Stronger Through Him

  I had a good chunk of my Saturday tasks accomplished, and my feet and back were telling me a brief rest was in order. As I headed to sit down and pick up my phone, I saw the stack of photo albums from my mom I’ve been on-again/off-again working on scanning. I was transported back in time to March 1987 when we went to California to help my grandparents who were constructing a house there.   I remember my Grandpa paying me 25 cents every time I swept the complete foundation.  Then he would take us  to get what he called a “nifty Thrifty” ice cream cone for a quarter. As other memories came flooding back and I moved from photo to photo, I turned the page and was transfixed by this photo. My Great Grandpa and Grandma Mickelson walking together down the lane there, at Holderness Hills.  Hand in hand, still looking toward each other after decades of marriage which included countless trials, imperfections, tragedies, blessings and miracles.   I wa...

  I know that the Internet and instantaneous access to limitless information has both practical and wonderful benefits. But walking by the library and seeing these up for grab on the “free” cart made me nostalgic for the era of learning that involved laying on my stomach in our living room as I perused everything from aardvarks to Zaire.  Learning and knowledge are invaluable and I am thankful that my parents had those volumes in our home.  I remember the excitement I had when each new year book would arrive. Now we also have podcasts, audiobooks, countless streaming services and more to compete for our time.   Yet the scriptural message is unchanged.   “Seek ye learning out of the best books.”  Elder Joe J Christensen, in one of my favorite addresses ever given, explained, “Suppose you were to read an entire book each week for the next seventy years. You would read 3,640 books. That sounds like a lot; however, reportedly, there are today in the Library of ...

 I was walking yesterday and noted the blackberry vines pushing their way through the brush and debris of fall and winter.   There is no fruit in sight, of course, since it’s only spring.   But the delicate green leaves show the promise of new growth and in my mind I could picture the plump, deep purple blackberries, and even imagine the smell of the juices on a hot, humid August day.   I thought of my own life and how often I don’t yet see the fruit.  That I am more in the “wrestling through the undergrowth” stage. I have read Enos many times and love the story of him taking his sincere questions to God and “wrestling” with them.   Questions are good!   He writes “And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul;” He prays all day and night and the first answer he gets is that his sins are forgiven. A precious truth.  His prayer was answered.   But then it says...

 But my light is small.   It is dim. And my battery doesn’t have much charge left. The Savior didn’t say we had to personally shine ALL the light. He said “Let your light shine.” By small things, great things may come to pass. So shine my friends, and watch it spread!😊

I was at a meeting with our assistant superintendent and she was sharing the information she brought back from a recent conference. The keynote speaker was an expert on the healthy benefit and impact of family rituals in our lives and how the steady decline over the last 25 but especially the last 10 years is strikingly correlated to the increase in identified behavior struggles and mental health issues in children. She said that while Covid certainly disrupted things, that two of the biggest factors are social media and device usage and the increase in travel sports and extracurricular activities for children.   Quick to defend the benefits of sports, music, camps and fun, she said the research presented was clear.   Kids suffer when families don’t have consistent rituals that are theirs as a family and not just an extended cluster of society. So what are those benefits? Decreased anxiety, more resilience, less need for medication (pretty sure my family misses out on that one...

  Seventh grade teasing amongst  3 boys who were close friends, had gotten out of hand and one ended up in tears after a comment about a haircut hit more personally than they anticipated. I had met with all three boys and we had a solid plan - they had agreed to use the phrase “too far” as a safe indicator that the teasing wasn’t fun anymore.  We had role played and practiced and I was now with one in the office reporting to an administrator.   I explained that when I got them to quit wrestling and nervous laughing for a minute (a victory in itself with this crew 😂) and they had gathered around the table with me, I allowed the upset student to share why he was upset.  Two things happened almost simultaneously. One student immediately launched into a defense strategy (even though he had been equally at fault).  The other immediately went still, looked across the table and quietly said “I’m sorry.  That was on me.” The administrator then sa...

  General - “relating to all” Conference-  “coming together and talk” What a great blessing it is to have the opportunity to listen and learn from inspired leaders. Some years the house is sparkling and a nice spread of treats, sandwiches and fresh baked cinnamon rolls grace the table. Special pages are printed and journals are ready to be filled.  Friends and family gather. And some years it feels like I am less prepared.  Because I truly am.   This year I managed a quick shower and a run to the grocery store and our spread is some clearance Easter candy and a bowl of skittles.   And our “gathering” is a series of texts in the family group chat to share impressions. And that’s okay.   The messages of General Conference are written upon our hearts and minds. Subtle phrases that bring unique impressions to each of us, reminding us of our worth, inviting us to take nest steps, and empowering us to align with Jesus Christ.  Presid...