Stronger Through Him

 "Mom, the party is from 6:30-11:30 in Granger (45 min from us).  Can you drive?" I firmly believe that it has ALWAYS been worth it to drive our kids where necessary so that they can gather with kids with shared values in safe environments.   Sometimes that means hosting, tonight it meant I got the late shift. Elisabeth Elliott wrote, "We are not often called to great sacrifice, but daily we are presented with the chance to make small ones." This from a woman who gave of her time and means to serve as a missionary in Ecuador where her husband was speared to death in 1956.   Talk about a sacrifice!  Do I love driving late at night? No. Did I have to change my schedule? Yes. Does it take time and money? Yes. Did I get to watch the kids hiding in bushes with glow sticks? Yes. Did I get to hear the giggles and friendship of these kids for the whole ride home? Yes! Did the kids graciously thank me? Absolutely!  A story read.  A teen picked up.  A call to a friend.  A tur

  This local story caught my attention and has had me contemplating who and how I serve and share the love of God. "The Elkhart County Jail Ministry held its first-ever hymn-sing inside the Elkhart County Jail. A local Amish choir from Middlebury made rounds throughout the jail, singing two hymns in each ward. Hearing the slow, melodic songs reverberating off the concrete walls and ceiling had a calming and soothing effect on all of us. There were standing ovations, hands raised in worship, men singing along to songs they recognized from their childhood, requests for favorite hymns being shouted from the back of the room...and tears. This is what the Kingdom of God sounds like." Why?  Why were they singing- in spite of their current situation? Why were they requesting their favorites? Why were they brought to tears? Because of the magic of music and how it aids in feeling the Holy Spirit and whispers to our souls truths we once knew.  Even if life choices

 Four different times yesterday I tripped over, stubbed my toe or knocked down the loose baby gate leaning against the stairs. Four!  We use it to keep the dogs downstairs at certain times but they've  been able to go up and down freely for a few days. And I just kept knocking that gate over again and then getting frustrated.   Finally, I moved the gate.  And incredibly enough I am now less likely to trip on it. 🤦‍♀️ In the same way sometimes as we work to free ourselves from entangling sin, if we fail to change the circumstances or environment around us, we are much more likely to find ourselves stuck in that sin again. And then feeling frustrated and discouraged. Elder Joseph B Wirthlin cautioned, "I do not know of another period in the history of the world that has been so filled with such a variety of entangling nets. Our lives are so easily filled with appointments, meetings, and tasks. It is so easy to get caught in a multitude of nets that sometimes even a suggestion o

 I went to the viewing for a friend and co-worker who recently passed away. It was a very long and slow moving line with many, many people arriving to share their condolences with her parents and brother. Many stories were told and many tears and hugs were shared.  But as the group of us coworkers came to the line, and introduced ourselves to her parents, her mom became very emotional. She shared that she sure hoped her daughter could see all the people there for HER, not just her parents but HER.  She said she would never have guessed so many people would come because self-esteem was difficult for her sweet daughter.  And my heart nearly broke. How could this amazing lady have not understood what an integral part of our community she was?  The good she did? And the friends she had? To be fair, her mom didn't see her at work and see the network she had built.  But I am sure there were also times where I failed to thank her, encourage her or connect.  Missed opportunities.  I wonder

  There is an intelligent opposition who is working hard to exaggerate the bad and downplay the good in our lives.   This truth was shared at a training I was part of this morning.  And I needed to hear it.  To remember. Satan knows our insecurities and our weaknesses. And wants to exploit them to hurt and destroy.  Jesus knows our insecurities and our weaknesses and loves us deeply and says they can become our strengths as we turn to him and learn and grow. Our Heavenly Father has bigger plans for us than we can imagine, and certainly bigger than we can see through our narrow mortal perspective. And when we put down that faulty lens Satan has created, we will be more easily able to see the good, to experience the light and to feel the love.  

  I got up extra early this morning and was waiting for a breathtaking sunrise in the peaks of the Colorado mountains.   It felt like 32 degrees and I was freezing but decided to do my scripture study while shifting from one foot to the other from my vantage point on a bridge.   I looked up at the towering peaks outlined by the predawn light and looked up every scripture about mountains. Strangely I was drawn to 1 Samuel 17:3.  The set up for David and Goliath. "And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them." It's not just enough to be at a high place.   It has to be the Lord's place.   There are multiple times in scripture where people are directed by the Lord to go to a mountain to receive revelation.   But He doesn't just say pick whichever mountain you want.   Or which makes the most sense to you. Or which is closest or easiest. He dictates w

  Ella just shared this AFY experience with us. Her session director gathered the kids. "Okay, we are going to pair up and thumb wrestle.  You will have 30 seconds to see how many pins you can get." The teens went crazy as they began battling. When 30 seconds was up they asked for the totals.  Most groups said 2 or 3.   But then one pair of boys called out 32. "No way!  How did you do that?  That's crazy". "They didn't say we had to win, just pin.  So we took turns and got as many together as we could." The lesson was taught.  Brother Young further explained that when our only goal is to "win" we miss out on the opportunities for a good outcome for all.  Competition drives away peace. Interestingly enough, at a seminar I heard Dr Becky Bailey talk about the neuroscience which shows that if cooperation is established first, competition can be added in a healthy and beneficial and fun way.  But if competition is estab

 I read this phrase in the description plate near this sculpture by Avard Fairbanks which was originally on display at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933-34. "Families that love and serve one another are a blessing to themselves and everyone around them." It has been playing again and again in my mind and I realized that not only do I believe this, but it's something I need to continually focus on. It has to be intentional. It won't be perfect. But if loving and serving is the pattern we want, focusing on the principles taught by Jesus Christ make it most likely to come about.   I remember a Family Home Evening where we tried to make this more intentional years ago.  I bought some candy bars and during the lesson each person drew another's name and had the task of choosing the candy that person   would most like. We watched the dilemma on some faces as they had to determine not only what their sibling liked best, but what to do if it conflicted with their own fa

Sometimes the only words I have are "Thank You, Lord."❤️

  Years ago, in the middle of the night I awoke to my young daughter in respiratory distress.   After trying her usual treatments I quickly ascertained that she needed more help and I hurried her out to the van in the driveway.   To my horror, the van door stood open.   As I leaned into the vehicle I was met with a hissing sound and beady eyes peering out.  I screamed and ran back into the house with my daughter and shared some choice feelings with my husband who had left the door open after arriving home at a very late hour.   I grabbed the keys to the truck and took her to the hospital.   In the end all was fine, and I am sure it would have made a hilarious YouTube video, but ultimately the reason the critter made it into the vehicle was simple.   The door was left open. Judas Iscariot walked with Jesus, talked with him, prayed with him, witnessed his miracles and personally felt of his love. And yet he yielded to the temptation of Satan and gave into his greed for mon