I Love That Guy

I woke up this morning just dreading get out of bed. With so many things on my plate to do I just didn't want to face the day. And I usually LOVE Fridays. But spending just a few minutes with Brett as he waited for Sheriff to get ready turned my day around.

Brett could not find his phone and I reminded him he has this WONDERFUL Find my Phone feature through Google. So Brett tried it, "Google...find my phone."

It didn't work.

He ended up finding his phone in the family room. We wondered why the "cool ap" didn't work. Brett then held the phone in his hand and tried it again. "Google...find my phone." Bing! It worked! As long as it was in his hand. But when he put it down and walked away to say the words.... nothing. No matter how loud he raised his voice...nothing.

I was laughing pretty hard.

Then Sheriff showed up freshly showed ... with porcupine hair. Brett told him to go comb it, because he didn't want to go onto job sites with Lion O from The Thundercats.

I almost decorated my computer with my cereal.

Thanks Brett, you're the best.

Celebrating Baby Steps

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and frustrated when my kids make the same mistakes over and over again. I wonder if the things I am teaching are even getting through.

But as I talked with Brett last night over the events of the last few days and things I was feeling frustrated over, he reminded me about the "cupcake incident".

A few years back I bought cupcakes for Brett's birthday and left them on the counter to pack the next morning for Lake Powell. As Brett's birthday is on the Fourth of July, the icing on the various cupcakes was in red, white and blue. The next morning I got up out of bed and heard something in the living room. I walked in, and to my horror saw my youngest son decorated with red, white, and blue icing - along with the couch, carpet and hardwood floor. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was NOT amused.

Last night I left a partially eaten chocolate bar on the counter, as well as an uneaten cupcake. It was risky, I know, but I went to bed anyways. In the morning they were still there. In some homes this event would pass by unnoticed. In my home, this is a miracle. It shows an incredible amount of self-control.

So while I might be wondering when my 9 year old will learn to brush his teeth without several verbal prompts, or my 10 year old will do as he is asked without becoming a moaning zombie, I can celebrate the baby steps they are taking.

Faithful Patience

There has been so much chatter on the web about the Ordain Women group and what they wanted to achieve the night of the Priesthood session as they claim: "Our audience is the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. That's who we want to be heard by."

I have really tried to hard to be quiet on this topic as I have feared to say something that will offend friends who may feel strongly about his issue. But I am finding it difficult to be quiet. Perhaps it is because of what transpired on Saturday night.

But before I express my opinion I think I need to go back a little in time. When I was in my teens and even into my early twenties, I confess that I had similar concerns that members of the Ordain Women organization currently have. I felt confused over why women could not hold the Priesthood. Growing up in a country that touted equality - I didn't feel the same. Men in the church had something that I did not have. Why was that? It left me feeling frustrated for some time.

However, my testimony and trust in my Heavenly Father was strong enough to get through those years as I prayed and worked on that question, and other questions I had. Heavenly Father has promised us revelation - line upon line, precept upon precept... here a little and there a little. Sometimes we get the answers immediately, sometimes the answers come in time, sometimes the answer is not yet, and other times the answer is no.

I decided that I had to show FAITHFUL PATIENCE. As time passed my frustration and confusion eased, peace came and then knowledge. My faithful patience paid off.

We DO need to ask him the RIGHT way in order to GET an answer. What has bothered me has been the way the Ordain Women group has gone about claiming they are trying to get an answer. By saying they are trying to get President Monsen's attention and leaving the designated area on Saturday night (which they were respectfully asked not to do BY THEIR PROPHET AND LEADER WHO SPEAKS FOR AND IN BEHALF OF GOD) what they are really trying to do is get the WORLD'S attention.

In an email on Saturday evening church spokesman Cody Craynor wrote: "While not all the protestors were members of the church, such divisive actions are not the kind of behavior that is expected from Latter-day Saints and will be as disappointing to our members as it is to church leaders." I have to agree with this statement. I was more than disappointed. I believe that if you have some issue with someone - take it to the person. This was a public display meant to embarrass the church and was unbecoming our members.

On Ordain Women's website Kate Kelly claims that women are treated unequally in the church and that there are "thousands who think like me." I want to public declare that there are thousands who DON'T.

There is a danger in the Ordain Women website. The words are carefully crafted. If you don't pay close attention you may not catch the lies. For example: "Only boys and men, however, are ordained to the lay priesthood and have ritual and administrative authority in the church." You might think, "Wow! That is so true! They DO have all the priesthood and ritual duties." But wait a minute... They have ALL of the ADMINISTRATIVE authority in the church? That's ridiculous!

What am I doing day in day out in administering in my calling as Primary President? Should I have handed that over to a man over a year and a half ago? What was I thinking busting my butt all of this time? In fact, it says in the handbook under Ward Primary Leadership: "This chapter focuses on administering the Primary in a way that will strengthen individuals and families." (italics added)

Ordain Women's website also claims "Despite their gifts, talent, and aspirations, women are excluded from almost all positions of clerical, fiscal, ritual, and decision-making authority." Let me again refer to the Handbook on my calling as Primary President "She oversees the records, reports, budget, and finances of the ward Primary. The Primary secretary helps with this responsibility." I have 170 children in my Primary - it is part of why I am so busy with tracking various changes that go on during the week: Attendance at cubscouts, 11-year-old scouts, Activity Days, Callings, releases, families moving in, families moving out, doing and tracking baptism visits, doing and tracking Faith In God appointments. I have plenty of clerical duties to keep me busy as does my secretary. Then there is our budget that we have to keep a close eye on. I am so grateful to my secretary who is incredible at taking care of all of things on Sunday so that I don't need to worry about attendance as well as lining up talks and assignments for Sharing Time each week. It makes for such a smooth Sunday. What an incredible lady she is!

As for decision-making authority... twice a month as Primary President I participate in ward council with the Relief Society President and the Young Women President. I have listened to their wise counsel as well as given my own counsel in these meetings. It is a great opportunity to work together as a ward. Because of my well-placed words in ward counsel the bishop listened and the Duty to God program for the Young Men in our ward has found new life.

Another interesting point the site makes is: Why aren't Mormons resistant to women's ordination? Kate Kelly claims that Mormon women don't seek ordination because of "lingering patriarchal patterns". Other Ordain Women bloggers have suggested that we passively obey our leaders.

I'll begin to end my long-winded speech with a quote from Elder L. Tom Perry:

"Too often we think of obedience as the passive and thoughtless following of the orders or dictates of a higher authority,” Elder Perry said. “Actually at its best, obedience is an emblem of our faith in the wisdom and power of the highest authority, even God.”

I agree with Elder Perry. I am different from that teenage girl who questioned "inequality", because I thought that inequality meant everything had to be the same. I am a confident adult who makes administrative, clerical, fiscal contributions in my ward weekly.

Don't allow others to fool you. As one who was very confused as a teenager, I know that there are those out there who are really struggling with this issue. I get it. I have been there. We all have questions that we need answered. Have faithful patience as you wait upon the Lord

If you have a sincere question, take it directly to the Lord. He is the source of truth.

I can tell you this... Ordain Women's website - is not.

When Prayer Works

I know prayer works. I have seen it, and felt it's power touch my life time and time again through the years.

But I have had a problem: convincing Sheriff that God answers his prayers. It started when Sheriff was younger and he lost a game that was very precious to him. To an adult a lost game probably doesn't sound too important, but to a child ... the loss of a favorite item is heart-breaking. He turned to God and prayed for help to find it. He didn't just pray once, he prayed for several days. I confess that I prayed too - that my son might find this game and know as I do that prayers are answered. This might sound trivial to some, but for my son it was important.

He never found it.

Fast forward a few years and Sheriff saved up to buy an iPad. He was so excited to have his own iPad (not brand new of course - but new to him.) But while on a trip out of town he lost it (possibly during the rush of getting off of a flight and packing belongings up). We tried to track it, tried to contact lost and found, tried everything we could think of. We even search my parents' home in case the iPad made it as far as their home. But nothing. So Sheriff again turned to prayer - maybe whoever found would return it - show some integrity. He prayed and prayed for weeks.

He never got it back.

Fast forward a few months when he saved again- this time to buy an iPod touch. On a trip to Lake Powell it went missing. (I know...you are probably thinking that at this point Sheriff should keep better track of his stuff... remember... ADD -Attention Deficit Disorder.) Again he turned to prayer with the same results. No help. This was back in the summer.

On Sunday night Sheriff said to me, "Heavenly Father doesn't answer my prayers." I had been dreading to hear this from my son for I feared that this was exactly what he was learning from his experiences (instead of - learn how to better keep track of your stuff.) It broke my heart.

Imagine how I felt when I received a call from Brett's mom Monday morning saying that Sheriff's iPod had been found! It had fallen behind the couch on the houseboat. They had moved the couch and lo and behold ... the iPod was there. They surprised him with the found iPod during his birthday dinner.

I am so grateful for grandparents who listen to promptings for they have shown my son that although not every prayer is answered, some are.

Putting my Audience to Sleep

My sister asked me recently when I became funny. I told her that I have always been funny but she has only recently come to appreciate my sense of humor. But really, I don't know if it because as I am aging I'm loosening up a little, or as she is aging her humor is expanding from just looking for opportunities to publicly humiliate me and laughing AT me, to listening to me and laughing WITH me.

That being said, I learned last night that I have a long way to go in learning how to capture the attention of an audience. At the end of every day Brett and I talk in bed about various things. I was relating to him what I thought was a particularly funny event that occurred on our local radio station when a listener texted in and wrote to one of the hosts, "You are the duh. The hosts were laughing about the text and the context. But, being the end of the day, I could feel my brain shutting down and what should have been a short story became much longer as the neural pathways in my brain rerouted again and again. Young people will have no idea what I'm talking about but if you have ever forgotten a word you know what I mean. And late last night ... well ... it happened several times.

Finally, I made it to the end of the story - and to the punch line, "You are the duh". Nothing. No laughter. No comment. Just silence in the room and the wind whistling outside. That was when I realized that my husband was asleep. Fast asleep. And for how long? Through the whole thing. All of that storytelling had been wasted!

A good slap on the arm roused him. I know. I'm mean that way. I mean - why didn't I just roll over and let him sleep? Because he HAD to know that he fell asleep while I was talking to him! (And because as a life-long insomniac I think it unfair that any human being should be able to fall asleep within 10 seconds of their head hitting the pillow.) Of course he woke up disoriented and had NO IDEA what I had even said.

But because he fell asleep while I was talking I say Brett, "You are the duh." If only he had stayed awake he would be laughing right now.

Another Great Family Night

It was Sheriff's turn to choose our Family Home Evening game and as usual he chose a version of Apples to Apples (we have 3 different versions). His brothers groaned when he brought it out, but we always have fun playing the game.



At the end of the game the cards that you won are supposed to describe you as a person.



Wannabe was in charge of the treat and chose a recipe from one of our Friend magazines. It was a hit with everyone.


Chocolate-dipped Bananas

3 bananas
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
craft sticks

1. Peel the bananas and cut them in half across the middle.
2. Push the sticks into the cut end of each banana half.
3. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper and lay bananas on top. Freeze bananas for 30 minutes.
4. Mix the chocolate chips and the vegetable oil in glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds at 50% power and stir. Continue microwaving for 30 seconds at 50% power until chocolate is melted.
5. Using a spoon pour the chocolate over the bananas until covered and place back on the cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Freeze for another 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Teen Torment Part Two

"You are the cause of most of my stress!" my thirteen year old accused me today.

My jaw dropped in surprise. I mean I create a lot of my own stress, but really? To be accused of creating my childrens' stress? That was rich in irony. Especially considering the context.

Sheriff came home from school saying that his book project is due on Wednesday. Firstly, he had told me that there would be no project for the current book he is reading. Secondly, he had failed to read the 10 pages in the morning and 10 pages at night as I had suggested so that he would be finished the book by the beginning of January. When I asked him where he was at in the book he told me - page 110. I could swear that was the same page he was at over two weeks ago. With 284 pages in the book a Wednesday due date to finish the book plus a project, things are not looking good in terms of spare time.

When he had the gall to ask to play video games I said no and told him to go read. I know. Even the tears didn't phase me. But when he told me I was the cause of most of his stress after I had given him a steady way to finish the book on time... well... I made him apologize - and read.

And read.

I know my son thinks I am torturing him. But perhaps one day he will thank me for teaching him how to be better prepared, how to be responsible, and most of all how much I really, truly, actually do love him.