My Grandma has been sick for about a month. She started out in the hospital, and after a few days was moved to a rehab place, where she will stay until she is well enough for her new home in an assisted living facility. She has had lots of up and downs in the rehab place. There were times we thought she was close to death, and then she has shown good improvement. I have been able to visit her frequently (a couple of times a week at least) over the last several weeks. It has been such a blessing. I have some sweet memories of this time with my grandma, and I have seen my Grandma's sweet and wonderful spirit shine through even when she physically is having a hard time.
Brian has been able to give Grandma two blessings. Both were wonderful! I will cherish those moments when heaven felt very close.
But the main memory I want to record here took place this Sunday evening. We took the kids to see Grandma. My mom was there as well. Nathan brought his violin and played "I am a Child of God" and a couple of other hymns for us, as well as a piece of "Ashokan Farewell". I watched as Grandma's foot bounced to the rhythm of the songs. We talked with Grandma for a little bit. As it was nearing time to leave Mom asked if we could sing and pray with Grandma. We sang "I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me" and then Grandma invited Brian to say our family prayer. It was a wonderful evening.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
Feeling Sentimental
Sometimes I can't believe how fast time is going, and how fast the kids are growing. I feel like it was just a moment ago that they were all tiny, then I blinked and have two teenagers and two nearing the end of their time in elementary school.
I am scared to blink again because I know that it isn't long before they will be leaving home, going on missions, getting married, having kids . . . and I can't think about this too long or I freak out a bit.
Don't get me wrong. I love that my kids are growing up! They are independent, confident kids. They are eager to learn, they have so many talents. They are kind and they strive really hard to do what is right and make good choices. They love each other and enjoy being with their siblings. I count my blessings every day. I feel so lucky that Heavenly Father saw fit to send this little crew to our home and family.
But sometimes I let myself indulge in a little sentimentality. Last May I made this video to help me do just that. It has pictures of my kids at similar stages in the first five years of life (newborn, blessing, infant, 3 month portraits, annual portraits and a picture from during each year of their life) as well as some of my favorite shots of the four of them together.
Truthfully, I had forgotten I made this video, but found it this week as I was in another moment of remembering the past in order to help me more fully appreciate the present.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
They hushed their fears
We used this talk by Elder Bednar in April 2015 for our Relief Society lesson a few weeks ago, and I was able to make a real interesting connection that I never made before.
Elder Bednar began his talk by telling a story about when he was young and broke a window and the fear he felt. Our instructor asked us if there was ever a time that we felt fear. Immediately a day came to mind. We had received some scary news. The entire day I was completely overwhelmed by worry and fear. I cried a lot. In my mind I went through countless "what if" scenarios, each one getting progressively scarier.
As we continued to talk about the talk, I thought more about that day, and the days that came shortly after. How was I able to overcome the fears I felt so acutely that day?
I remembered Family Home Evening that very night. We talked about the story of Manna from heaven. I asked the kids why, did they think, that the Israelites gathered too much manna. They, as young children, thought that they wanted to avoid having to work the next day. As we talked another possibility came to my mind. Maybe they were scared it wouldn't be there the next day. As I shared this thought with the kids I felt the Spirit say, "see! The Lord has taken care of you before, and he will again."
Another thing I remember distinctly about that night is that I felt a strong desire to be in the temple. All of the kids had gone back to school, and were in school all day, so I decided to have Brian drop me off at the Provo temple on his way to work (and I would take the bus home). I didn't receive any earth-shattering answers that day, but I felt the peace of being in the Lord's house, which was what I so desperately needed.
In the weeks that followed, I spent a lot of time in prayer. I encouraged Brian to ask for a Priesthood blessing, and our dear friend (our Bishop) came and gave him a wonderful blessing. I feel like the Lord was talking as much to me as to him that day.
I also realized the impact of others' prayers on our behalf. Our former Bishop prayer for Brian publicly one Sunday (without mentioning the specific trial). My heart was so touched, and I truly felt the strength that came from his prayer and others that I know were being offered for us.
That was a lot that went on in my brain during just a few minutes of the lesson, but this is where I made the connection.
Elder Bednar teaches us to "Look to Christ . . .Build on a foundation of faith in Christ . . . [and] Press Forward with Faith in Christ.]
I realized that the Lord was able to help me feel peace and overcome my fears because I was doing the things that would help me look to Christ and build my foundation on Him. I was putting myself in the places and situations that helped me feel close to Him and that helped me remember the promises he has made to me.
Now, I know that this epiphany is really nothing new. But there was something powerful for me during that class, to be able to relate our topic to something so concrete in my life.
Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement, in the Resurrection and eternal life (see Moroni 7:41).
Elder Bednar began his talk by telling a story about when he was young and broke a window and the fear he felt. Our instructor asked us if there was ever a time that we felt fear. Immediately a day came to mind. We had received some scary news. The entire day I was completely overwhelmed by worry and fear. I cried a lot. In my mind I went through countless "what if" scenarios, each one getting progressively scarier.
As we continued to talk about the talk, I thought more about that day, and the days that came shortly after. How was I able to overcome the fears I felt so acutely that day?
I remembered Family Home Evening that very night. We talked about the story of Manna from heaven. I asked the kids why, did they think, that the Israelites gathered too much manna. They, as young children, thought that they wanted to avoid having to work the next day. As we talked another possibility came to my mind. Maybe they were scared it wouldn't be there the next day. As I shared this thought with the kids I felt the Spirit say, "see! The Lord has taken care of you before, and he will again."
Another thing I remember distinctly about that night is that I felt a strong desire to be in the temple. All of the kids had gone back to school, and were in school all day, so I decided to have Brian drop me off at the Provo temple on his way to work (and I would take the bus home). I didn't receive any earth-shattering answers that day, but I felt the peace of being in the Lord's house, which was what I so desperately needed.
In the weeks that followed, I spent a lot of time in prayer. I encouraged Brian to ask for a Priesthood blessing, and our dear friend (our Bishop) came and gave him a wonderful blessing. I feel like the Lord was talking as much to me as to him that day.
I also realized the impact of others' prayers on our behalf. Our former Bishop prayer for Brian publicly one Sunday (without mentioning the specific trial). My heart was so touched, and I truly felt the strength that came from his prayer and others that I know were being offered for us.
That was a lot that went on in my brain during just a few minutes of the lesson, but this is where I made the connection.
Elder Bednar teaches us to "Look to Christ . . .Build on a foundation of faith in Christ . . . [and] Press Forward with Faith in Christ.]
I realized that the Lord was able to help me feel peace and overcome my fears because I was doing the things that would help me look to Christ and build my foundation on Him. I was putting myself in the places and situations that helped me feel close to Him and that helped me remember the promises he has made to me.
Now, I know that this epiphany is really nothing new. But there was something powerful for me during that class, to be able to relate our topic to something so concrete in my life.
Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement, in the Resurrection and eternal life (see Moroni 7:41).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)