, or expensive furnishings or massive chandeliers.  It simply means that we open our doors and hearts to the teachings and standards the Lord has given us and close them against the temptations and fiery darts of the adversary.  Let us all actively strive to make our homes a heaven on earth and welcome in the peace of our Heavenly Father.

Where Does Our Trust Lie?

Written by Ashley & Jessica 

We've all come across moments in life that are hard to accept. Sometimes those moments try our faith, perhaps causing us to wonder if we've been forgotten or left behind. These moments can be a great cause of worry and uncertainty. We may find ourselves weighed down by doubts and questions. It would become easy to get lost in these feelings but when we put our trust in Jesus Christ and follow Him we will not fail. When we look to Christ we can replace any doubts and uncertainties with faith. In time we may find that these difficult times resulted in some of the richest learning experiences. It's when we endure through dark and difficult times that we are rewarded with blessings we wouldn't have been able to receive otherwise.

Remember when you find yourself in moments of hardship or uncertainty: 

"There isn't enough room in your mind for both worry and faith. You must decide which one will live there."

Arm Yourselves

I taught the lesson today for the Beehives class.  As I planned this lesson I quickly realized that this lesson is not just for the youth, or even just the members of the LDS church, but for all people.  The lesson was titled "How do I guard my virtue." In class we discussed things like the meaning of virtue and why it's so important to continue learning these things week after week.  The definition I gave the girls for virtue was "the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong," with the emphasis on doing and avoiding.  Those are action words.  In order to be virtuous we have to act.  My mom had a quote I heard quite often.  She would say something like "You need to be polite," or "You need to clean your room." To which I would always reply "I knoooow!" My mom would then say, "Knowing and doing are two different things."  This holds true to being virtuous as well.  We can know all the right things to do, we can know all the right answers in church, but knowing things and actually doing them are two very different things.  While we need to study and learn all the days of our lives that knowledge will do us no good unless we apply it to our lives and truly LIVE the gospel. 
In today's world it can be very difficult to live a virtuous life.  Satan waits around every corner eager to thwart our efforts.  Luckily we have been given the protection we need.  In Ephesians 6:11-17 we learn about the armor of God.  With it we can protect ourselves from any wickedness in our path.  However, this also takes action.  It's not enough to have the armor.  It doesn't do us any good if it sits at home on display, or worse, lays forgotten in some corner.  We must put on this armor every day.  Even when wearing out armor we will face challenges.  The world will continue to go against us, and Satan will still try to bring you down.  He will work and fight against you until he knows your weakness, and then he will try to exploit that weakness until he sees you fall.  He will do this subtly at first.  He will use other people to lull you into a false sense of security.  Or he will use others to make you feel embarrassed about your armor, "It's so old fashioned, and uncool."  Don't listen.  Don't give in.  If we put our whole faith in the strength of the Lord we can protect ourselves against Satan's attacks. 



I'm a Super Hero

As I'm sure many of you know there are a plethora of moments in which we, as parents, just have to take a step back and laugh.  Whether it's a little child getting themselves into a predicament they can't seem to understand or a delightful question asked in pure innocence from the mouths of our babes.  Other times  we find ourselves in the middle of a situation that we could easily allow our frustrations to come through as a snarling beast or a raging gorilla.  It's these moments I think it wise to retain a sense of humor and remember that these potentially overwhelming times will be over before we know it and we'll find ourselves looking back on them with fond recollection. 
I had a perfect reminder of this while we were getting ready for church this morning.  I had just bathed my youngest and had sent her to brush her hair.  When she returned she had marker all over her face, arms, and legs.  She told me she was a "robot kitty," and was NOT washing it off. 



*a little side note: I had just washed off a "kitty face" she had drawn on herself earlier this morning.

I could have easily allowed my inner raging gorilla to take over and yell at her for getting messy right before church.  I could have snarled and grumbled which would have made her cry and fight me the rest of the morning.  Instead I chose to smile and see the moment for what it was.  I chose to see my daughter's smiling "robot kitty" face and just enjoy the moment.  I didn't say anything about the pink and green stripes all over her arms and legs or the purple "kitty" nose.  I just did her hair and sent her off to play while I finished getting ready.  A few minutes before we had to leave I asked my little one if she wanted me to put sparkles in her hair, which of course she did.  I told her she could either have sparkles or a "robot kitty" face.  She chose the sparkles and I was able to clean the marker off (for the most part). 
I kind of felt like a super hero saving the day, or at least the morning.  I think that every parent has an inner super hero just waiting to save the day.  We just have to chose her (or him) over the snarling raging beast.

Lost Treasures

The other day I was going over some old documents on my computer and stumbled upon something I had completely forgotten about.  If it had been a physical discovery I would've had to blow off a few layers of dust, but since it was a saved document and not the Dead Sea Scrolls I clicked on the intriguing title, "Idea."  I was surprised to find it was a somewhat lengthy document, and best of all, it was a pretty good idea!  This got my creative juices flowing and I wanted to immediately start writing in new thoughts and develop this story.  As I read through I started playing the story out in my mind and building a mental structure for the story.  I have a pretty good handle on the direction the story should take.  Now the only dilemma is should Ashley and I stop working on our current WIP and work on this new project, or do we let it sit and stew a little longer.  We could probably work on both here and there, but it feels wrong to take time away from a project we're really trying to finish.  Hopefully we can power through our current story and add in all the froofy little details to make it a complete story so we can move onto something new. 

Have any of you found any lost or forgotten treasurers lately?

My Family Tree

This last week my husband and I received an incredible blessing, a small miracle.  After waiting almost eight years we have been given the genealogy to my husband's paternal side.  Having access to this information was something we had pretty much given up hope for. 
The day after the packet of treasured information came in the mail I sat down to look through it.  The moment I took the papers in my hand I was overcome with emotion and a great sense of urgency to prepare this information and allow these ancestors to receive their long awaited ordnances.  I could feel a tingling sensation in my fingers as I turned each page.  All my life I've heard peoples' stories of doing genealogy for their family and I never quite understood the feelings they described.  I never felt the sense of importance of genealogy.  While going through these papers, though, I quickly learned why the people who have done genealogy work have such a passion for it.  The excitement I feel and the collective sense of urgency from somewhere beyond me is something I am unable to ignore.
As of yesterday I have made it half way through the packet of information and I've managed to create a very extensive family tree.  However, there are holes here and there where information has been lost.  . One name, or rather, a lack of name stood out to me.  In all the information that my husband's family had collected there was one woman, a second wife, where the only information was for her children, there was no information about the woman at all.  No name, nor birth date, no death date.  Nothing.  I immediately singled her out as one of my priorities.  Over the course of two hundred years this woman's name was forgotten, disappearing into history.  The idea that a prominent figure of this family had disappeared broke my heart and I committed to find out who she was.  It took some digging, but thanks to the amazing records and resources of the church I have found her. I don't think I could describe the feeling when I found her.  She became real again.  Even thinking about it gives me such a high and renews my excitement.  I'm hoping that this sensation will help pull me through some of the difficulties I may face in the process of completing this genealogical work. 
I have so much to learn and yet in spite of the fact that this is such an overwhelming task I don't feel overwhelmed at all.  I realize that this is only the beginning, but my testimony of family history and genealogy work has blossomed overnight, and is becoming something I never knew I had inside me.



Have any of you done genealogy work?  Have any tips for a newbie?

Failure is Always an Option

I was reminded of a very important lesson this weekend.  It's something I think we all need to learn and be reminded of. 

Don't give up.

Sometimes we are going to hit bumps, we are going to struggle, we are going to get down on ourselves, and sometimes we are going to flat out fail.  And that's OK. 
Losing a battle is not the same as losing the war.  Keep trying, keep pushing forward.  You've never truly failed until you stop trying.  I don't want my kids, or anyone else, to think that it's OK to give up just because things get hard, but I also don't want them to think that winning is everything or that if you don't win you're worthless. 

I've spent this whole summer feeling like I'm last in the pack, desperately fighting to keep up.  There's been a lot going on and some weeks seem to go by in a blink leaving me feeling like I've accomplished nothing except to fall even further behind.  In this whirlwind my writing has taken a back seat.  Even for the blog I feel like I've been phoning it in.  I've been treading water, barely keeping my head from going under.  But you know what?  I'm not sunk, and I'm not going down. 
It is just fine to take a break and catch your breath.  It's even OK to drop a WIP, or whatever you might be doing or working on and put it to rest.  Maybe that project or attempt just wasn't meant to be.  Or perhaps it was only meant to teach you something.  Giving it up may be the only way to move on and try again.

A wise man once told me that education always has a price.  A lot of the time we pay with money or time.  Other times it's with our tears or pride.  Sometimes failing is the price we pay.  I think whatever currency we use to pay for our education we need to take what we learn and be grateful for it.  We can often learn more from our failures than we can from our successes. 

My husband was in his first bike race this weekend.  He has been riding for about a year and a half and loves to ride.  He goes out with a group at least three times during the week and then does a really long ride on Saturdays, usually around 80 or 100 miles.  This race he was in was different than the rides he normally does, and this being his first one, he wasn't sure what to expect.  It turns out the race was harder than he thought it was going to be and he wasn't as prepared as he would have liked.  He ended up pulling out of the race before it was over.  He was really disappointed in himself for not finishing, he felt like he had failed.  I chose to see it differently. I know, I know, that's easy for me to do since I wasn't the one in the race, but sometimes not being directly involved enables one to see the bigger picture (this is why I think it can be a good idea to share your struggles and challenges with a friend).  A year and a half ago when my husband had just started riding he could make it only a few miles.  But he kept at it, getting a little farther or a little faster each time.  He went from barely finishing his first Tour de Cure century ride to being the first to finish this year.  If he had given up after that first ride he never would have had the high and known the excitement of finishing first the next year.  The race this weekend was just another learning experience showing my husband the areas he needs to work on in order to obtain the next goal.  That's not a real failure.  He did his best and gave it his all.  As disappointed as he feels he knows he can't let it defeat him.  He knows that sometimes hitting the lows gives you a better perspective showing you how to succeed. 



No matter what is going on in your life, don't let it stop you, keep going.  Learn what you can and try again.

Never give up.

 

 

 

My husband after finishing first in this year's Tour de Cure