Thursday, December 31, 2015

2015 - A Fruitful Year


January

I went to South Carolina to celebrate 
Ezra Wilhelm being born

February

Calvin and I went to Hawaii

March

We live simply and try to produce much of what we eat.

April

We took three carloads of youth to SLC, Utah
for LDS General Conference
with Brent and Nesha Roylance 
 

May
Kathryn Cali is born

June

I become a full time seminary principal and teacher.

July

Calvin takes us on a drive in the Willys most every night.

August

The berries in the garden overflow and family
from all over the country comes to visit.

September

Payne Family Reunion 2015

October

We said good-bye to the best garden yet

November

We welcomed Hazel Grace to the world

December

We counted our blessings again and again and again.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Monday Memories -- Newborn


It was early December 1988. Due to family emergencies we had moved for the second time in six months. The home we’d barely moved into was up-for-sale and, a few days after we'd put our things away, it looked as if the house had sold and we’d only be able to stay there a few weeks. I was nine months pregnant and the baby was due December 27th ; we didn’t only have our little family to move, but also our livestock. Our resources were very limited and our options few.

For days I fretted where our newborn baby would “lay down its sweet head.” The physical and emotional ache of the previous months, along with a 5-year-old, 3-year-old and a 2-year-old were wearing me down. All I could do was take one morning at a time.

That year gave me empathy for Mary and Joseph. The stress that Calvin and I felt was heavy – and we weren’t pulling a donkey.


Ande
12-21-88


And then she was born. December 21st. Suddenly it didn’t matter if that baby was going to be put in a laundry basket, a crib, or a box. She was here in all of her purity and innocence and our family was richer for her birth. She came home from the hospital Christmas Eve and no Christmas gift has equaled her since.

A baby can set things right.

Several years ago I read a true story called, “Saved by a Newborn Infant.” It told of a Christian missionary couple and their five small children who were serving in the mountains and jungles of Africa. They lived in a beautiful, yet primitive area and were crowded into a tiny shack. Not long after they had been there, the mother discovered she was going to have another baby. Having children in Africa was hard with the poor food, threat of sickness and infection, contaminated water and lack of educational opportunities. The mother was resentful and said it did not seem fair that God was sending them another child when they already had so many small children and were trying to help the natives. She blamed God and wished He would take the baby from her.

But He didn’t and the time for the birth of the baby arrived and the mother, being weak and in poor health, knew she needed a doctor’s care. But there were none nearby and the couple had no one to leave their other five children with, so the father loaded the family into a car and drove them into a town where there was a good mission hospital. The family stayed there until after the baby was born.

The mother said, “When we returned to our house with the new baby we learned that in the short days we had been gone the dreaded Mau Mau had come. They had murdered every white person in the entire area. Had we been home we would have all been killed. This little darling was sent by God to save all our lives. Never again shall I rebel against His ways for our lives.”

This little darling was sent by God to save all our lives” could easily have been thought by the shepherds when they came to the manger. Mary and Joseph must have thought of it repeatedly as they fed, diapered, washed, and cuddled Him. Simeon, Anna, and the Wise Men, surely they knew it when they found Him.




Baby Jesus set things right in this world and in eternity. A newborn, sent by God to save us all.


Sunday, December 20, 2015

52 Blessings - The First Christmas Spirit


One of my students came in excitedly to class one morning and said, "My uncle is Joseph in the new Mormon Message.  Can we watch it today?"

I loved this video the first time I saw it and loved it even more after the sixth viewing.

I hope you enjoy it, too.

"What would it have been like to raise Jesus Christ? Joseph was a humble carpenter when God gave him the responsibility of being Christ’s father. While traveling the road to Nazareth, Joseph reflects on experiences he and his small family have had so far and on the significance of his Son’s mission to become the savior of the world. Even though he was often overwhelmed, Joseph was always loyal to God and to his Son, Jesus Christ. How will we follow his example this Christmas season?"




Though I doubt the Savior ever told Joseph, "I don't have to, you're not my real dad," nevertheless, it isn't easy being a step-parent and I watched the interaction between the Savior and Joseph with great interest and respect.   One way I want to follow Joseph's example this Christmas season is to listen more carefully to what the Savior says and to quickly act on what the Holy Ghost whispers.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

#ASaviorIsBorn




Having a testimony that Jesus Christ is the Savior brings me peace and confidence in a troubled time. 

I know He lives.  I know He has the power to redeem us from our sins, rebuild us when we're broken, comfort us when we're hurt, and fill in the gaps of our inadequacies.




Tuesday, December 15, 2015

15-12-15-15


Fifteen pictures of family for the fifteenth of December 2015.

Folletts: The roast in the crockpot didn't cook. 
Soooo... 
we had to go to plan B so Ray could make his
temple assignment tonight. 
Levin sampled the hot chocolate machine at his office. 
Atlas sampled everything else.  

 Zeph:  I chipped my front tooth on the bath tub. 
And I walked on the dock bridge all by myself (it's scary).

Ande:  My favorite view today.

 Ezra:  Sometimes I don't take naps so I can 
have alone time with mom and all the toys.

Grace: me and my babies 

Grace: The newest addition to our family- Hazel Grace Payne.

Henry:  me and Hazel 

Abe: Wrestling with Henry

Jane:  Celebrated Hanukkah with 150 students.  
That’s a whole lot of hashbrowns, donuts, dreidels and gelt.  

Kathryn: In the last week, I turned into both a crawler 
and a bottler holder. Since I'm getting into everything now, 
I might as well give Mom a few extra minutes to clean it up.

Michelle: enjoying the good weather while we still have it, 
while trying to beat both the sunset and the oven timer. 
We failed at both, but had a nice walk.

Ty:  I spend a lot of time in front of this board each day. 
Scheduling for my flight.          

Afton: Sticking it to the man.
If I'm going to nap, I'm going to do it MY way.
    

Eliza: 
Strawberry banana juice: "Hi. How was your day?" 
Orange juice: "Good. How was your day?"  
Strawberry banana juice:  "Good."



I really believe this.  Home is our most important work.