Last Minute Thoughts

This is my nephew, Kevin, who got his mission call to serve the Lord, and will be departing to the beautiful island and city of Wellington, New Zealand after a stay at the MTC in Provo. So exciting!

This is Kelli and her cute family. I love this picture! (Kelli, your dad would like a framed 8x10 for Fathers Day! Hint Hint)

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One more thing.....I have a list of blogs off to the right here and while I love checking them all out, there is one or two in particular that give me the most entertainment. Check out "Victoria McD". She is my new Erma Bombeck. The woman is an oozing flow of creativity =- not only does she write songs and scripts, but she can blog about ANYTHING and make it totally funny and meaningful! Listen to her music, too. There are others who make me smile and laugh - and I salute you! I'm so glad to know you!

Track Finals

This is a picture of my very attractive son at the track finals this past Friday at San Clemente HS. He ran the 800m with a 2:08 which sounds like a pretty decent time and he came in 8th. What? These races are freakin' sprints - the boys are getting faster and faster and faster. He also ran in the 4x400 relay and his team took 3rd in league. Way to go, Chadman!

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to my wonderful mom! She is so loving and supportive! She is one of my good friends! I love my mom!

My reason for being....Wyatt, Chad, Travis! I am grateful everyday for 3 wonderful, awesome boys!

I was treated to a lovely breakfast by 4 "happy" faces! It was delish! Thank you!

Did You Think to Store

(SING TO THE TUNE OF "DID YOU THINK TO PRAY?")

1. Ere you spent your family's paycheck,
Did you think to save,
Just a little for the storage
And 3 days of yummy porridge
For when times are grave.
Oh how storage helps the faithful
When the Prophet's words we heed,
So, be stalwart and be cheerful
Plan for what you'll need.

2. Adriane [our EPrep person], has tried to teach us
How to can and store,
Did you feel intimidated
And you have procrastinated
'cause it's quite a chore!
Oh, how empty are the cupboards,
Water from the pool just flows,
How you'll wish that you had listened
When the good life goes!

3. Wheat and beans and salt and honey
May not sound so hot,
But if you are going hungry
If your tummy's cold and grumbly
They can hit the spot.
Fire extinguishers and canned heat
Everything to see you through,
Freeze dried tuna, powdered broccoli
Store some chocolate too!

4. If this topic's repititious
And you're dull and blue
When you've got but empty dishes
And you've used up all your wishes,
Go and get a clue!
Bless your family and your neighbors
'Dan' [our speaker last tonight] will give you what you need,
Facts, advice, and prayerful counsel
As the Prophet's plead!

(Again, stolen from Cindy! But I do have these lyrics in my bag)

(This is post is totally stolen from my good friend, Cindys, blog. She's good enough to take notes - I don't - and then posts them. I teased her about getting them posted so I could steal them. I love President Fuller! Even though no longer a president, he never ceases to amaze with his comments. Thank you, Cindy! I love you!)

This was our cute invitation/reminder for our quarterly enrichment night. Very clever! When we arrived we were met by a couple of sisters on the committee with a family folder stuffed full of emergency/food storage information all ready to go home and be put into a 3 ring binder complete with a cover page. As we gathered, we got to sample some delicious homemade wheat bread with honeybutter and jams. Sooo very good. Victoria made it. It takes 6 minutes until you put it in the pans and costs $.51 a loaf. Pretty good in today's market.

Kim called us all to order and we sang the opening song and had a prayer. Then she was introducing President Fuller as the speaker and all of a sudden we had an earthquake. Now I am paranoid of earthquakes, so I thought it was a real one at first and got those initial adrenaline panic flutters. I kept waiting for the ground to start shaking and it never did, so I finally relaxed. But the lights fluttered on and off and finally stayed off, the doors and windows were rattling, stuff in the kitchen was falling.

Donni and Jeff came walking in in their pajamas and robes, she had curlers in her hair. She went on and on about how they were prepared for the 'big one' because she was pretty sure she had packed 72 hour kits. They looked through every backpack/bag that was under the bed/on the floor that they grabbed in a 'panic' and discovered they had one of the kids school bags, and a sports bag, etc. They did at least have flashlights. It was a really cute skit.

Then we all settled down and President Fuller spoke on Spiritual Preparedness. This is an 'item' that has to be replenished daily. It doesn't have a very long 'shelf life' and yet is one of the most essential things to 'survive'. He had 4 main points:

1. GOSPEL PERSPECTIVE. Charles Dickens book The Tale of Two Cities. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". Can both exist? YES, we are living in both right now. It IS the best of times. Never before have we had technology, medicine, religion, transportation, communication,etc. the way we have it now. It IS the worst of times. Never before has the world been so wicked, adulterous, immoral, unkind, mean, selfish, murderous. Good and Evil run together in parallel lines. THE STORMS ARE HERE is the title on the back page of the church news article, and they really are here.

We were prepared for something greater than physical pain. We were prepared for today's world here and now. The spiritual storms/war. And our children are even more valiant. We are literally God's children. Hollywood/the world wants to always use metaphors. We are NOT metaphorically God's child. He IS our Father.

"Without gospel perspective the temporary will look like forever." D. Fuller

It is vital to view everything in a gospel perspective at this point in time.

2. BUILD FAITH. Doubts vs. Questions. Where is our testimony? It's okay to have questions, lots of them. BUT it is imperative that we have NO DOUBTS about the truthfullness of the gospel and the entire plan of salvation. If we do we need to resolve them as fast as we can or we won't make it.

3. SERVICE. It is organized love. Love follows service. It is his opinion that children do not 'truly' love parents the same way parents love children. The reason: parents serve their children from before they are born. Children do not usually serve parents (until they get older and then perhaps the children care for them). As women, our most sacred important responsibility is to parent/serve/love/teach. These are Godlike qualities. God's attributes are character, intelligence, relationships. Of being smart, successful, happy, good, good is the most important to teach. Never stop teaching it. It encompasses all the others.

4. HOW AM I? You are better than you think you are. Guilt is satan-sponsored if we become mired down in our weakness and sins. Guilt is Christ-sponsored when we use it to repent and change and move forward. Where are the desires of our hearts? Do not compare when you judge yourself. That is satan-sponsored!

As women, we need to be stronger at this part of the time frame of God's plan for mortal life. Stronger spiritually. We need women who are scholars of the doctrines of the gospel. We are leaders/matriarchs of our families! Start where we are and move forward!

After his talk, we were so pumped up. He has a unique way of reaching each person. We closed and headed to the kitchen for a tasting of food storage items which you couldn't tell the difference when used with powdered eggs and butter vs. the real McCoy. And some fresh fruits desserts.