Life in Our World – Seven for Saturday

1. Calvin has gone hunting with Ray. They met up with Trevor, and my brother-in-law Bruce, and nephews Jake and Ryan, too. My sister Chris and her husband Bruce have a loft above their garage with several beds and a gas stove in the corner. (I’ve mentioned it before, it’s where we stack high and deep to sleep when we celebrate Thanksgiving with them.) Calvin’s been so excited to go hunting. I asked him why they weren’t going to camp since they love it so, and he said, “And not stay at Chris and Bruce’s? That doesn’t make sense. Staying with them is much better than camping.” I think bacon and eggs for breakfast, soft beds, warm showers, and prime rib for supper has something to do with it. My hat is off to Chris for taking care of everyone. She wrote me an e-mail today saying she’d taken Trevor in for stitches. Evidently deer don’t wait for the wounded, so Chris took Trevor to the doctor while the rest went to find the big one.

2.  Speaking of hunting and thinking of bears. Calvin ordered some pine nuts (still in the shell) last spring. They arrived in a muslin sack a week or so ago - just in time to take hunting. However, every night until he left Calvin cracked and ate a bowl of them. One night while I was typing on the computer, he was eating pine nuts on the couch behind me watching a program on bears. The narrator said that the pine nut is what gives bears the extra stores of fat to help them ride the winter out in hibernation. A few nights (and several bowls of pine nuts) later, Calvin wondered why I didn't eat them with him. I said, "After listening to that program on the bears, I figure I can't afford them. And . . . maybe you might want to be careful how many bowls of them you eat a night?" He did not remember hearing anything about pine nuts in the bear program. (I remember someone saying my grandpa had selective hearing and I didn't know what that meant. I so know what that means now.  I have it.) I reminded him, "Pine nuts are what give the bears enough fat to get through the winter." He said, "No way." I said, "Yes way. I'll look it up." I googled pine nut nutrition. Oh boy. It was worse than I could have exaggerated. One cup of pine nuts is 909 calories and 92 grams of fat. 

The potatoes are from the neighbors.  Aren't they beautiful?
A farmer asked me the other day if I could tell the difference
between Idaho potatoes and Washington potatoes.
I said, "I used to be able to.  When we moved here Ty and I could
both tell the difference, but I doubt I can anymore."
He's got me wondering.
Ty, do you think we could still tell the difference?

3.  Calvin called on his way hunting and said, “Don’t forget it’s supposed to freeze. Will you please remember to pick the peppers, tomatoes, and squash before it does?” I know I’ll be sad in a few weeks when the last ripe tomato has been eaten, but for today I think, “Please freeze and put everything out of its misery.”

4.  I’m just finishing up an on-line class for writing a personal history. I only have the final product to submit. Whoooooa. I thought the professor would like a nice five or six page summary of our lives. No. This class requires chapters – with a table of contents. It has been emotionally exhausting and I’m here to tell those of you that don’t already know, a steady dish of yourself is nauseating – worse than cold oatmeal. However, now that the assignment is almost complete, I am so glad I did it. It is never too early to begin (especially if you’re writing chapters). I’m so glad I got things recorded. My love for my family is in writing, etched in ink, permanent, and left for all to remember. (You use enough phrases and adjectives you eventually get those chapters written.)

5.  Today several women from our ward (local church unit) went to speak or sing at a stake Relief Society conference (community church unit) in a neighboring town. We had a great time. One of the things I love about women of the Relief Society the world over (well, as far as I’ve traveled the world at least) is that they are hungry to learn new things. They are eager to listen to what you have to say. They want you to succeed, and they do all they can to help you by listening attentively. Today was no exception. Our topic was “Weathering Life’s Storms.” I loved hearing the messages and songs from the other participants. And look!

The conference organizers sent us home with supper – as far as I can tell all the food groups are represented. After I finish this blog post I am going to put in a movie or read a book and eat peanut brittle, sugar cookies, caramel apples, apple cake, and ice cream with chocolate fudge sauce. Each woman that helped to organize the conference put something that she does well in our bag as a gift. It was like trick or treating without the costume or the begging.

6.  I chose to share as a piece of my talk the story of the women in Moses’ life. And because I love the message that these women taught through their actions, I'm sharing it with you as well:

Moses is known as the great law giver, even today. No nation has long endured that did not base itself on The Ten Commandments and the Law of Equity and Justice that the Lord revealed to Moses. Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy – books still read and accepted by several religions. He led millions of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and from the crushing hand of Pharaoh. He conversed with God face to face. He restored the keys of the gathering of Israel to Joseph Smith. Moses has had an incredible affect on mankind – my life and yours.

But before Moses, there were women who protected, preserved, nurtured, and taught him.

First, we have midwives Puah and Shiphrah.  

Pharaoh told the midwives to kill the baby boys.  Puah and Shiprah were professional midwives, they had no families of their own.  They feared God and reverenced life.  They refused to obey Pharaoh and because of their heroic efforts Moses survived Pharaoh’s devastating edict. 

Next was Jochebed.  She was Moses’ mother and she protected him from Pharaoh.  For three months she hid him.  I can only imagine how many hours she spent nursing him to keep him quiet.  

When she could no longer hide him, she made a basket of reeds and daubed it with pitch so that it could float in the Nile where his cries wouldn’t be heard. 

Then we have Miriam, Moses’ sister.  She protected and watched over him.  She nurtured and strengthened him.  When the time came she bravely stepped forward and offered solutions and advice on how best to care for Moses. 

 Then we have Pharaoh’s daughter.  She had political influence.  When she saw Moses, he was crying.  She had compassion on him and took him as her own.  

She may not have been able to save thousands, but that did not keep her from using her influence to save one. 

Later we have Zipporah and her six sisters. Zipporah married Moses and helped him to understand his responsibilities and covenants. She helped him prepare to meet God where he could learn of the great mission God had for him to do.

If we put these figures in modern context, we have women just like us. Professional women, mothers, sisters and aunts, women of influence in their communities, and wives who strengthen, support, and love their husbands – women of all ages and abilities. Each of these roles had an incredible influence on Moses. Moses in turn had an incredible influence on the world. As women we have the privilege, responsibility, and opportunity to make life safe for others from the evils of the world, and good for others no matter what our station in life is. We have the power to make a difference in a world racked with evil – be we professionals, single, married, homemakers, mothers, sisters, wives, or community leaders.

I just love this story in Exodus 1 and 2 that tells of these women in Moses' life.

Because I thought I was speaking after the luncheon instead of before it, I didn’t take my notes or power point presentation in, but rather left things in the trunk of the car. I thought I would set up everything during the luncheon so that the equipment didn’t interfere with the other participants. I didn’t realize until it was too late that I would have to speak without even so much as my notes or my scriptures. I also realized that one of the worst things a speaker can do is make excuses, so I couldn't even reference my dilemma either.  You can imagine as I walked to the pulpit how desperate my prayer was that I would be able to remember what I felt I should teach. God answer prayers. He answered Jochebed’s and He answered mine.

7.  What would you choose tonight? The book (The Cape Ann) or the movie (Pride and Prejudice)? Oh wait. Maybe I'll watch Psych first. It's too scary by myself at night (bravery is not my strong point).