We’re all home again because case counts are too high at the high school and in the state. Mark has ordered a new game. Tim works on his Fiat in the garage. I read, continue to rearrange these shelves for a change of scenery, and make people paint peg dolls with me. Richard’s employer is demanding a lot of overtime, so we don’t see much of him, but he is here at the house, too.
This is what was on our kitchen table this morning:
I am having a couple of rough days with my health, so I just picked up a few things to put away today. The table is large and can hold all the magnificent evidence of our lives. It’s unlike me to glory in the mess, but I kind of like this one. It shows that we are moving forward.
Richard had an idea to visit his parents and cook them a Dutch oven dinner in Pine Valley, so he and Mark went down for a visit. Paige and Michael joined the fun, too. Looking at pictures of the event, I see the original plan evolved quite a bit. 😀
While I was in California, Richard took the kids (minus Daniel) camping at Payson Lakes. He took our small popup trailer and a tent, and cooked a nice Dutch oven dinner for everyone. I’ve always thought that Richard knows how to make the most of every opportunity. He has done things like this for the kids their whole lives.
Last week we sold our old black 1999 Toyota Sienna. It sold immediately after we listed it, and the emotions caught us a little by surprise. I guess it symbolized the adventures of raising our kids. It was a hassle-free car, with very few repairs needed during the past 18 years we owned it. I gave it a good pat and said thank you before it left our house for the last time.
During the past few months we have sold the van, Richard’s car, and three trailers, but Timothy fills in the spaces with his hobby cars. One of these must go before the snow arrives.
Recently, I took some time to begin our photo book for 2020. With so much canceled, I expected the photo book to be thin and a bit depressing. But friends, it just wasn’t that at all. What a beautiful year we have had so far, despite all, and maybe because of all.
Two pillars of the year for our family are our church’s general conferences in April and October. This year, perhaps more than any other, I have needed extra assurances that God is in control and speaks to His children to help them. So, with familiar rhythms of family time, block towers being built with monkeys at the pinnacle, we listen to church leaders and continue to press forward through the mist. (1 Nephi 8:24, 30)
To read or view the words of prophets, apostles, and other church leaders from general conference, you can follow this link.
I took a drive down to Utah Valley to visit Daniel on his twenty-first birthday. We decided to mask up and visit Grandma Ruth and my mom and share some birthday cheesecake.
We had a spectator.
Definition: a woman honored by a group; a woman who is currently most important or admired; my Grandma Ruth
“I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
“Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
-President Russell M Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives, April 2018
This is the phrase that stood out to me most from this passage:
“Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.”
This is an exciting time to be alive. There is hope and comfort to be found in Jesus Christ. Some days I live from prayer to prayer, trying to stay focused on light and goodness. This week has been mentally challenging for me, and the message that kept coming to my mind was to humble myself and reach out for some counsel and comfort from Richard and my parents. As I did this, I found the stepping stones I needed to cross this deep water I am navigating.
I am going to California tomorrow with my parents to bring my grandmother to Utah. This will require finesse, love, and angels. I don’t like to leave my family, but my illness this year has taught me that they are strong. I have done all I can to prepare and to be healthy as we take this big step. Our extended family has come together in prayer and fasting to prepare. My prayers for my grandmother are for her comfort and peace, and that we will know, step by step, what to do and say. I lay my burden at the Lord’s feet, his glorious feet, every few hours, all day.
Isaiah 52:7-10:
7 ¶ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
9 ¶ Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God
A happy list today:
Negative Covid test results for a loved one
A sunflower in a vase beside my sink
My Christmas quilt is all quilted with gold swirls and I’ve attached the binding. It’s ready for hand sewing. This might be my favorite step.
New fabric on the pillows
Time spent in the Book of Mormon: I love that book.
Our kids have fun interests (classic cars, portraits, music composition, cooking, piano, woodworking, reading) and they are good company.
Richard is a good calculus tutor.
Rain is in the forecast.
My first issue of The Friend arrived today, after letting our subscription lapse for a few years after our kids left Primary. I have missed this church magazine!
I just watched the first episode of The Chosen series. I don’t think it’s very accurate but I really liked it, if for no other reason than it portrays biblical personalities as relatable people.