Stronger Through Him

When I was about 10 years old, my friends and I were chatting in our primary class. One was telling us about a poor decision her brother had made the day before. When our teacher came in and asked what we were talking about, I asked her if she had heard what the boy had done.  She looked at us kindly and then said, "Please don't tell me if I don't need to know.  I would hate to always think about something negative every time I thought of him." Proverbs 31:26 reminds, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Avoiding gossip is not only kind to those whose reputations we would be speaking of, but also those who we would be burdening with harsh and unnecessary memories.  While I didn't get it perfectly and have definitely made mistakes and had to repent over the years, I have always been grateful for that lesson Sister Comstock taught me.

I wrote this during a particularly difficult time. Perhaps it will help someone else. My Glass Crawling through the desert, Surrounded by sand. The sun beats relentless Thirst my body's demand. Half full or half empty? I'm not sure anymore.  Sometimes I feel nothing Other times it's a roar.  I feel all alone Yet push away those who try. Striking out in anger   And setting markers too high.  My glass isn't just empty It cracked and then shattered What I knew now seems gone  Like it never even mattered.  My mind is now whirling  In what can I trust?  My foundations feel shaky Like I'll crumble to dust. But somewhere inside My tiny faith still hides. In a corner where I buried it  The only sure guides.  As I crawl to the edge Of His promised well I don't have a cup, I'm embarrassed to tell. He smiles gently  And simply says drink He uses his dipper  And fills to my brink.  He touches my brokenness He smoothes out each shard E...

 This week following a decision to rename more than 40 schools that were named after historical figures, a San Francisco school board member stated "we should not make heroes out of mortal folks."   I'm not debating that there aren't times to seriously consider the choices and ways we honor people, but this statement simply isn't true. It is because of Jesus Christ that we are able to look at the good that people have accomplished in spite of their flaws and weaknesses.  We can then learn from them and have patience in our own struggles to overcome our own weaknesses and also do good. Thomas S Monson taught: "In our selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines." I love this because I have many heroines and heroes that have been role models for me.  He further stated: "Some may question: “But what is the value of such an illustrious list of heroes, even a private Hall of Fame?” I answer. When we obey, as did Adam, endure as did Job, teach as di...

This week I've been feeling frustrated with illness and found myself saying, "Why do I always have to be sick?" And I was drawn back to this journal entry.  I wrote this from the hospital. The same hospital she had been to so many times she knew the room numbers and many staff members, many who had been providing care since her preemie birth at just 1 lb 3 oz.  This time, at 7 years old she had just had a life saving surgery for a retropharyngeal abscess.  "She is NOT happy to be here.  She said, "Mom, why did Jesus make sickness? Cause I've been sick even from when I was born. Sick was the first thing I was! I'm tired of being sick!"  So we talked about how maybe he doesn't make sicknesses, but he allows it.  We talked about all the good things she has seen when others help us. And how it feels to know others are praying for you.  We talked about how much stronger her body has gotten over the years. We talked about how our immune systems can on...

  Having lived 2000 miles away from grandparents and family for most of our kids' lives we have made many cross country road trips.   Part of being in families is finding ways to get along and agree.  Part of parenting is sometimes making your kids do things that weren't necessarily their idea.  And sometimes things don't quite meet our expectations.  On this fine June day in 2013, we pulled off the road for a photo op in Potter, Nebraska. Because we are the Potters.  And let me tell you the kids were SUPER enthused.   The body slumping teenagers convinced their nine year old sister this was a terrible idea.  They griped and complained.  It was hot. And windy.  But they did it.  And the six year old even enjoyed an ice cream cone she picked out as her gas station treat.  George and I just laughed.  Because we were once teenagers too. Sometimes those road trips were long but the kids knew their grandparents and cousins wait...

 In D&C 6:20 Jesus says, "Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love." In my mind I guess I thought diligent meant "keeping at it"  or that you follow through and don't quit.   But here is something new I learned- the word's origin actually means "to love or take delight in". I'll be honest.  Loving some of the commandments is easy.  Some of the others are much harder to learn to love.  And chances are your easiest and hardest are different than mine.   But if we are full of faith and take delight in and love the  commandments God gives us, His love will make a circle of protection around us. Now when I use the word protection I don't mean from having bad things happen.  You can guarantee they will.  But His love can protect us from letting those things destroy  or crush our spirits. Learning to recognize the loving arms of our Savior in our lives may be easier at...

 I am usually a fairly frugal person.  Sometimes probably too much so.  But I made a very intentional purchase last summer.  I wanted to remember the experience of studying and worshiping in our home as a family during this pandemic.  So I ordered this personalized Sacrament tray.  I wanted to remember Jett and Onyx trying to snag the pieces of bread when we closed our eyes to pray. And the laughter as we had to start over. I wanted to remember the kids asking deep questions and us searching the scriptures together. I wanted to remember Alex getting up in the middle of our meeting to heat up a cinnamon roll. Or Kyrie and Colton on lag time from Utah as we learned we couldn't all sing together on zoom.  Or all four kids bearing testimony following a difficulty our family endured and that each member was in a different place for healing and that was okay.   I wanted to remember that even when two strong willed people made marriage challenging, ...