A New Year Brings New Beginnings...
One thing that I love about each new year is that somehow it allows us as human beings to feel like we can start over and begin something new. That has always been an interesting concept to me especially since the new year is just one day after the old year, but yet it brings this sensation and feeling of a fresh clean start where we can make resolutions and almost a reason to become better people and children of our Heavenly Father.
One thing that I would start a new is to start over in reading The Book of Mormon. I can't count how many times I have read this marvelous book, but I just felt like reading it from the first page on the first day of a new year would be something new to do. I love this remarkable book!
President Ezra Taft Benson (a past Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) once said the following: "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ.The Bible sits on the pulpit of hundreds of different religious sects. The Book of Mormon, the record of Joseph, verifies and clarifies the Bible. It removes stumbling blocks, it restores many plain and precious things. We testify that when used together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, and establish peace. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.)We do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it! The Book of Mormon is not on trial—the people of the world, including the members of the Church, are on trial as to what they will do with this second witness for Christ" ( Ensign, Nov. 1984, p.8).
too testify of this remarkable book as another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that it is. I have had the truthfulness of this sacred volume of scripture made known to me by the power of the Holy Ghost. My life has been forever blessed by The Book Of Mormon. I know it to be the word of God and a companion the the Holy Bible.
I look forward to a new beginning with reading from the Book of Mormon and encourage all others to do the same.
One thing that I would start a new is to start over in reading The Book of Mormon. I can't count how many times I have read this marvelous book, but I just felt like reading it from the first page on the first day of a new year would be something new to do. I love this remarkable book!
President Ezra Taft Benson (a past Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) once said the following: "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ.The Bible sits on the pulpit of hundreds of different religious sects. The Book of Mormon, the record of Joseph, verifies and clarifies the Bible. It removes stumbling blocks, it restores many plain and precious things. We testify that when used together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, and establish peace. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.)We do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it! The Book of Mormon is not on trial—the people of the world, including the members of the Church, are on trial as to what they will do with this second witness for Christ" ( Ensign, Nov. 1984, p.8).
too testify of this remarkable book as another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that it is. I have had the truthfulness of this sacred volume of scripture made known to me by the power of the Holy Ghost. My life has been forever blessed by The Book Of Mormon. I know it to be the word of God and a companion the the Holy Bible.
I look forward to a new beginning with reading from the Book of Mormon and encourage all others to do the same.
Happy New Year...
...and time to clean up:) I don't know what it is about me but I have always liked to keep things clean, organized, and as much clutter free as possible. New Year's Day has been no exception. Growing up New Year's Day was when we as a family had our New Year's Day breakfast and then went to cleaning up all of the Christmas Decorations around the house. Today was no exception to that. We had breakfast with my parents and sisters, but then we headed back home to take down our Christmas decor (Which gratefully is a lot less to clean in our apartment compared to my parent's home.) It's sad to pack away the nativities and take down the Christmas tree but at the same time, it's like you are giving your family and home a fresh clean start to the new year that awaits you.
So to all of our blogger friends out there: Happy New Year! May it be a great start and fresh year of all types of experiences and moments!!!!!
So to all of our blogger friends out there: Happy New Year! May it be a great start and fresh year of all types of experiences and moments!!!!!
My Occupation: A Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations
This explains it all:
A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you have a job or are you just a......?" "Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom." "We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?" Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money." There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom." Motherhood!!! What a glorious career! (Especially when there's a title on the door.)
Does this make grandmothers"Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers"Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts"Associate Research Assistants".
A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you have a job or are you just a......?" "Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom." "We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?" Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money." There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom." Motherhood!!! What a glorious career! (Especially when there's a title on the door.)
Does this make grandmothers"Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers"Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts"Associate Research Assistants".
Back in the Saddle...
Well, it's been a long time since we posted anything. We were enjoying some fun with our family in Idaho over the Christmas holiday. It was fun to be surrounded by family, snow, and food. We had some good laughs and played some fun games. It had been a while since we had been out there to visit.
We also had the pleasure of seeing Bryan's youngest sibling and sister get married in the Boise Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a beautiful wedding. She looked absolutely beautiful and was so happy! Her colors were really fun- especially on all the nieces and nephews- fuschia and black. The weather was cold but beautiful!
One thing that I love is that through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and it's proper priesthood authority, it is possible to be married for time and all eternity, not just til death do us part. That knowledge brings a lot of peace in a world full of uncertainty. This "sealing" or marriage is done in temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Bryan and I have been blessed continually by having been married for time and all eternity in the temple. It brings peace to my mind and heart that if anything were to happen to either of us, that after we died we would be together forever. I can't imagine being married to someone that I love so very much and with whom I walked through all the good and hard things of life with, and having to be seperated from them when I die. I know that is not part of a kind, wise Heavenly Father's plan for His children. He wouldn't have sent us here to be in families if that was his purpose.
The family is central to our Heavenly Father's plan and it is through temples that we can be with each other even after we die.
We also had the pleasure of seeing Bryan's youngest sibling and sister get married in the Boise Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a beautiful wedding. She looked absolutely beautiful and was so happy! Her colors were really fun- especially on all the nieces and nephews- fuschia and black. The weather was cold but beautiful!
One thing that I love is that through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and it's proper priesthood authority, it is possible to be married for time and all eternity, not just til death do us part. That knowledge brings a lot of peace in a world full of uncertainty. This "sealing" or marriage is done in temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Bryan and I have been blessed continually by having been married for time and all eternity in the temple. It brings peace to my mind and heart that if anything were to happen to either of us, that after we died we would be together forever. I can't imagine being married to someone that I love so very much and with whom I walked through all the good and hard things of life with, and having to be seperated from them when I die. I know that is not part of a kind, wise Heavenly Father's plan for His children. He wouldn't have sent us here to be in families if that was his purpose.
The family is central to our Heavenly Father's plan and it is through temples that we can be with each other even after we die.
Christmas- Post 3
This web page is perfect for the Christmas season!
"Christ: The real gift of Christmas"
"Christ: The real gift of Christmas"
Christmas-Post 2
Traditions
I have been thinking about traditions lately and my mom gave me a good book to read called "Traditions: Creating Memories to Draw Your Family Close" written by Kimberly L. Bytheway and Diane H. Loveridge. The book has all kinds of ideas for each holiday of the year plus traditions for everyday family things that we do like scripture study, family mealtime, vacations, birthdays, etc. I was flipping through it last night and found that there were some great ideas in there that I would like to implement and some that my mother implemented while I was growing up.
I particularly like traditions that continue through the generations. You know when the kids you have grow up and get married and carry the traditions you started in your family into theirs and so on. Bryan and I have several of these traditions that we are trying to keep in our family.
From my family one of these traditions is that each year on Christmas Eve we open 2 gifts: a new pair of pajamas and an ornament that represents something we did or accomplished, or somewhere we went that year. It's pretty cool because when we were married, I ended up having over 20 ornaments to decorate our tree with.
From Bryan's family: they always have a tradtion of a Chrsitmas program on Christmas Eve. (We would read Luke 2 and other Christmas stories, but his family went all out.) Each person in his family had to prepare a talent, a story, or something to share with the family. Then of course they would act out the First Christmas as children dressed in angel, shepherd costumes etc.
Every time I think of the word traditions I think of a talk/ speech that Sister Cheryl C. Lant gave talking about the righteous traditions we have and need to have in our families entitled "Righteous Traditions."
So regardless of where you live or what stage in life you are in traditions are important to have: especally those that are righteous and uplifting to you and your family.
In our Church Magazine (The Ensign) for December there is an article that mentions several other Christmas traditions that others do as a family to focue more on the Savior. see here
I have been thinking about traditions lately and my mom gave me a good book to read called "Traditions: Creating Memories to Draw Your Family Close" written by Kimberly L. Bytheway and Diane H. Loveridge. The book has all kinds of ideas for each holiday of the year plus traditions for everyday family things that we do like scripture study, family mealtime, vacations, birthdays, etc. I was flipping through it last night and found that there were some great ideas in there that I would like to implement and some that my mother implemented while I was growing up.
I particularly like traditions that continue through the generations. You know when the kids you have grow up and get married and carry the traditions you started in your family into theirs and so on. Bryan and I have several of these traditions that we are trying to keep in our family.
From my family one of these traditions is that each year on Christmas Eve we open 2 gifts: a new pair of pajamas and an ornament that represents something we did or accomplished, or somewhere we went that year. It's pretty cool because when we were married, I ended up having over 20 ornaments to decorate our tree with.
From Bryan's family: they always have a tradtion of a Chrsitmas program on Christmas Eve. (We would read Luke 2 and other Christmas stories, but his family went all out.) Each person in his family had to prepare a talent, a story, or something to share with the family. Then of course they would act out the First Christmas as children dressed in angel, shepherd costumes etc.
Every time I think of the word traditions I think of a talk/ speech that Sister Cheryl C. Lant gave talking about the righteous traditions we have and need to have in our families entitled "Righteous Traditions."
So regardless of where you live or what stage in life you are in traditions are important to have: especally those that are righteous and uplifting to you and your family.
In our Church Magazine (The Ensign) for December there is an article that mentions several other Christmas traditions that others do as a family to focue more on the Savior. see here
Christmas- Post 1
I am going to try what might be crazy, but to write a post often during the month of December until Christmas. ( I know that there are a lot of you bloggers out there to whom this would be no feat, for me on the other hand this could be a challenging goal.)
Well for the my first post of Christmas, I can say that my decorations are up including our gorgeous fake tree:) I still have to vacuum up the mess it has caused. I absoulutely love putting up the Christmas decorations. For some odd reason it just helps get the Christmas season underway for me. I think I have always been this way.
I remember the Christmas I spent in Peru; my missionary companion and I didn't have any Christmas decor so we went to a little mercado and bought big sheets of construction paper and made a Christmas Tree on our bedroom wall. I have to admit it was quite the site:) We even ended up taking pictures sitting next to it that we sent to our families.
Another time when I was a freshman in college, my roomamtes and I wanted to make our little apartment more festive, so we went to the dollar store and bought some cheap (but cute, of course) wrapping paper. We then covered one of the living room walls with wrapping paper. Then because that was obviously not complete:) we went on campus to the media center and bought huge pieces of construction paper and created a fireplace with a (paper) fire in it on top of our lovely wrapping paper wall.
Oh the thing we do to add to the Christmas Season!!!:)
Well for the my first post of Christmas, I can say that my decorations are up including our gorgeous fake tree:) I still have to vacuum up the mess it has caused. I absoulutely love putting up the Christmas decorations. For some odd reason it just helps get the Christmas season underway for me. I think I have always been this way.
I remember the Christmas I spent in Peru; my missionary companion and I didn't have any Christmas decor so we went to a little mercado and bought big sheets of construction paper and made a Christmas Tree on our bedroom wall. I have to admit it was quite the site:) We even ended up taking pictures sitting next to it that we sent to our families.
Another time when I was a freshman in college, my roomamtes and I wanted to make our little apartment more festive, so we went to the dollar store and bought some cheap (but cute, of course) wrapping paper. We then covered one of the living room walls with wrapping paper. Then because that was obviously not complete:) we went on campus to the media center and bought huge pieces of construction paper and created a fireplace with a (paper) fire in it on top of our lovely wrapping paper wall.
Oh the thing we do to add to the Christmas Season!!!:)
Thanksgiving!!!!
Thanksgiving is among us! This is actually my FAVORITE holiday of the year! Don't get me wrong I love Christmas because of the season it gives us to specifically center our thoughts on the Savior Jesus Christ and His birth. But for Thanksgiving there are no presents, no real hustle and bustle or stress over money and presents, it's all about Family and Friends. It's about complete gratitude. It's a day where you can look back and literally start counting your blessings. I have found that when I count my blessings ( My first and foremost being God, my Eternal Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ) that I have received more "presents" than I could ever ask for.
Life is sometimes like a mound of unfinished laundry
Having my husband work fulltime and in night grad school, at times has been challenging. Sometimes it seems to wear us both thin. We often find ourselves tired, irritated, and feeling like nothing we start ever gets truly accomplished. I have found that Discouragement often tries to find his way into our home as a very unwelcomed guest.
Sometimes I think i could compare obstacles in our lives to a mound of laundry with a new born baby- it just never seems possible to tackle. But the thing about that mound of laundry is that eventually it does get started and after a while as the new born grows, patterns are made and time is organized to eventually get the laundry washed, folded, and put away. Sometimes you might even get someone to help you clean it.
That's how the gospel works for me. That's how the Savior blesses my life. He makes what seems impossible to my limited knowledge, understanding, and experience in comparison to His, very possible. He makes it so possible that when several children's laundry is added to the mix and makes the mound grow, it somehow not only gets accomplished but betters our lives one piece at a time.
Sometimes I think i could compare obstacles in our lives to a mound of laundry with a new born baby- it just never seems possible to tackle. But the thing about that mound of laundry is that eventually it does get started and after a while as the new born grows, patterns are made and time is organized to eventually get the laundry washed, folded, and put away. Sometimes you might even get someone to help you clean it.
That's how the gospel works for me. That's how the Savior blesses my life. He makes what seems impossible to my limited knowledge, understanding, and experience in comparison to His, very possible. He makes it so possible that when several children's laundry is added to the mix and makes the mound grow, it somehow not only gets accomplished but betters our lives one piece at a time.
Goals
Lately we have been working on what seems like everything we can, and then when the chaos seems to be to much we seem to center back onto the fact that we just need clear and concise goals, and to work on them one at a time, step by step. Bryan has his goals and I have mine, alot of times they are very different goals, but the blessing of having the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that they gratefully all end in with the same ultimate goal, that of eternal life with our Father in Heaven. I am grateful for goals with purpose.
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