Thursday, October 30, 2014

My Fridge is Full

Since getting married, I have come to believe that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where  most of our conversations take place as we make and eat meals, play games, do homework, pray for each other and the food ( the food really needs it:). But the other day I looked at my fridge and saw it in a whole new light. First of all, the pure fact that I have this large box inside my home that not only keeps things safely cold and conveniently cold, like drinks, but also freezes my leftovers and other food to be ready to cook, well that is simply amazing! That means I have abundance!! I have food left over! My kids don't go to bed hungry (unless they don't like dinner). We have choices of what to eat and when, this week or in a month. When I think of the mothers throughout the world who have very little to no choice of what their babies eat, or if their bellies are full, well...
That is just the inside of my fridge. Now to what I noticed this week, the outside. You see the outside of my fridge is also full. I realize my friends who have magazine cover homes will cringe as I admit this, but it is full. Let me take you on a tour. On one side I have a magnetic flash light from a lesson a friend shared. We are the light of the world, let us shine our lights.
I have a magnet that says "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." This quote was used frequently during the Great Depression. It has helped me regain perspective many times when I have let my wants take a forefront over my needs.
We have an invitation to a wedding. Someone wants to share the beginning of their family with us!
I have an invitation to a baby shower. Another precious little baby has come into the world and I get to help celebrate!
There are multiple pictures made by my kids. Preston watched a tutorial on line by Jan Brett, and I have to say his picture turned out pretty amazing. Maybe he will grow up to be an artist. There is the paper plate sun by Derek, made in our co-op preschool. The sun makes me smile and so does our preschool. I wish all grades could be a co-op school like our preschool. It has been so amazing!
There is a picture of our family by Brennan, my two year old. Although no one else would ever know what it is, I do.
 There is this set of plastic magnetic gears. There is a motor in the main one and as the kids put the gears in different places they can really get things going. Nearly every kid that has spent any time in our kitchen (and they usually do, because that is where the cookies are) has spent time with those gears.That has been one of our all time favorite toys.
There are the magnets that were pictures that Garrett made in school and they turned them into magnets. I love those! What he drew in elementary school is very different than what and how he draws now, and those are glimpses back to simpler days.
On the other side of my fridge is our family calendar. Admittedly, some days and weeks, I just don't even want to look, because it is so everlastingly full. Some things I want to be at and others not so much, but each has their purpose. There are also birthdays and holidays and fun events.
My fridge is not for the faint of heart, or for the magazine cover, but it is a huge part of the heart of my home and it is thankfully, full.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

A Naughty Horse

In spite of my careful preparations, Sunday did not go as planned and I turned into a Momster! By the time I actually did get to church, I was thoroughly disgusted with myself and  frustrated by weaknesses that I have been trying to overcome.

Frankly, I was also wondering why God hasn't given up on me yet. Well, we go to church for a reason and I got my answer.

The story was related how as a boy, Joseph Fielding Smith, had a horse.

She was smart.

No matter what he did, she could get out of her stall. Not only would she escape, she would often turn on the water spigot and leave it running.
Sometimes in the middle of the night he would wake to hear water running and have to get up and go turn it off and put her back.
In time, his father suggested that the horse was smarter than he. So his father decided to lock her in himself and before the two of them had made it to the house, the horse was by their side! She then ambled off to turn on the water.

Most of us would say, get rid of the horse. But Joseph's mother was a licensed midwife and was often called upon to travel at all hours and in all kinds of weather to deliver babies. They knew that they could depend upon this strong horse to take her where she needed to be. She was gentle enough that Joseph could hitch her up, no matter the time or the weather to do her duty.

Her naughtiness was tempered with some very important strengths.

Isn't that how we are? At times, I can't help but wonder if I will ever be able to overcome my weaknesses, particularly on days when I have been just plain naughty.
But on Sunday, I was reminded that I have strengths that are just as strong and also important to my Maker.

He isn't going to give up on me because He sees those good qualities, the very qualities He gave me.

He doesn't condone my naughtiness, but He does know that with His patient love I can overcome them.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Show and Tell

As I sit here, I have to say I am thinking, "I've done it! I have a blog. I am a blogger!" But now the reality sets in, what on earth does that mean?   I think it means, I have something to share. Remember "show and tell" in school? Everyone had something at some time that they wanted to show or an experience they wanted to tell about. Even the kids who were really shy, if they found a special treasure or something neat happened, the wanted their turn too.  I think it is fundamental to our nature. We all have a voice and want to be heard. On second thought, not everyone has a voice. I recently have become acquainted with an elderly woman who has lost the use of most of her body including much, but not all, of her ability to speak. So I am learning to read eyes. Sometimes the depth of gratitude in her eyes is more than any "thank you" I have ever heard aloud. As I spoke with her about some life experiences I am having, I "heard" her say, "Yes, I have been there too." Some of us want to be heard and validated, some want to be heard and disagreed with, and others want to shock or surprise the world with their ideas. I don't have anything earth shattering to say, I'm sure. Yet, there is part of me that just can't help it when I see something that thrills me, or scares me, or makes me laugh, that I just have to share. So welcome to my "show and tell."