It Says . . . the Family is God's masterpiece (Almost 14 pictures for the 14th of October 2014)

Calvin:  The red vest is back.

Jane:  A student made me a caramel apple
all by himself.  (My first apple in 14 years of teaching.)

Abe: Showing Henry videos of himself.
He watches them just like Grandpa Calvin
watches himself: with interest and a big smile. 

Henry- His face pretty much sums up his day.
The poor little guy has been sick and teething.

Grace- Abe and I made dinner together tonight.
Apple cider pork chops (from the pig we just butchered).
 It was delicious!

Eliza: being cute while trying to rest up and feel better.

Afton: watching Sesame Street because
I don't feel good either, and wondering
why mom is taking a picture.

Michelle: Ande and I went shopping at some fancy-pants stores today
and found some great deals to dress me up for Ty's pilot training graduation next week.

Ty:  Making Asian street food for the Nehila's.

  Zeph:  Me and Afton throwing rocks from the porch.

Joe: Zeph insisting he get pickles . . . 

. . . lounging with a self-satisfied grin as
he enjoys the spoils of saying "please."

Ande: Today my major accomplishment
was growing another human
while keeping a 1.5 year old alive and happy.
And that seemed like good enough. 

Levin:  Doctor's appointment with flu shots.

Atlas:  Flu shot celebration.

I really do believe that families are the hub in God's plan for our eternal happiness, and I really do believe that families are ordained of Him. Even on days when our family is anything but harmonious or satisfying, I repeat to myself, "Families are central to God's plan.  Families are central to God's plan.  Families are central to God's plan."  And on those days when being a family is so incredibly fulfilling and beautiful and inspiring and peaceful, I repeat to myself, "Families are God's masterpiece.  The family really is God's masterpiece."

*******

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

[About 14 on 14] Each month we have a family post that correlates to the date.  For example in 2011, when the tradition began, each member of the family took a picture of what they were doing on the 11th of the month.  Each month's post that year (theoretically) had 11 pictures in it.  In 2012, each member in the family took a picture on the 12th of each month and each month's post (theoretically) had 12 pictures in it.  Now, here we are to 2014 . . . and (theoretically) there are 14 pictures on the 14th of each month (but realistically, there will be more like 12 or 17 pictures).

It Said . . . It takes a heap o' livin'

We butchered the hogs and picked a wheelbarrow full of apples and made them into applesauce on Saturday.

Cali

Ray

Yessiree, that's me up in that tree giving Levin the apples.

Abe and Levin wheeling them to the pot.

Grace

Atlas

Abe and Henry

The apples made about 8 gallons of apple juice as well.

The meat shoppe.  Abe, Ray, Grace, Calvin

Levin and Cali harvesting the pumpkins.

In preparation for the day . . .

 I made apple bread, cookies, and bread a couple of weeks ago and put them in the freezer in anticipation of the day.

a pot of chili cooking on Friday

you'd be correct if you think that far left pan of cinnamon rolls looks too well-done

And by the end of the day, the house looked like this . . .

the trail

That dark trail in the carpet is a real eyesore and if I'm not careful, I focus on it more than what created it.  That brings me to the words that I often remember when I begin to wish that spot away . . .

It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home . . . 

The poem continues of things that make a house a home -- little shoes, thumbprints, cryin', dancin', laughin', death, singin'.  When I remember all the feet and living that has made that trail into the kitchen, it doesn't bug me quite so badly. Here is some of that living from the last little while . . . 

Calvin cutting up green chilis from the garden to put into the freezer.

It ain’t home t’ ye, though it be the palace of a king, 

Until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped round everything.

Family Home Evening with the Elders and the Sochirca family.
Here we are kneeling on that trail as we play a game of Cat & Rat

Ye’ve got t’ sing an’ dance fer years, ye’ve got t’ romp an’ play,

Here Calvin sits and listens to ASU football each week and walks back and forth to
the kitchen to get chips and salsa

An’ learn t’ love the things ye have by usin’ ’em each day;

Supper with the missionaries. 

Within the walls there’s got t’ be some babies born, and then . . .

Calvin and Henry Calvin

Right there ye’ve got t’ bring ‘em up t’ women good, an’ men . . . 

Home ain’t a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;

Afore it’s home there’s got t’ be a heap o’ livin’ in it;

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It Said . . . Be Still

Fretting, running around, hand-wringing, excessive talking—think a chicken, a whole lot of cackling, feather fluffing and running in a circle with a long neck.  That's what I remind myself of when I'm overwhelmed, scared, anxious, or panicked.  It's not flattering.  That's why I put this scripture above the kitchen sink.  This verse immediately brings me a sense of peace and the desire to be still when I think of it. There is Someone in charge and it’s not me, thank heavens.

With their backs against the Red Sea and the mightiest empire’s army in front of them, over two million Israelites felt fear, overwhelmed, and panicked. Moses told them, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD.” (Exodus 14:13) He knew Someone more qualified than him was in charge, too.  I bet he thanked heavens, too.  Can you imagine herding a couple million chickens in the desert?

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It Said . . . Either Put Up or Shut Up

Willard Bean
(a distant cousin)

Sometimes when I start to get a full head of steam and start wishing something was different (like firmer calf muscles), or grumbling that something isn’t effective or efficient (like a poorly run civic meeting), the phrase, “Either put up or shut up,” pops into my head. Those six words pointedly remind me that unless I plan on contributing to try and help the cause or situation, I’d better put a lid on the complaints.

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It said . . . Use it Up, Wear it Out. Make it Do or Do Without

Last week we took the Spanish Branch Young Men and Women to glean onions and potatoes for their families and fellow Branch members.  We didn't quit until every onion and potato was picked and bagged.

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."  Even World War II found mileage in the phrase, though they never mentioned "do without" it on this poster it was obvious everyone was expected to with the rations on.  Tires, cars, bicycles, gasoline, fuel oil and kerosene, stoves, rubber footwear, shoes, coffee, sugar, nylons, processed foods, meat, cheese, canned fish and milk, and even typewriters were all rationed.  People creatively learned to live on what they had.

It's a mantra that still runs through my head every now and then.  While doing without doesn't look the same now as it has in the past, it is still a call to live sensibly and responsibly.

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It Said . . . It is better to build boys than to repair men.

We are in Seattle with the Folletts this weekend.  Ray, Levin, and Calvin trimmed a tree during the intermission of General Conference on Saturday.  Today Levin and I took a walk down to the park in between the two sessions of General Conference to tire him out a bit.

Levin and I had a great time.  We played pirates, looked at spider webs, found a hole in the fence so he could see the crane and backhoes doing construction near the ferry dock, swung in the swings, and basically minded our own business.

As we walked down one path Levin said he was going hunting and kept a big stick as his gun. A large shaggy black dog came towards us and he yelled, “A wolf!” and promptly ran over in front of it, squatted down, aimed, and shot it with his stick gun.  The owner was not amused.

Later he started to chase two geese. He wasn’t shooting nor hitting them, but running behind them. The geese ran under a picnic table and Levin ran around and met them when they came out the other side.  The geese waddled down the path and Levin duck-footed after them.  I thought it was harmless interaction and it was obvious the geese needed the exercise since they'd been living on the dole of birthday party leftovers.  Then again, we've raised geese and ducks and guinea hens and chickens and turkeys so my perception of healthy interaction might not be the same as one who only sees them in books or zoos.  Nonetheless, it never occurred to me to stop the play and I stood and watched Levin and the geese.  Finally I became aware of a woman shouting when another woman began shouting with her.  They were yelling, "Someone make that boy stop."  They were frantic.  When I realized what their problem was I said, "He's fine and they're fine."

She yelled, "They're geese!"  like maybe I thought they were seagulls or dolphins or children.

I replied, "And he's a boy.  He's a child; they're animals.  They're just fine."

She was clearly very agitated and said with a humph, "Well! I would never let my child do that."

The lady in the background was still echoing, so I answered them louder, "Obviously we don't parent the same.  He's fine and so are they."

I’m not confrontational and I was quite surprised to find myself in the middle of the conversation. But in a city where dogs are valued more than children, the situation bothered me.  

The woman who would never let her child chase a goose was obviously torqued and I was glad when her  not-very-well-behaved dogs yanked her on down the path.

One lady down, but that still left the other woman.  By now Levin and the geese were walking around each other, he could easily pet them.  The woman stood and glared at me.  Levin said he was done with his stick and threw it on the ground (which I must admit did relieve me, remember he had just shot the wolf a hundred yards earlier).  I told him to throw it back into the water, so he ran over the rocks and driftwood and tossed it in the sea.  Then, Levin did the most perfect thing.  He climbed back up where the other woman was with her two dogs and boyfriend.  The man was sitting on a log and Levin went over and sat down next to him, skin to skin.  Levin looked at the man's dogs and talked to him.  The woman was not pleased and continued to glare, but Levin (who had been too busy chasing geese to hear her scolding and totally oblivious to any nuances now) had found himself a new friend. I think the woman was waiting for me to call him off, but it was such a satisfying sight and I wasn't about to scold him for being a curious, friendly, happy little boy that plays with fat geese. Besides, her boyfriend seemed to appreciate him. The glaring woman couldn't take the situation for long and within a minute or two left dragging her dogs and boyfriend behind her.  Having fought pirates, wolves, and ignorant women, we called it a day and walked home -- stopping several times and resting until we'd counted to magic number 11.

Public goose chasing may not be socially acceptable and it might be well for me to remember that in the future, but I need to always remember that it is better to build boys than to repair and mend broken men.  

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It Said . . . There, but for the grace of God, go I

Holy Bradford was his name and he was born in 1510. His family named him John, but his college friends called him Holy – not because he was sanctimonious and smug, but because he was humble and kind. It is said he kept a list of his faults to remind him of what he needed to repent of when he prayed but he was quick to find the virtues in others. Always he remembered the grace of God.

It is written that when John Bradford saw a group of evil-doers taken to their place of execution, he said, “But for the grace of God there goes John Bradford.” Whether he meant that God had given him opportunity to find a better path so he was not one of the evil-doers, or that God had protected him so that he wasn’t on his way to execution, I don’t know. Either perception seems valid. All I know is I remember when I first heard reference to the phrase. A good friend said it about another friend who had been ensnared in poor conduct. He quietly said, “There but for the grace of God go I.” He said it with a weight of non-judgment. Recognizing that his friend had done wrong and that he would have many unpleasant consequences ahead, but that his role would be to lift and encourage him as he lived through the consequences.

That phrase has come to mind many times since in various situations. Like a bell, it dings with a reminder of gratitude and dongs with a responsibility to lift rather than condemn.

Today I heard the phrase repeated in a message in the LDS General Conference. I didn’t know where the phrase originated so I looked it up and I’m glad I did. I found that John Bradford was eventually burned at the stake for his religious beliefs, and before they lit the fire he asked for forgiveness from those who he had wronged, and offered forgiveness to those who had wronged him. Then he turned to the young man who was staked with him and said, “Be of good comfort brother, for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night.”

Reading John Bradford’s example gave his words even more clout. May it ring often in my head.


(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It Said . . . Palindrome, palindrome, backwards the same

"Palindrome, palindrome backwards the same."

It's a line from a song that Riders in the Sky sing. And every time I see something that reads forward the same as it reads backwards, then that line comes into my head. Like today. I was following an old, miniature pick-up with Toyota written across the tailgate. Toyota isn't a palindrome, but "a toyota"is. So that song came to mind.  My favorite palindrome is imagining Adam introducing himself to Eve in the Garden of Eden with a deep bow and saying, "Madam, I'm Adam."

I like looking for palindromes.

Last week our car mileage was a palindrome so I stopped to celebrate it.

Here's a parting palindrome: "Live not on evil, madam, live not on evil."


(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It said . . . Charity Never Faileth

Today The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uploaded another segment to the Bible Video collection.  I've mentioned several times how much I enjoy these.  By speaking the words while visually showing the situation, they've helped me to understand Bible passages more clearly.  As I watched the one today I remembered an incident when our kids were little.

Two of our children kept picking at each other and arguing over little things.  One day on the way home from church they were at it again.  I thought, "Good heavens, we just spent the last three hours in training to live like Jesus and we didn't learn one thing."  When I pulled into the garage I told the two fighters to meet me in my bedroom (Calvin was still at meetings at the church).  Only really important things were discussed in our bedroom and they knew they were in trouble.  I prepared my sermon as they ran ahead of me.

They met me on the bed.  I looked at one and pointed my finger at him and said, "You have a quick ability to learn and retain knowledge.  It is a great gift.  It has helped you and will continue to help you in life."  Then I turned my wagging finger to the other and said, "You have the gift of faith.  You trust God completely and have full confidence He will help you in any situation.  It is a great gift."

I opened my scriptures and referred to the passage, ". . . though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."  I was just getting warmed up.  My tone got meaner and my voice got louder and I asked, "Do you get that?  Do. you. get. that.?  If you don't have charity, you're nothing. N.o.t.h.i.n.g.  NOTHING!  Doesn't matter how great your other gifts are.  If you don't have charity you're nothing."  I was practically bible thumping as I finished and felt fully justified, and maybe even noble, as I did it.  It was teaching at my ugliest.

I told them to go get their clothes changed and get ready for dinner and to remember what I said.

The irony of my not teaching them with a lick of charity didn't occur to me until much, much later when I repeated the incident to someone.  As I listened to Paul deliver the message in this video, I got it again. Charity. never. faileth.   Never.  And though I may fail in my attempts to be it, I'd better never give up seeking for it.

(This post is part of a 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith  To see other posts in the series, click here)

It Said . . .

The museum curator repeated himself, “Preach to the eyes, not just the ears.” He noted the daily lesson a child could get, without the parent even saying a word, if the child looked at a mural painted above the window of the Tree of Life as he ate his bowl of cereal.  The curator encouraged us to let the things we use in our homes serve the dual purpose of beautifying as well as teaching a message of our values.

When the curator said it, I thought of several things that hung on the kitchen wall when I was a little girl. There was a wooden plaque with a picture of a cowboy and the quote, “Be careful of the words you say, keep them soft and sweet. You never know from day to day which ones you’ll have to eat.” I wasn’t exactly sure what it meant, but I vowed that day that I was never going to use the sh-- word . . . just in case.

Next to that plaque was a quote board Aunt Idon made us for Christmas. (She was a repurpos-er. She knitted all ten of us kids nose-warmers and glued carpet scraps in a quilt pattern to her basement floor until it was wall-to-wall carpet.) Aunt Idon made the quote board from a hymn number holder in the front of the chapel, and Uncle Ernest attached a gold chain to the top of it so it would hang. Aunt Idon wrote several quotes in her best calligraphy and we slid those quotes in and out just like the chorister did with the hymn numbers. “PLAN AHEAd” was one message. The “d” was barely squeezed on the page. It certainly gave Luke 14:28-32   more meaning when I read it later in life.

Down the wall from the quote holder was the “little table.” When it was latched in place it looked like a bulletin board, but when it was unlatched it came down into a small table for children. For years and years I stared at the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “What you are thunders so loud in my ears I cannot hear what you say,” that hung on the little table.

Words of wisdom. One-liners that I've read over and over and pop into my head at will.  Sentences that have taught me truths and made my life better. For the next month I’ll be sharing them here on the blog in the 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Myquillyn Smith.  I hope you'll enjoy them.


October 1 - It said . . . 
October 2 - Charity Never Faileth

October 3 - Palindrome, Palindrome Backwards the Same
October 4 - There, But For the Grace of God, Go I
October 5 - It Is Better to Build Boys Than to Repair Men

October 6 - Use it Up, Wear it Out.  Make It Do or Do Without.
October 7 - Either Put Up or Shut Up
October 8 - Be Still
October 13 - It Takes a Heap of Livin'
October 14 - The Family is God's Masterpiece
October 15 - I'm in a Hurry to Get Things Done ♬
October 16 - Double Double Toil and Trouble

October 17 - A Man Can't Love a Woman More Than That
October 18 - And We Call It Our Get the Work Done Day
October 20 - "Honey, Ve Gonna Kill 'Em Vith Kindness"
October 22 - Mutual Respect
October 29 - Wing Beneath My Wings
October 31 - Become As a Little Child