Life in Our World

1.  A couple of days ago I was talking to Ande on the phone.  She was telling me about a party she and Joe are hosting and I kept inserting ideas.  She didn’t need ideas.  Ande is one creative woman and she already had lots of plans pinterested and floating in her head.  Finally after my tenth interrupted suggestion she laughed and said, “Hey Mom!  I’ve got an idea.  How 'bout you host your own party.”  It made me laugh.  I hate it when I get overzealous and push my ideas on others, and am appreciative when the kids and Calvin patiently deal with it and help me correct it.

Every year the women’s organization of our Church, the Relief Society, hold a general satellite broadcast so that every woman in the world can hear messages designed for women today.  I look forward to this broadcast every year.  It is as Marjorie Hinckley said, “It’s a sociological fact:  women need women,”  and every year I feel increased strength, courage, and compassion as women the world over come together to hear these messages of hope, counsel, and correction. 

As a last minute thought, I invited the women that I visit teach over to our home to watch the broadcast.  I was making a 25-pounds-worth-of-tomatoes batch of spaghetti sauce to freeze, and a half-gallon-of-cream batch of caramel for something else.  I thought, “I’ll just boil some pasta and slice some apples and we’ll eat that afterwards.  I will not stress.  I will not over prepare.  I will not make a salad.  I will just do this and not worry about whether or not the furniture is dusted, the yard is company ready, the big world map in the family room is off center, or that our TV is not big or flat-screened like most people are used to.”    

After we’d watched the broadcast, we moved to the kitchen table to eat and visit.  We had just listened to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf remind us as women to be patient with ourselves and that God is fully aware we aren’t perfect.  I asked everyone what their biggest weakness is that they try to hide from others.  It was insightful, and a sweet conversation.  I didn’t say that one of mine is being overzealous as it is hardly hidden, but it is one that bothers me.   However, having just been reminded that God is fully aware I’m not perfect and loves me just the same was very comforting.  In fact, it makes me want to try harder to not be overzealous (now that's a paradox).  It’s doubly comforting that He put us in families to work out our imperfections.  It's an extra bonus when we have a society of women to help us as well.


I'm so glad that these women came and watched the broadcast with me and Barbra (we're visiting teaching partners).  I appreciated their conversation and their laughing.  I appreciated the informal-ness to it all.  It's true.  Women do need women, and I appreciate them and their love and acceptance.

2.  Saturday our Stake (several congregations of our Church) finished a service project for the irrigation district that we’d been working on all week.

Our ward primary president with some of our ward kids.  After the service project Calvin
said, "You weren't kidding.  She really is good with kids, isn't she?"

The project was to beautify the entrance to a lake front park.  Wednesday the youth cleared the rock, Thursday the high priests laid the pipe, Friday the elders filled the trenches, and Saturday the families raked, planted, and laid sod.  It looks great.  It was fun to be a part of the project and help make our community better.

3.  We got some great surprises in the mail.   

Grace sent us a Halloween banner that she had made.  I knew the boo banner was coming, but Grace also put a witch in the box as an extra surprise.  My witch’s name is Hazel and Grace has her sister Matilda.

Joe and Ande sent us the movie 17 Miracles with a note saying "just because . . ." and that they hoped we'd enjoy it.    

4.  Other significant parts of our week were:  Going to see TWO MOVIES -- one for family night, the other for date night (The Help and Contagion). Calvin spoke in church and memorized a 5 page typewritten story for it.  I had a great visit with a new friend who is a journal keeper.  We're wondering what to do with 75 pounds of tomatoes (they might as well be zucchini).  I heard the Winston Churchill quote: "Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" for the first time.  We had some fall weather and some summer weather.  Calvin fixed a bow.  We listened to our local sheriff talk about our county.  We came home from church today and ate grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup instead of a big Sunday meal like normal -- that is significant.   


Want to tell the blog world one imperfection you hope others don't notice?
What was something significant from your week?