Diversity

One day my four year old daughter came home from playing with a neighbor.’ Taylor’s mom makes the best cocoa!” she said.
“You don’t like my cocoa?”I replied!
In her child like wisdom, she consoled me with, “They’re both good. They’re just different.
Years later she was diplomatic with me again when we were discussing the merits of both her father’s and her mother’s churchs. “They’re both good, they’re just different.
I was thinking of this last night when I was trying to decide on the best way to make a quilt. I’m teaching a couple of my cousins how to quilt on face book. Trying to explain something I know how to do to someone who has no idea how to do it is much easier to do in person. This quilt is one I have only seen a picture of and don’t know the dimensions of any of the parts. Looking at it, I figured out how to do a version of it and made a quilt top. Seeing my directions a friend said it was done another way and we tried on face book to come up with directions. So far we have four methods of doing this quilt. They all come out with a warm cuddly work of art.
All are good, just slightly different.
This kind of thing comes up a lot in my life. My husband and I are of a different sex, and religion. He’s a Democrat. I’m a Republican. I come from the less populated Southwest and he’s from big city life on the east coast. I have a large family and he’s an only child. But we love each other and our children. We enjoy the things we have in common and tolerate eachother’s idiosyncrasies. And we encourage each other to excel in our individuality.
Another cousin was discussing with me the different family lifestyles we had. Our fathers were brothers, so why was our upbringing so different. Is it better for children to have to toe the line exactly or be given a little freedom to grow in a slightly other direction. Thinking of my mother’s love of gardening I can compare this to having a formal Italian garden with everything in precise rows, or a country garden where plants grow around the rocks, and trees, and maybe a stream. Both can be beautiful but different.
In one of our conference talks this April, Jean A. Stevens, First Counselor in the Primary general Presidency said,

“It was Jesus Christ Himself who taught us to look to children as an example. The New Testament records His answer when His Apostles disputed who should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus answered their question with a small yet powerful object lesson. He called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of them and said:

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4).

What is it we should learn from children? What qualities do they possess and what examples do they demonstrate that can help us in our own spiritual development?

These precious children of God come to us with believing hearts. They are full of faith and receptive to feelings of the Spirit. They exemplify humility, obedience, and love. They are often the first to love and the first to forgive.
If we have a heart to learn and a willingness to follow the example of children, their divine attributes can hold a key to unlocking our own spiritual growth. “
From my child I have learned that there are many people on this earth that see things differently than I do. I’m trying to love them and accept them as children of God. They are good, even though they are different

Regrets

4:20 in the morning the fire alarms started blaring again. It seems like we have one every other month. I was already up sitting on a pack of ice because I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder. It didn’t take long to dress and leave the apartment. Unfortunately I didn’t have my keys.

The alarms are off, the cat has settled down again and my husband is back in bed trying for another hour of sleep. Luckily for us he had his keys.

I was remembering the last time we got to sprint down the stairs for an alarm. One of our neighbors, a new resident, had left her apartment in her pajamas without coat, shoes, keys, or the ability at the moment at least to speak much English. Sitting with her I wished I had at least a blanket to give her as she waited for someone to help her. This morning as I left my apartment, I grabbed my little quilt to take with me, but changed my mind and took a wool poncho as well as my jacket. I didn’t see her though. Either she was better prepared this time or has moved on.

I have often thought back about that incident and wished I had at least offered her my warm socks or jacket. I regret having passed up an opportunity for service.

I remember many years ago sitting in a Mac Donald’s in Oxford, England, sharing a burger and fries with my three-year-old daughter. A Homeless woman came up to us and begged our fries. She scared my daughter and made me nervous. I asked the manager to ask her to leave. For many, many years I’ve wished I had given the manager some money and asked him to get her some food. More regrets.

I remember going to a single adult conference one year and listening to a motivational speaker. I only remember her first name, Lillian, but I remember what she said.
She told us that she believed that we are each given a number of doors to open, to help others. Each door is meant for us, but the choice is ours. Will we open them and help, or ignore them. She told us about one she had opened gladly, one she had opened reluctantly and one someone else had to take that should have been hers. She related the joy, the repentance, and the sorrow she felt for each of her actions
I wonder often, if in my selfish life, the noise I spread around me keeps me from hearing the knocking on my doors. How many opportunities for service have I missed?
The Church News has an article about our stake in it. The McLean stake had a service Expo in March. It was a grand time. Four hundred people got to enjoy a couple of hours of service to help our fellow men. I’m glad that this year I took the opportunity to share. I’m already excited to start preparing for next March. Hope I see you there.

Teach me to feel another’s woe,
To hide the faults I see,
That mercy I to others show
That mercy show to me.

Alexander Pope

It's Comming

Flower petals
In the sunshine
Catch the morning dew.
Cloud shadows flit across the sky
In the mountains
Springtime glitters--
Glows in every hue.
As myriad birds across the landscape fly.

security

The cat won’t stay off my lap. It seems like anytime I sit down so does she-- on me. Even at night her favorite place to sleep is on my hip, especially if I have been away for a few days. I am her security. The rabbit was the same way. When the cats started chasing her she would jump into my lap and cry. I even had a little dog that would hide her eyes in my armpit when the fireworks or thunderstorms started. I don’t understand why they all didn’t go to my husband or children. Was I more comforting or just sitting more often?
I know my children would come to me when their worlds were getting chaotic. They still call when things are going on in their lives just to talk and get some comforting feedback. I miss my Mom and being able to call and tell her things. She was always my security, bolstering my own independence and confidence.

I remember sitting in the car outside the church during an evacuation for a forest fire. Traffic wasn’t moving and we were essentially parked for the night. Luckily we were in front of the church which was open for bathrooms, donuts, updates and comforting arms. In the car we listened to the radio saying that our whole neighborhood was burned to the ground. My daughter cried and we talked about how we had the important things. We had our family, our pets and we were all safe.
At dawn the cars on our street were able to move onto the main street and we met up with my husband and son and were able to caravan to Albuquerque and meet up with my parents. The radio report was wrong and so far lower Arizona Ave. had not burned. The fire stopped across the street from our house.

I remember a radio program that played on our local station when I was growing up it started with the announcer saying
“Be still and know that I am God”
As I was sitting in the temple the last time I went, I was thinking of all the chaos going on in the Middle East. I looked around the room. It had no windows. You couldn’t see the world outside and I remember thinking “I am not out in the world. I am safe and secure. That’s why I love to go to church on Sunday. For a few hours I am safe and secure—away from the world.
What makes you feel secure? What is your safety? I asked my husband thinking he would say having a job and money saved makes me feel secure. He said,
"Prayer." Knowing God would listen makes him feel secure.

In the scriptures there are many references to man’s yearning for security and safety

Job 11:18
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

Moroni 1:3
And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whither soever I can for the safety of mine own life.

Psalms 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Take care, and be safe.

Blow
Says the North wind
Blow
Go ornery winter
Just go

We’re ready for spring
For birds on the wing
For flowers so bright
Soft rain in the night
Our winter is ending
Just go

Words

Words

She loves her words,
Everything crisp in black and white.
Using similes, metaphors, hanging participles-
Students
Raging with anger
Rolling with
Fear, longing, humor and romance
Use words to
Command the universe
Nurture a family
Teach the next generation.
A poet, a teacher, a writer
Words
Rule.

Sharing

Just Bertie and me sitting by the fire
Looking out the window
Wishing for the sun
Just Bertie and me
Sharing the love.

Just Bertie and me wondering
What is going to happen
To make the day fun
Just Bertie and me
Wishing you love