Sunday

Today was a terrific and inspiring day at church.

Our speakers were a young married couple with 2 kids- 13 and 11. The mom bore her testimony of listening to the Spirit of the Lord and making a life altering decision that turned their family completely inside out. It was a decision that was difficult to follow through on, but one that she knew was coming as a direct influence of the Lord. Her testimony of the effect of following the Spirit and how it improved their lives was astounding and profound. You could feel her struggle and her resulting joy through her tears and words. Not only she and her husband, but more so her children's lives, were made better by difinitive leaps. She taught us to lean to the Lord for His will and to follow His promptings more closely... even when those promptings seem unlikely or we are unsure of how those promptings will finish.

Her husband followed her with his talk, continuing the theme of listening to the Spirit and following the Lord's will in all we do. His emphasis seemed to teach me that practise makes perfect and it is only after acting on promptings will we come to see more clearly the hand of the Lord in our everyday life. He remarked about his personal history; times when he looked back and could clearly decipher those times when he took a leap of faith and those times when because he hesitated, he lost out on experiences that would have benefitted not himself, but those around him.

He also talked a bit about difficult times and two things he said I thought were, not only profound and simple, but are hugely true and as deep as you care to make them:

#1 "Always remember, you are better off than you think you are."
#2 "Hard is normal."

#1 We are better off than we think we are. If only we could remember those words when we begin to think egatively. In almost every aspect of our lives, we are truly better off than we percieve. Water for an example. We in the U.S. use it to swim in, to wash everything in, to play with, to drink, to bathe, even to decorate with! There are many people on this planet who barely have enough to drink, much less to use on their crops, and would never ever think to use it to fill a water balloon to throw at their little brother and his friends. Think of the ways we are better off mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, environmetally, yada yada yada than other people on the planet. We are better off than we think.

#2 Think of all the things in life that are much more meaningful because we had to work for them, or because they have come to us after much effort or trial or sacrifice. Children, jobs, our homes, a new car, education, wisdom, etc. Can anyone gain wisdom without trial and sacrifice? Also, it is a common mean that we must all have experience, and most of our beneficial experiences are due to hard or difficult circumstances. If we can remember that, perhaps we won't become too discouraged when we have new challenges to face. Hard is normal.

Redlands (LDS) Temple during the day!

Redlands (LDS) Temple at night

It's Raining, It's Pouring

I stood at the door in conversation one day with a sweet duo of women who were out proselytizing the neighborhood in hopes of gaining new members to their church. Known for their devout service and tiny magazines, these women were quite insistent that we, the women's religion and my own, could never see eye to eye, because one of us was completely right while the other completely wrong. We both pretty much figured that both parties would go their own way without much changing of the others' mind.

Unlike most people I know personally, I enjoy when my door is filled with the missionaries of another religion for a couple of reasons. 1. It's kind of cool knowing that there are still people on this earth who actually believe in a Higher Power enough to risk sharing their view. 2. Usually the missionary types are pretty harmless; meaning they try extra well to be nice. 3. Almost every time, after a bit of conversation, we can agree that, although not on all points of doctrine, there are some points where we agree! Who knew? Fabulous!

The fact is that truth is true no matter who possesses it. It is also a fact that truth endures, and false doctrines have a way of dying out rather quickly (remember Jim Jones? Hitler? KC and the Sunshine Band? oy!)

I like to think of God as the perfect Father, well, because He is indeed that. A perfect Father who wants what is best for us, blessing us for correct choices, and also allowing consequences for our mistakes, toss in the gift of moral agency that we all receive and you get a pretty great Father. Some times blessing are hidden or hard to define in the moment...kind of like receiving and "A" at the end of a long semester... it took a while, but we did get it. Usually the consequences are perceived as a punishment, however "punishing" is really more of a teaching tool or a way for us to change our course before we get our self in way too deep. Remember back to Jr. High when you stayed too late at your friend's house, you figured "Big fat hairy deal." but your mom, who knew that kid better than you ever will, freaked a blue streak for you staying past your allotted time. She kicked your behind from here to Tuesday and probably made darn sure you never did something that stupid again. Maybe it was dating a certain someone, or when you got caught experimenting with a "substance" that wasn't normally offered at your home's lunch table. Either way, a good parent will take the opportunity to change your course. And in the long run that "punishment" was really a teaching moment or even a blessing in disguise. Then there is the wild card of moral agency in which the Father allows us to make our own choices and reap the rewards and/or consequences. He will not interfere, he will bless and teach. He is always both just and merciful.

Back in the day, the world was pretty messed up, kind of like today, but for Biblical times, it must have felt worse. God looked around, realized His kids were outta control, and thought "Now what?" He searched all of creation and managed to find one family, not perfect, but trying hard to do what was right, and figured, "Wow. Only one family? This has got to stop! I need to get these kids to a place where they can't harm themselves any more than they already have." He had a chat with the patriarch of the one family that He could trust to do what was right and said "I'm going to teach you how to build a boat. You're going to have to trust me on this, and follow every thing I tell you, or you too will be put in a divine time out." Noah decided to build a boat according to plans, was mocked, and I am sure even a few of the family members questioned his motives at least once, but they supported him nonetheless and in the long run, they all lived while the rest of civilization took a dirt nap in the deep blue sea.

Now my missionary friends saw this as God's ultimate punishment. They were bad, God killed them. Done.

I prefer to look at it a different way. Perhaps God, their Heavenly Father, had already set a plan in place that would provide them with an escape, even from death, and felt they just needed to STOP! digging their proverbial holes deeper. I mean, even with a Savior, we should try our best and we still need to repent. The less we mess up the less we need to repent for, so do the math. Granted, being drowned, probably not my first choice for halting ill behaviour, but it did the trick and in a way, they did have it coming. In the long run everybody dies and everybody gets to be resurrected so -really- where's the trouble? God doesn't have a problem with death because to Him it really isn't that big of a deal. He knows the trick for getting everyone back to life. I am sure one day (one far off day) we too, will understand how it all works and will still be amazed, but we'll understand why for God, death is (as Thor puts it) "No big hill for a high stepper."

So again here we are. Problems, agency, bugs in the system, kinks in the chain. That's life baby. That's truth. Just because we follow the rules and do what we are supposed to do, does that mean we get off easy? Do we have a trouble free life without trials, questions, doubts or fears? Do we get to laze about hoping and wishing for a harp playing afterlife? Um, no. God needs us to be as learned as possible and like the old saying goes, nothing teaches like experience. Another truth: even Christ Himself was tried and tested; and we know from modern day scripture that He had to endure every temptation we will face, He had to suffer in Gethsemane for every sin we have done...He had it pretty tough for Someone who always followed the rules and did everything He was asked to do.

Are we better than Christ? Should we have it easier than the God who suffered for our mistakes and sins?

One of my favourite scriptures is found in Doctrine and Covenants 121: 33

"How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints."

To me this means that we are most certainly going to be tried; and to try and stop that is foolish. Heavenly Father tries us to purify us, to fit us for the kingdom, to help us stand with confidence in His and Jesus Christ's presence. I love, love, love, that the scripture above reminds us that Heaven Father, The Almighty, wants to "pour down knowledge from heaven upon" our heads! Heavenly knowledge can only come from our overcoming doubts, fears, trials, temptations, and all our ills and "unfair" situations. Do we really want to "stay" that power? Or should we go with the flow?

I'm not promoting a messed up life, or saying things like "WAHOO! This week STINKS! AIN'T IT GREAT?" cause frankly, no sane person does that. All I suggest is that, as soon as possible, perhaps we can look back on our heartaches and such and find the purpose for the trial. Find the reason for our lesson, and soon reap the heavenly knowledge that can only come from overcoming what is placed in our path, or perhaps, make us review our path and change our course to get back on the right track.

A world filled with pure rain water to cleanse and prepare it anew for a small family that would repopulate it, sanctifying their lives through a 30 day storm that would go down in history.

A rolling river, clear, and beautifully filled with pure water because of the constant turbulence.

The Son of God, our Saviour, often referred to as Living Water, pierced on the cross, water gushing from His side just prior to His completing His earthly mission for us.

Knowledge pouring from Heaven down upon us.

Three examples of "all these things shall be for thy benefit", the good, the bad, the indifferent, can all be made into a blessing if we choose to allow it.

Truth is true. Knowledge is power. And to get it pouring from heaven, well that's amazing.

Carlton's Log: San Antonio Temple

Just a couple of shots from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints San Antonio Temple. So beautiful. You should see these windows in person, gorgeous!

Welcome to the Fuzzy Borders Ward!

Yup, I admit it. I live in the weird ward in our stake. You know the one, every stake has one.

In days past we were the "Newly Wed - Nearly Dead" ward; an interesting cacophony of crying babies and loud talkers. On any Sunday you could hear a particular sister "whispering" to her husband about her take on the speaker, or wonder just when those parents would finally give in and let that poor infant have a cheerio.

If you live anywhere else in the stake and have lived here for more than five years, chances are you were in our ward before a split or relocation. Most people buy or move to our ward first because of economics. Also, at one time our ward was the hub for the entire stake, as we grew the stake grew, one division after another. This is great, because most of the people in our ward know everyone in the stake.

On the one side of our boundaries we have folks who live in the typical tract home, 2-3 kids, sahm, 1/2 acre, middle income, and a dog or two in the minivan. These are they who show up to every meeting in their Sunday best, teach Primary or another auxiliary and are the first to sign up for the talent show. They do their home teaching and bake bread and their kids give the other kids rides to all the meetings.

On another border you'll find the lower middle income family of 8-10 kids, modest home, two small sedans about the same age as their oldest teen, 1/2 acre, and way too many cats to count. This is the family that show up every Saturday to clean the building, they are the first ones to arrive with funeral potatoes and a home made cake, they sing too quietly but cheer exuberantly for everyone else.

To the south you may find a family who bought a house on the hill overlooking the valley. They moved here from some other city or ward hoping to get lost -only to find out no matter how far out you go the middle of nowhere is still a mile off. Eventually they'll need socialization and they'll set up a rescue fire and we will come.

Heading east are the die hard cow pokes and stubborn mules who live on several acre ranches full of weeds or horses or both. They are the self reliant-s, they keep to themselves mainly, but they come running in the storms and fill their pick up trucks with broken hearts and bones and lend their hammers and muscles in repairs.

In the middle we have struggles and illness and concern. We can't stop smoking, we still have our hair too long and what am I supposed to do with that tattoo now that it's there? We also have eyes that can look away or be blind to weaknesses. We are the ward with little financial resource but keen creativity.We only have one person who can play the piano with any ease. We are lucky, she is a retired concert pianist. However she also is in advanced stages of Alzheimer's Disease, so when she begins to play "Lord, I Will Follow Thee" and in the third verse switches it up for "I Stand All Amazed", we really aren't, we just go with the flow and are grateful she can play so beautifully.

Somewhere somehow we grab everyone and anyone we can. We love that you are here because we want your company and help. Sometimes you stay, sometimes you feel the need to move up or out and we miss you when you go. Sometimes you move in, and we rejoice because we have literally prayed you into the ward. We need you. We want you. Although we may forget to visit you on a scheduled basis, say hello in the hallway as you walk by with your brood of children, or offer to help, but we will grab our coats as we head out at 2:30 a.m. when you call.

Our leadership is goofy (read: actual humans) but they try hard to lead with the Spirit. Our scout program could be better, and our activity, well, if everyone came we would have to make another two wards!

Friends are immediate when you live in the Fuzzy Borders Ward. Our acreage is as expansive as our love and need for you. Our numbers are small, but we do mighty work.

We are the ward with more people on assistance, the one with the crazy lady and the nutso family. We are the very definition of eclectic and diverse. Swing a cat and you will not hit two people who think, act, or live the same. We have loud Democrats and even louder Republicans... don't get me started on the Independents! We have home school-ers, tax dodgers, gardeners, old hippies, a tech specialist, a district attorney, teachers, bikers, a mortician, a union business agent, hot rod enthusiasts, (SERIOUS)base ball and BYU football fans, small business owners, dancers, singers and someone who throws and annual Faery Party each summer solstice. Artists, athletes, homestead-ers, nurses, rail road workers, septic tank service-rs, police and firemen, and a school lunch lady. Retirees and singles of every age bracket. Home builders, home wreckers, and a homeless person who hangs out at our building. Managers and delivery boys, one suspected millionaire and too many poor. We have long time marrieds, newly weds, divorcees, remarries, single parents, large families, blended families, and childless couples. We have White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Nordic, Native American, and probably a few other races/places/countries represented well.

Hey wait. Isn't that the same as your ward?

adoption

A couple of weeks back I sat in on a combined Sunday School class. All the adults who weren't otherwise occupied were invited to listen to a presentation on the LDS Family Services. The presenter spoke reverently and respectfully about mental illness, marriages, families, adoption, addiction recovery in all its' forms, job placement, and many other quick points on the services they provide, who is eligible and how one goes about receiving assistance from them. After a ten minute or so presentation the remainder of the time was given to a young woman, "Sarah".

"Sarah" told us her very personal struggle with placing her newborn infant with an adoptive couple and how she came to make the decision. It was amazing to watch this young woman bear her deepest thoughts and heartbreak in front of so many strangers. She was poised and Spiritually mature beyond her years, and spoke with such conviction and purpose. Most everyone in the room had tears in their eyes as she spoke; and we could fully understand her decision process and determination for her new baby. Her words were filled with wisdom, and complete and unselfish love for this little baby, and hopes for this child's welfare above her own situation of ache and grief. It was a privilege to have witnessed her speak and feel the Spirit in the room that day.

She wanted to assure us that she made the decision fully on her own; and that no one had "guilted" or coerced her into it. She was given all the opportunities and options, a counselor, and availability to others who had been in her situation who had made various decisions.

I have to say that I have been in attendance (at these same kinds of presentations) a few other times, as recently as a few months ago, where other mothers have shared their stories, also beautiful and filled with love; however "Sarah" will being my heart and mind for a very long time, I hope, forever. She humbled me.

She shared an analogy that I had never heard before. She asked us to imagine a young mother and father who were outside, playing with their toddler. While the parents are inattentive, only for a moment, it is long enough for their toddler to wander out into the street where a swiftly approaching car is racing down the street. The parents have a choice to make:

A: They can stand frozen in fear and allow the child to be hit by the car, which would surely kill the toddler, but more than likely cause lifelong emotional harm to the parents who were not able to rescue their child.

B: They can, together, run to the child, wrap their arms around each other and take the hit. Chances are all three will be injured, and most likely have life long injuries, but they will all live.

C: Mother can run to the child, while dad goes for help. Mommy wraps her body around the toddler, and together they take the hit. Mommy and child will both receive injuries that will be life long and difficult, however they will live.

D: Mom can run to the toddler with such force she pushes the child out of the street and into the arms of another couple standing on the other side. Mommy will suffer injuries that will last a life time, baby may also have a few scrapes and bruises, however the baby will be safe.

Her analogies were this:
A: is like an abortion, the baby dies. "Sarah" explained to us that she could not even think of this option, although many in her situation have and do. For her, the emotional scars would have been too difficult to bear and she could not think of a life with that kind of hurt.

B: is like a marriage for marriage's sake and not one that was planned for or inevitable, a marriage of convenience that would most likely fail, harming all three parties. Another choice "Sarah" said was not even an option for her in her situation.

C: would be like rearing the child as a single mother, hoping for help that may or may not come, a father who is more absent than constant, and that would, again, harm all three parties for life. She said she felt that this was an option for her as she had great support from her family.

D: is like adoption. She would save her baby and harm herself knowingly.
She admitted that it was the single most difficult decision she has ever made; and that it has hurt her more than any other situation in her life... however the thought of her baby having both a mother and a father who could love her baby, support her baby, and give her baby 'saving ordinances' (scroll to "Sealing Authority" ) that she could not yet give her baby, those were the things that she felt her baby deserved. So she pushed the baby into loving arms and took the worst hit of her life.

She shared with us photos of her baby and her baby's adoptive family. She told us the happiest she has felt since finding out she was pregnant was the day she went to wait outside the temple as the adoptive family were sealed for all time and eternity. She said there would never be anything that would help her heart heal more than knowing her baby had a forever family. She was sure she had made the correct decision.

I have to tell you, it was hard to watch her tell her story, and I pray that if I were ever in her situation that I would have the faith to do what was best for the child. She truly amazed and humble everyone in that room.

For those of you reading who are LDS, this post probably makes a lot of sense. For my readers who are unfamiliar with LDS beliefs and would like to know more by reading information from the source --these links can help. No one will call on you unless you specifically request it. And of course you may always ask me, I would enjoy helping you understand what I am writing about!

Mormon.org

about the church

FHE (or whatever you need) Peg Chart

During Relief Society last month we had an Enrichment Nighta focusing on clever ways to spruce up your Family Home Eveningb. One of the gals went to the local lumber shop, bought a plank of pine, and had the Bishop's wife saw it into small 2 foot boards for us. (that Bishop's wife is pretty crafty!) So we came up with a cute way to paint the Family Home Evening jobs.

I was busy helping the ladies paint so I just paid for my boards and came home. I just got around to painting mine and this is what I came up with. I have a little family that I do work for from time to time and I thought they might like a job chart. I know she is very young and likes trendy things. Her home is decorated with burgundy and forest green. I thought she might like the Bohemian look. I was going to paint it burgundy (it has hearts and all, figured burgundy was appropriate) however my bottle of burgundy paint was dried out. Sadness and gloom.

Not to worry I just went with the green. I started out with the creamy coloured board they had at the church, then took a few rubber stamps and stamped a brocade background using a light tan. I added metallic gold swirls and blended the dark green with the gold and scrolled out some swirls and green vines, added a few medallions and there you go.

I painted the hearts green, added some stamped filigree to the edges, painted the drawer pull knobs gold and went to work embellishing. I had black wire and some beads in gold and green, a few copper, black and pewter swirl paper clips,and used that for the hangers. I painted names and jobs and then gave everything a coat of acrylic spray to protect it. They dangle and sparkle just a bit.

I think this is a great project, fairly easy and adaptable for any family. It would look adorable as a chore or helper chart, or a place to hang keys, whatever!

I hope they enjoy it as much as I did making it for them!

a. Enrichment Night (or Home, Family and Enrichment Activities) The Relief Society women get together and have all kinds of organized fun! There are few requirements; at least three ladies interested, an activity that enriches the lives of those who participate, and regularly scheduled. Some of the activities we have in our ward/stake are the "Alleluia! Breakfast" (held the first Monday after the kids go back to school at a specific restaurant!), Whine and Dine (1st Tuesday night each month), knitting, crochet, scrapbookers, "Hens without chicks" (any gal, kids stay home, and we go do something fun), cake decorating, book club, community calendar, humanitarian aide (a monthly project to help out where needed), self reliance, etc. It just goes anywhere!

b. Family Home Evening. Members of the church have, since the mid century, been setting aside Monday evening as "family night". NO meetings, a special time when the phone isn't answered, the focus is mainly on the family and being together. Many families use this time to teach various principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, sing songs, pray, play games, generally take care of family business and have a great time together. Charts are a fun way to keep track of who gets to do what job on FHE! It's an awesome program!

Do One Thing: Week 10

Week 10:

WARMTH & SHELTER:
waterproof matches (you can make your own by dipping regular wood matched into melted wax and allowing them to dry), ALSO, Adan suggests using clear nail polish as a flammable sealant to the waterproof match and to toss in a throw away mini lighter...just in case. Thanks Adan!
tent
tarp (a thick plastic shower curtain can even be used as a ground cover- I got mine at the $1 store.),
emergency reflective blanket (you can get these at camping stores),
wool blanket/sleeping bag,
poncho,
camp stove, (additional options in a few weeks, but for now, if you have a camp stove, that is your best bet)
fuel,
pan/spoon,
industrial strength garbage bags (check the mm thickness on the packaging; thicker is better! these can be used as ponchos, potties, trash, or insulation among other uses. )
and once again Adan comes up with a great addition to our kit: DUCT TAPE! (why didn't I think of that?) Like he says, " A little duct tape and plastic and your sun shade becomes a very effective all weather shelter." Think of all the other uses for duct tape! (No, you cannot use it to tie down the kids instead of getting a baby sitter!) Ten points to Adan for his great suggestions!

Again, if you don't have these things readily available, check out -either by shopping around or on line- where you can get them cheap! Try the Dollar Stores, discount warehouses or even Army Surplus. We found wool blankets, twin sized, for about $7. Think creatively, Back in the day, I couldn't afford ponchos for everyone, but I could afford plastic shower curtains at a buck a piece.

Last week I was at the Bass Pro Shop, where I picked up a beach shade. This shade is portable (it fits into a sling that you can just carry over your shoulder, very light weight), fits two adult sized chairs or two adults can lay down in it (albeit closely!), has the SPF rating of 50 (rated for 8 hours of protection and recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation), and cost under $25. Granted it is open on one side, however you could use this as a day shelter if you needed to, seriously, this shelter is very small when packed, light, and easy to set up.

We only have two more weeks before our kits will be complete! After that we can begin adding more conveniences to them and making our (emergency) life easier. As far as this category goes, in a few weeks from now, I will show you how to make a "buddy burner". A small container, filled with all the ingredients you will need to make (say it like a cave man) FIRE! All out of things you normally throw away, FREE! You can easily (and safely) store your buddy burners and when you need fire to cook with, tada! there you go, you'll have it!

Now go gather the things for week ten!

Do One Thing: Week 9

Week 9: PERSONAL ITEMS:

The majority of families displaced by Katrina are still waiting to go home because they were not prepared with personal papers and information, they depended on FEMA and the government, they waited too long, they didn't save for an emergency and other situations that we all tend to do. Now is the time to prepare. Do not depend on the government to rebuild your life after an event.

Copies of all important papers

Download info to a zip drive, including i.d. cards, deeds, trusts, wills, etc., all your personal credit card numbers and the numbers for who to call if lost or stolen, social security numbers, pension fund, safe deposit box info., bank account numbers, all types of insurance papers, birth certs. passports, photos of the family, phone numbers, cd/dvd. of genealogy, and passwords to accounts, etc. Do you know your families cell numbers without your cell? If your battery wanes will you be able to call numbers by memory? Copy everything that identifies you and your property, your future, your finances, your claims, etc. Get it all on a zip drive. Carry that with you or have it stored near you bed or in you kit so you can grab it at a moments notice.

You will also want cash in coin and bills (if the electricity is out- chances are so will the atm machines). Think of how your city will run without credit or atm, how will it run on a cash only basis for two weeks? You need a stash of cash.

a cd player with batteries or tape player. (a few years ago I video taped each room in the house, garage, and shed for insurance purposes. I opened closets, drawers and doors, to expose exactly what would need to be replaced in case of fire etc. I put that on a dvd and keep it with the kit. (understand that insurance companies will want receipts- do you keep yours? They cannot tell the difference between faux pearls and real without a receipt. Also they are prepared to fight your for the replacement costs, not new mind you, how much can your replace your t.v. for if it was four years old? E-bay cost against new. Also, remember that in a city-wide event there will be literally hundreds of families vying for those insurance funds, and they won't come easily.)

Keep your laptop/cell phone charged and ready to go every night if you have to run out without notice.

walkie talkies, battery operated radios, ham radio if you are licensed.

If you need them, FEMA and/or the Red Cross will need info from you as well. Remember if you want help from these agencies you need to apply for it the day of the incident. Do not wait three or four days, you need to request help that day! Make sure to contact the correct people, look for badges and their i.d., don't give personal info to just anyone. Check the FEMA site for more detailed info.

Again, make sure all your personal information is where you can easily grab it, not tucked in a far closet. Think the house is on fire and you are out side, where can you grab it quickly from? Can you store this info on your personal key chain?

brunch!

Evidently I am one of those "ladies who lunch" or in this case brunch.

In our church, when a young woman turns 18 she is welcomed into the Relief Society. Before that she would have been in the Young Women's Program with girls aged 12 through 18. They have all kinds of fun learning and training, making goals and achieving all kinds of successes while serving and volunteering in the church, at their schools and in the community. Now they are 18 and sometimes it feels like they are suddenly thrown to the old ladies den never to have fun again!

We wanted to help them feel welcome and excited about being with the old ladies! We also wanted to introduce them to the younger women in the Young Single Adult Ward (18 -32 yr. old single men and women). They get to choose which ward they would like to belong to! The YSA ward is the best! (Well in my opinion , they have such a great ward!) SO we decided to throw a brunch!

We invited all the graduating senior high school young women and their moms, their Young Women leaders and their new Relief Society Presidents. Everyone knows it's much more fun to eat and chat than to just meet and say "hey!". I didn't get as many photos as I wanted but here's the jist of it:

We served a breakfast quiche of ham, bacon or spinach, fresh fruit, home made cinnamon rolls and muffins, juice and milk. Then, as the gals ate, our Stake RS President invited the YSA Presidency to come up and say a bit about the YSA ward Relief Society and the differences there as opposed to the regular "family" wards, besides all the cute guys! It was so fun to watch the young women try and encourage these new gals to come without insulting all us "old ladies"! It was funny! Evidently they have more physical activities, like volleyball, dances, and pool parties, they don't use hot glue very much, and they have FUN all the time! They do monthly service projects and have an extremely high percentage of Visiting Teachinga! They are so excited about everything it is hard not to want to go with them!

Then the Stake RS President introduced each new gal to the group and gave her a framed
Relief Society Declaration with a candy that said "Twix you and me, Relief Society is the place to be!" Corny? Yup, but who doesn't like candy with a cute statement?

We had a lot of fun and I think it made a small dent and hopefully the girls will feel a bit more comfortable making the transition into Relief Society!



a Visiting Teaching: In the Relief Society, each woman is given a partner and together they are assigned a small group (2-6) of other women to personally "Visit Teach" once a month. Visit Teaching consists of the two partners visiting with and teaching a brief Spiritual message to each of their assigned women at their individual homes. Part of their visit should be prayer, building friendship and trust, so each women feels loved and cared for, and just visiting! Inquiries should also be made to determine if the woman needs assistance in any way or support, or whatever. If there is a need, the Visiting Teacher can assist, or ask their leadership to help if needed. No woman should ever feel lonely or in need if everyone successfully does their Visiting Teaching. Every woman in the Relief Society should have Visiting Teachers.

Do One Thing: Week 8

Week 8: TOOLS:

gloves, crescent wrench, ax, shovel, 1/2in coil rope, hammer, pliers, screw drivers, duct tape, pocket knife, sewing kit, etc.

(Thor and I also have the instructions for shutting off the utilities..he may know, I may know, but whoever else is there may need the info., also a scout handbook comes in handy!)

vocab explanation

I sometimes forget that anyone besides my family actually reads this blog! A lot of that is because most of you who comment feel like family! Anywho, Hobbit had a great question:

What does "stake" mean? It's actually a church term. I belong to "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (um, no, not the Fundamentalist LDS...they're a whole different group.) Unfortunately we seem to have a different language! So, to help define a bit about "stakes", I offer the following. I also offer the above links for even more answers.

Short answer: It's like a church congregation, only several congregations put together.

Longer, more detailed information and answer:

When I first heard this term it was like: "We're having a meeting Thursday down at the stake house." I heard steak house and thought, "Wow! This is a church I can get used to!" I was surprised to find out it was just a bigger building!

The church is very organized. The Head of the Church is of course Jesus Christ. Then come the First Presidency, General Authorities, Area Authorities, "Stakes", and "Wards". The first three are pretty self explanatory, then we get to "stakes and wards"! First a "ward".

Ward is to congregation as potato is to potahto! They are the same, just in LDS-speak. Usually there are about 400 to 900 or so families in each "ward". Each "ward" has it's own leadership and authority for the people who live within the "ward boundaries" or geographic area. In the LDS church, folks go to a specific building and time according to where they live, not according to which chapel, Bishop/leadership/whatever they prefer. So if you live here, you go here. If you live there, you go there. Easy peasy! Every ward in the entire church worldwide studies the exact same lessons at the same time, so really it doesn't matter if you're here or there, you'll pretty much hear the same message, just delivered by a different person and their delivery of the subject matter. This works out great if you travel, you never miss a Sunday School lesson, they're on the same schedule your home ward is!

A "Stake" is another geographic area, comprised of and having authority and stewardship for/over a certain group of "wards" in a region. Usually there are about 9 to 14 "wards" in each "stake. The "Stake" is there to sustain, train, and support those within the wards, and provide opportunities for Spiritual growth. Each Stake has a 3 member presidency and high counselors that preside over wards when necessary. Conferences, leadership meetings and other events and activities are held throughout the year to provide opportunities to serve, train, fellowship, and generally have fun getting to know each other in the wards as we all build our testimonies of Christ and grow Spiritually.

The term "stake" came from the Old Testament, in reference to the temple. The temple in the Old Testament was a tent that was able to move from locale to locale. When set up, the "stakes" were driven into the ground to help support and secure the temple, so the members of the church could worship and grow Spiritually. Essentially our "stakes" are there to do the same thing, support the members of the church as they worship, serve, and grow.

I, because I am a woman, belong to the world's largest womens' organization! The Relief Society. Originally organized to teach, train, and provide relief for the families in the early church, this world wide organization continues to provide service and support, training and Spiritual opportunities not only in the church but throughout our communities and the world. Each ward has a Relief Society Presidency, and each stake also has a Relief Society Presidency. I am the Education Counselor in our Stake Relief Society Presidency. I have many duties and opportunities to serve, which I LOVE!

No one in the church is compensated monetarily for their service, it's all volunteer! From the top to the bottom, everyone serves willingly because they want to. I cannot tell you how much I have learned from all the church "callings" I have had. Which leads me to "callings".

In the church no one aspires to nor rejects a "calling". (Yes, sometimes people do both, but the general idea is that we don't! People are people after all!) We believe a person is called of God by and through proper Priesthood Authority to specific positions in the church, a Sunday School Teacher, a Music Chorister, a Counselor in any of the many auxiliaries, even passing out the programs for the Sunday Meetings! Usually the person feels inadequate to fulfill their responsibilities or duties, but that is the blessing of being called by God instead of seeking a certain job...The Lord builds you up to the call and you learn so much by serving!

So there you go. A really long explanation and then some! If anyone has any other questions regarding my vocabulary or about the church in general, I don't claim to know everything, but hey, I'll sure try to answer the best I can!

Thanks so much!!!

and also, if I have misrepresented or given out goofed up info, hey -someone send me up a flag!

another idea...

If you read the blog at all, you know that lately I have been working a lot with other women in my church. Much of our service has involved some form of a dinner or other meal. Because many of these meals gather many of the same people, we try to come up with ways to decorate the tables differently. But there's the rub.

Too many trips, even to the dollar store, depletes finances and break budgets; so what to do? Because our stake split two years ago we have literally nothing (zero cook ware/utensils, a couple dozen plastic plates and a some glasses that look like jelly jars) left in the kitchen. Most of what we had went with the other stake, and trust me when I say they didn't get to take too much - it was all very old and very used and really needed to be refreshed if not replaced anyway. However due to the circumstances of the stake split, there wasn't an immediate "Hey! Here's your new 'Let's build a new stake building and furnish it!' fund." Nope. So we have had to scape a bit.

For one of our first dinners we decided to place family sized decorated cakes on each table for a self serve type of dessert and it would also serve as the centerpiece. Kill two birds. Save some moolah. We have used this kind of idea several times, tweaking it a bit each time so it didn't get boring. In the times past we were always scrambling to gather enough plates or centerpieces from what each of us had in our own homes. This is a great idea, except we are having to lug large boxes back and forth and in the lugging, some of our pieces have either broken or gotten lost, chipped or misplaced, you get the idea.

We decided to take matters into our own tentacles and just get some pieces for the building. We'd get a small vase or jar of some kind, fill it with white flowers that we could add coloured ribbons to or change out to match looks, and add a cake plate to the top for whatever desserts we choose. This would be our "signature" look.

We took a drive down to Orange County to peruse a favourite decorating center thinking it would have everything we needed and we could get it at a huge discount... only to find they were in the middle of moving their warehouse to a different location all this month and half of their inventory was packed or already shipped. Grrr. But we found these adorable candle vases and our heads started turning.

For $1.95 each, we put 4 cases in the cart. We headed over to the floral section and found sprays of creamy white roses for another $1.50, discounted from $3.00. We grabbed a bag of dry moss and a chunk of oasis and we headed out for a restaurant supplier.

We got completely lost, but had to laugh because at the exact point where we figured we had made a huge wrong turn we decided to make a U turn in a parking lot and retrace our steps... we were in a restaurant supplier's lot! Not the one we were looking for, but a completely different one! So we headed in and searched for a cake plate to top our little vases. We found the perfect plate! A sushi platter, flat and gorgeous and at $12.00 each we thought it was great! Whooo Hooo! Well not so much. It had a small "foot" on the base of the plate, just a small 3 inch thin linear bump that made it wobble on top of our vase. Grrrr. Back on the shelve it went.

But as we turn to walk out we saw the clear pitchers we had been hoping to buy (some place else for $15.00 each) on the shelf for $4.95. Two cases later we felt like Providence had led us there! We asked the sales clerk if they knew how to get us to an Ikea, and we headed out. At Ikea we looked over pretty much every plate they had, saw a cake stand for $20.50 and figured we might have made a huge mistake in our design ideas. Then we headed down a isle that led us over to bake ware. The heaven opened, rays of light shown down and the angels began to sing! We saw the perfect item! A 10 inch tart pan in milk white! The little fluted edges were perfect and it looked great right side up and upside down! Wheeeeee!

So here we are, A beautiful little candle vase, a small floral arrangement, and a tart plate that can be reversed. The vase can be used with fresh flowers or silks, with or without the tart plate, and can also house a battery candle, or other items. It also has a small curve at the base (in the photo the vase is upside down) where you can tie ribbon if you want.

The floral arrangement is easily stored in the vase, and can be changed out with other colours of flowers, ribbons, etc.

The tart plate is large enough to hold a 10 inch cake, or several small individual desserts (Can you see how cute cupcakes would be?). It can also be used as a flat container for low floral arrangements, floating flowers, or to actually cook with! Can you imagine how cool it would be to serve a quiche or tart on each table and serve family style?

All in all the centerpieces are super versatile, easily cleaned and stored, and they cost us about $10.00 a piece. Normally that would be an outrageous amount to pay for centerpieces, but we never have to buy another centerpiece again! That and we found pitchers for $5.00! Yeah!

I'll post photos after Saturday to show how they look with actual food on them...they look a bit silly right now!

Do One Thing - Week 7

Week 7: PERSONAL SANITATION: Soap, toothbrush, wash clothe, comb, hand towel, mirror, feminine products, toilet paper, hand wipes, shampoo, lotion, razors (um, I think if you have a baby you may want diapers and trash bags to keep the soiled ones in)

Do One Thing: Week 6

This one is not only easy, but hey, you gotta like it! SNACKS!

Week 6: SNACKS: Cookies, crackers, hot cocoa, gum, hard candy, granola bars, fruit snacks. (maybe cheerios or other baby snacks)

So there you go! Get your snack on!

Do One Thing: Week 5

Week 5: CLOTHES & COMFORTS:

2-3 socks, underwear, change of clothes, t-shirt, pants, windbreaker, hat , sturdy shoes, ( Thor and I packed all these plus sweat pants/shirt for layering) , Comfort items: Scriptures, books, games, favorite toys, paper, pens/pencils/ crayons, music, etc. (um, I packed M&Ms and tootsie pops!)

So there you go! Do something comforting this week.

Do One Thing: Week 4

Week 4: FIRST AID KIT: alcohol, wipes, band aids, neosporin, moleskin, tweezers, nail clippers, medications, Rx meds. if you can, flashlight with batteries, sunscreen, bug repellent, sunglasses, etc.

Below is one example of a fully stocked kit from the
American Red Cross website:

First Aid Kit
Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car.

• (20) adhesive bandages, various sizes.
• (1) 5" x 9" sterile dressing.
• (1) conforming roller gauze bandage.
• (2) triangular bandages.
• (2) 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads.
• (2) 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads.
• (1) roll 3" cohesive bandage.
• (2) germicidal hand wipes or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• (6) antiseptic wipes.
• (2) pair large medical grade non-latex gloves.
• Adhesive tape, 2" width.
• Anti-bacterial ointment.
• Cold pack.
• Scissors (small, personal).
• Tweezers.
• CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield.

Non-Prescription Drugs

• Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Antacid (for stomach upset)
• Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
• Laxative
• Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)

The "Thank You" Dinner

A quick post before I head out to spend a few days with the kids.

Friday night was considered a success. We were a bit concerned when we first got to the building for the dinner, no one was there! We had made arrangements for folks to set up tables and chairs while we worked prepping the meal, but no one came until 15 minutes prior to the dinner's scheduled time!

So a couple of us kept working the kitchen and the other two set up the dining room.
We had a group of really great young adults come to help serve and work in the kitchen, but he folks who were supposed to set up never made it.

As far as the tartlets went, well it was interesting. No one really understood exactly what I had planned on bringing although I thought I had explained it clearly. Small buttery tart shells, somewhere gloriously between a butter cookie and the perfect flaky pie crust, 1.5 inch - about a two bite for women, one bite for guys, filled with a variety of four flavours. Try as I may, I couldn't get them to visualize it.

Then I began to prep the tartlets. I could tell by the looks that some were worried that they might be too small, "just a taste of dessert" would be fine. Eventually however, once they tasted them...oh my heck.

The main guy at the event, the head honcho as it were, I know he was a little surprised. Before the dinner started he asked us if he should announce anything about the dinner. Our RS president ran through the menu once more.

French bread with rosemary olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Fresh baby greens with Gorgonzola, cranberries, almonds and raspberry vinaigrette

Roast loin of pork

Apple walnut dressing

Steamed broccoli

Fresh pineapple, grilled to caramelize

Tartlets, chocolate ganache, fresh strawberry, lemon curd, nutmeg vanilla with fresh banana, each topped with fresh whipped cream.

His response was: "Oh so we're not supposed to eat those as an appetizer?" um, no.

Then he explains that he told half of the guest to be there at 6, the other half at 6:30, so could we hold dinner for a half an hour? We did, however the broccoli that was steamed to perfection became funky and we had to toss it and redo a whole new batch. ugh. But all went well.

The roast was very tender and juicy, and the pineapple was sooo good! The dressing was not only fragrent, but had a great crunch with the apples and walnuts, yummy!

Then came the tarts. One man whispered to his wife that he wasn't going to even try them, he didn't want to eat store bought. Then someone informed him that they had been made from scratch, from the shells to the whipped cream. He tried on, and then another and then another until his wife made him stop. They were such a hit! Another man said he was originally disappointed because the dinner was so great he was looking forward to a big dessert to match, but after tasting each of the four tartlets, decided their richness and flavour was more than satisfying and wanted us to give his wife the recipe.

The kids who helped out were all going crazy. One young man said he was going to have all the meetings at our house from now on...he wanted more and figured I could just make them all the time. It was a toss up which was the favourite, I think it depended on who you talked with. Chocolate was in the lead until everyone ate the lemon, then the banana took a turn and strawberry seemed to win a few arguments as well. Then the kitchen staff got crazy and began to mix two at once. Strawberry banana, chocolate banana, chocolate strawberry, it was nuts.

All in all the night went well. Our kitchen staff was probably the best we have ever had. The kitchen was in a continual state of cleaning which meant we were only there a few minutes after the event ended and we got to go home as well! It was great!

So THANKS to Chronicler and her amazing tart shells! It made the evening perfect!

Do One Thing: Week 3

Week 3: FOOD & MESS KIT: Cereal, peanut butter, oatmeal, dry soup mixes, MREs, jam juices, fruit cups, energy bars, dried fruit, nut crackers, PLUS a mess kit or utensils to cook with, manual can opener, ziploc bags. (again, remember the baby and provide whatever the little ones may be used to eating) No need to go to the store, try to find things right from the cupboard!

You should store with meals in mind, however, BASIC meals for survival, not company sit down feasts. Store extra water if you are storing meals that need water in a recipe, such as soup. Store only those things you currently eat. If you don't eat MREs on a weekly basis don't store them. Also if you can find canned goods with the pop tops, that illuminates the need for can openers.

3 Meals and two snacks per person each day. Store this in your containers that you gathered last week. You can place all the meals in one pack or give each person their own meals in their own pack/container...it's up to you. Think about freshness, stability, and expiration dates. wrap or re-wrap to discourage spoilage and pests. Label the food and also the outside of your container so that you know what you have, the suggested meal menus, and when you need to rotate it out with a fresh batch.