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Tender Mercies

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 Today I was sitting in our church service, keenly aware that across the country, my dad was undergoing surgery for his ankle injury sustained a little over a week ago. As my mom posted updates, I felt far away. There were some complex issues they had to face and I was, of course, worried and praying for him. Then our closing hymn was announced and I smiled. Hymn #252.  Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel. It was the song my dad chose for us to sing in Family Home Evening every time he was song leader.  We sang it SO many times.   And today it made me feel a little closer to him. Elder David A Bednar once shared a similar situation in which a hymn comforted him. “A loving Savior was sending me a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance through a hymn selected weeks previously. Some may count this experience as simply a nice coincidence, but I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence.” And tender merc
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S’more

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  Just a quick reminder that when the Lord said he would use small and simple things to bring about great things, that has countless applications. And one of the best is in creating memories.   Traveling can bring wonderful shared memories, (both positive and negative!) but Disneyland doesn’t have the monopoly on happiness.   Visits there can bring excitement and wonder to children’s eyes- but so can fireflies and puppies. Or splashing in puddles or a picnic in the park. Family pictures on the beach can help bring back memories of shared moments bodysurfing and building sandcastles. But backyard candids after a day working together in the garden that spawned a water fight will bring just as many smiles in remembrance. Or board games and dance parties in the living room.  It’s ultimately not about the location, the cost or the extravagance.   Success comes down to love and time together.  Perhaps what we need is “s’more” of the simple things!
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Strawberry Jam

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 I was cleaning out  my pantry the other day and came across some sure-jell I had purchased at the end of the season last year.   Like 99% of the population, homemade strawberry freezer jam is a delicacy I adore. So yesterday, while he was out running errands,  I asked George to text me the price on strawberries so I could make a batch or two.  There was a solid deal so I told him to go ahead and get 10 packages.  Only they were the 2 lb packages so suddenly I had 20 pounds of strawberries to use very quickly.   It also put me a bit over on my grocery budget.  Nothing I couldn’t handle, but just a bit frustrating. This morning when I got up, there was a message on Facebook that quickly caught my attention. My good friend battled and beat breast cancer only to then be assaulted by new lesions in her brain.   In her post she simply said that she hadn’t been able to get the berries to make her freezer jam this year and could she buy some from anyone.   I knew immediately why I had double
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Dads

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  Today is Father’s Day. The phrase that keeps echoing in my mind is one I heard a sobbing young teen boy repeat over and over again. He had just found out that the courts had ruled he would not be allowed to have physical contact with his father. With tears streaming down his face he repeatedly exclaimed, “Kids need their dads!” How true that is!   But dads also need their families. Elder James E Faust declared, “In terms of giving to fathers love and understanding, it should be remembered that fathers also have times of insecurity and doubt. Everyone knows fathers make mistakes—especially they themselves. Fathers are in need of all the help they can get; mostly they need love, support, and understanding from their own.” Take the time to say thank you, I love you, I believe in you, I forgive you.   And if you are not able to do that for any reason- hurt, death, disappointment, or a myriad of other factors, turn to the perfect Father we all have. Our Heavenly Father
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Entitlement

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  As we stopped to get family donuts this morning, the sign in the restroom caught my eye. “Please be considerate of others and clean up any messes you may have left.” It reminded me of a sharp contrast I observed several years ago.  As a young class visited the restroom, a student balled up their paper towel and attempted to toss it into the trash can from across the room. He missed and went over to pick up the paper. His teacher immediately stopped him and commented, “Oh you don’t need to pick that up, that’s what we have janitors for.” What a missed opportunity. The child had naturally felt responsibility for his own actions and had tried to pick up his mess. Yet instead of helping cement that foundation of personal accountability, the teacher had reinforced entitlement and laziness. This same attitude is increasingly prevalent in society today.   It sounds like “Why should I have to?”, “Someone else will do it” or “It’s not my job”. Elder Dallin H Oaks stated, “The values of the wo
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Joy

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  All of my kids are home this week for our youngest’s graduation. On Sunday morning as everyone filled the pew next to me, running a few minutes late, all I could feel was joy.   Joy that we were all together for this moment. Worshiping the Savior together.   As I looked over at my daughter-in-law’s dress I noticed that the blue and coral flowers perfectly matched two of the girls’ dresses and helped tie the group together. That very much describes her role in our family.  Her own unique beauty but one that helps us bind together. We won’t be together for long, but I’m soaking up that joy.  In 2 Ne we can read about the fall of Adam and Eve but also the blessings that came from that fall. “And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.” Yes there are hard parts in parenting.   T
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I Like Your Jesus

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  A couple months ago, our home was the host site for the cast party after the musical.   In preparation for 85 teens to descend upon us I prepped food and cleaned and tried to make our home inviting. But it still gave me the normal sense of anxiety at opening our space to many people. Try as I might, I will always see this as a source of vulnerability and judgement.   But I’m getting better at it! The day before the party, some other parents stopped to drop things off and one mom came inside and introduced herself.  As she looked around she commented on several things and I could feel my nervous energy creeping up. But then as she looked up, she smiled and said, “I like your Jesus!” I glanced at the Christus statue atop my shelf and thought, “I like my Jesus too.” And I was filled with a peace and warmth.   Dozens of times since that day at moments that feel hard, imperfect or frustrating I have had that thought go through my head.   I like my Jesus.   I love my Jesus. And He loves me
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