Yield: To Give Way to Influence, Entreaty; to Move or Bend

Fred and I watched "Enchanted April" last week--one of our favorite movies--and I've been contemplating minds "slipping sideways" and thinking of my mind in particular. It has been one of those months for paradigm shifting. It started out with a desire to help a young friend with modesty and has turned into hours of researching and studying and sharing of minds with dear friends and has instilled in me a desire to strengthen myself and my family in many areas. It has given me a passion to understand the core of honor and integrity and self worth. At the same time, I started a book called "Bonds that Make Us Free" and that has opened my mind, with unusual clarity, to some aha moments about choice and responsibility and joy. And as usually happens when we start looking for answers for someone else, I have found many more of my own, which just reinforces the behavioral certainties that we can't change anyone else and that the best advocate for change is desire.

The most important thing that I have been reminded of, over and over again, by the church leaders I have studied, and also by the most spiritually beautiful mentors in my life (part family, part friend) is that the root of every struggle and every strength can be measured by the depth of our testimonies and the intimacy of our relationships with our Heavenly Father and Savior. Even after all of the hours and insights it always boils down to something simple--not necessarily easy--but always simple. Focus on the one, most important thing and all of the other struggles merge into their proper perspective places. Another thing that I was reminded of this last month, and which I really do often forget, is how much we need each other to learn life's lessons. Family is the nucleus of the gospel and we are ALL tied with that title. So, for your strength, support and sacrifices on my spiritual behalf this month I want to thank my family and friends who shared their hearts and insights. You raise me up.

Fun things this month--Jet, our friend who took the discussions in our home in high school, came back on leave from the military and it happened to fall on the weekend of Lily and Sophie's birthday. Then Jordan and Mikayla planned a surprise visit home from BYU-I so the twins were in heaven, feeling so doted upon. The most thrilling moment was when Jordan and Mikayla sneaked into the back yard and started jumping on the trampoline and Abrahm, Lily and Sophia looked out the kitchen and shrieked with pure delight. That was worth all of the trouble to keep that secret for weeks.

The following week, Jordan came home again, with a missionary companion, to attend a homecoming. Elder Weaver lived in Australia until he was 10 and still has a charming accent. He and our Jordan were kindred spirits in the mission field and I can see why. I think our family may have overwhelmed him a bit--we have a tendency to do that to new friends--but he seemed content and we liked him very much. Some people are so easy to like.

Sunbeams were a bright spot as usual this week. Because of Spring Break, I only had 4 children but they were all ones with "lots of flavor". I spent the first hour just trying to keep them facing forward and watching the Primary Presidency. It didn't look like anything was going "in". But at one point during Sharing Time, the Primary counselor was talking about people in the military protecting our country and one of my 3 year olds, who wasn't paying any attention (I thought), whirls around in his chair and says, "yes, they protect us from drones!" Every adult jaw in the room dropped 3 inches. These children are taking it all in.

Trying to plan uniting family activities for Spring Break, under inside only weather conditions. It's a challenge.
Looking so forward to this week of contemplating the events leading up to Easter. I so wish it was warm here, so I could more fully appreciate the symbolism of Spring. It takes more imagination when the tulips are growing in 20 degree weather! =) Nature doesn't seem to be hindered by it, but I am programmed with an internal heat seeking missile and it is finding no targets.

Jet home on Leave--sparring with Eden and "cooking".

Happy 9th Birthday our lovely twineroo's

Lily Lu

Sophronia

Decorations--compliments of their siblings

Celebrating with a full family (Jordan and Mikayla came down as a surprise present!)

  

Jordan and Jordan (Meeting Elder Weaver--our Jordan's mission "brother")

  

Darling Boys

We all loved him too!

Playing with Lily and Sophia's birthday face paints

Our little sunshine.

My Vantage Point

It is Fast Sunday today--such a sweet pondering time for me because the house is quiet and still. Fred taught the lesson in Gospel Principles on prophets. Of course I was wiggling with my Sunbeams, so I didn't hear that classroom discussion, but he shared a few prophetic quotes, some class member thoughts and a couple of video segments that he had prepared with me that were bright spots in my ponderings. The lesson was good timing as I have been thinking quite a bit about prophets these last few weeks and feeling an enormous amount of peace and gratitude for the blessing of knowledge that the living mouthpiece of the Lord is on the earth at this time guiding the church through His direction. 

I have been reflecting on this specifically, not just because it is true, but because I have felt my heart go out to brothers and sisters (an estimated 1.2 billion of them) who must be feeling incredible anxiety right now with the retirement of the Pope and the process that has to play out before they know who will be leading their church and what effects that will have on doctrine and I imagine so many other things. I've tried to educate myself a little bit on the procedure, which is actually quite fascinating--not simple, not smoothly transitory, not, in my belief, divinely appointed, but fascinating just the same--and while I am sure that some good men will do the best they can and hopefully they will try to use the light of Christ to help guide their paths, ultimately a man will be chosen to lead that church and some part of that choice will be politically influenced. Some things will change--possibly core things. I can't imagine that can offer peace. I have seen some comparisons floating around the internet between prophets and popes that are sadly, but almost certainly created by LDS members, and which are meant to be comical and self-righteous. I am offended by them. There is security in truth but so inappropriate to laud it's weight by making light of someone else's belief. Why do we do that to each other, in politics and religion and life? I have gained a deeper appreciation for the beliefs of different societies and nations through Mikayla and Jordan's sharing of their world religions class over the past two months--I have seen how we share so many pieces of truth. I have seen good people, dedicated and committed to trying to do what is right. Of course will that knowledge comes the introduction to what is also misleading, contaminated and destructive, but for the most part I have been filled with admiration and respect for the people of all races and creeds and that has instilled within me profound understanding of the absolute need to have all truth combined into one whole and how necessary that is to seeing the full picture and making sense of our roles. It has helped my understanding of the importance of sharing the fullness of the gospel and the saving ordinances. It has strengthened my testimony significantly where I thought my foundation was already firm. I feel so incredibly anchored knowing that even though people are fallible, the gospel isn't, though human nature is prone to popular persuasion, God's nature is unchangeable. There is such power in knowing that truth is eternal and never negotiable. Fred says that's my "blue" personality showing it's true colors--the fact that rules and rigidity are a comfort--but I believe that God is no respecter of persons, which confirms to me that His plan is set up for all people, no matter what tendencies are inherent or learned in each of our characters and it is set up to bring peace to us individually in a personally unique and intimate way and that includes the whites, and yellows and reds alike. =) There are so many times in my life that peace has been fleeting, but never because of the gospel of Jesus Christ--it is always because of something exterior that I allow to pull me away momentarily. The gospel is what roots my soul. Friends have invited us over to break our fast with their family in an hour. From my vantage point I can see lifeless bodies curled up in various rooms, half slumbering and struggling, and I wonder if our friends are prepared for this picture, or if we can pull out of it in an hour =) Fred is the only one moving about, seemingly unencumbered, making a cake to take, which will hopefully be a distraction from our sad picture. =) It brings to my mind images of sackcloth and ashes. We've tried to teach our children what a true fast consists of, and that it is a commandment with a promise. We've tried hard to be very careful and make it clear that fasting is a personal decision. At the age of eight and even occasionally earlier, of their own accord, my children have seemed to be impressively committed to the full 24 hours. The letter of the law seems to have sunk in, but obviously we need to focus significantly more on the spirit of the law, which is where the light of the blessings and power behind the obedience shines through. We still struggle with that--that's the more difficult part. Sitting here pondering this, with the twins on the couches around me, I felt like it might be helpful if we studied the Gospel Principles lesson on fasting. We have now spent the last 30 minutes doing just that and it seems to have been a boon to Lily and a great reminder for me to dig deeper than I have been. I feel like Sophie was internalizing, but having a bit more trouble externalizing. I think it's easier for some of us physically because it doesn't affect our bodies all the same, but I am convinced that it can bless our spirits equally. I need to be a better mother in spiritually nurturing my children, especially through example. Sunbeams was abnormally energetic today. I am thinking that maybe the parents load my 3 and 4 year old's up with extra sugar to compensate for what they aren't feeding themselves. =) I was still loaded with all kinds of hugs and kisses and fond gazes but I didn't seem to have enough arms in Sharing Time or class. I had children under their chairs on the floor and some with their seats in their seats but heads on the floor. I had one literally climbing the wall and several sitting cross-legged backwards in their chairs. The entire time I had one sitting on my lap and occasionally I also had one with her head in my lap. For a few minutes I had a little boy trying to put his arm around my back, but my chair is taller than his and his arm would get tired and slide down so it was resting on my seat. =) You just really can't be a person who needs a lot of personal space and enjoy being in Sunbeams. Luckily I don't need personal space. =). I spent two hours that were remarkably reminiscent of the old BYU video "Out of the Mouths of Babes." It's one of my absolute favorites because it is such an accurate portrayal. Ahhh, fun times! =) Well, on to another week--a fun one. Lily and Sophie turn 9 on Saturday and Jordan and Mikayla are trying to make a quick and surprise trip home for that. Shhhhh! Our young friend Jet has a military pass to come visit Middleton for a few days during that same weekend, so if the timing is right he and Jordan will finally get to meet, which is exciting for me. Then it seems like Spring Break and Jordan's birthday and conference are all just around the corner and because the joy of anticipation is half the fun, I feel happy.

Our Valentines this year. Fun times in the kitchen.

Valentines Day morning. A nice diversion from our normal hectic and CASUAL breakfasts.

All dressed up in Valentine colors

Eden's Invitation to her prospective date for MORP--Napolean style

What are the odd's of your date having the same name as your Dad?

Dr. Suess Day at school