Category: Church

Pinewood Derby 2011

Here’s the shiny Pinewood Derby track from last night. I filled in for our Cubmaster at this Pack Meeting. We did the cheese grater cheer, the race car cheer, the rocket cheer, and the big canary cheer. These photos were taken by Phillip Flores, one of our den leaders.

Here is Timothy with his awesome car. He has a Lego man inside.

Richard’s computer program kept track of race times and generated the order of races. We projected the race stats from the computer to a big screen. It was very cool.

Trying to contain his delight…

This boy won 4th place!

He earned his Bobcat, too!

Little memories

Mark looks like me.

I teach the Sunbeams (ages 3-4) at church and I love them. I have been thinking about my memories of my Sunbeam year. I have observed that young children can be very perceptive of social concepts. Childhood is not always carefree.

For instance, I remember my mother taking me to preschool. I have always been frightened of everything, especially change. I remember laughing hysterically as I climbed a small playscape as my mother walked out of the room so it would seem like I didn’t notice that she was leaving. That was hard to do.

During that same preschool experience, I observed that the teacher’s helpers always held the social, pretty girls on their laps during singing time. I was not one of these girls. One day, there was a helper who held me on her lap and gave me a small, opened package of lifesavers when she had to leave. I followed her on the other side of the fence as she walked away on the sidewalk, wishing she wouldn’t leave me. I felt so much gratitude and love for that teenage girl!

I remember sitting in my Sunbeam class and the teacher held a picture of Jesus Christ and asked the class who it was. I said it was Heavenly Father. I felt so embarrassed because that wasn’t the right answer.

This year as I have taught Sunbeams, I have tried to remember that children are so very precious and although they can’t always verbalize why they are acting upset, their feelings are real and deep. I have loved their drawings, their hugs and even kisses on the cheek when they come to Primary. I watch them enter Primary and they are hoping to be noticed.

I once heard it said that a child needs to see your face light up when you see them. I think it’s true for the very young, especially as they make the big steps into Primary and school.

Transparency

Our lifestyle keeps me honest. My children and I are are together most of the time and I know them and they know me. They went with me last week to deliver cookies to the women I should have visited with a spiritual message from church. I’m a terrible visiting teacher. And unfortunately, my kids know it.

The boys and I gathered happily in the van after dark with cookies wrapped in bows. Mark said he thought it felt like Thanksgiving. I think he meant Christmas. We grew more cheery with the anticipation of leaving cookies with someone. One boy asked if we could just leave them on the door and run. As tempting as this was to me (the absent visiting teacher), I said we needed to visit.

Our first stop was a dark house. I pulled out my flashlight and we walked to the door. Hmmm… no curtains in the windows… no furniture in the house… I had no idea this woman had moved. We walked away disappointed and I felt true shame.

The next house was also dark, but I knew this woman had not moved. She was probably out of town (as she often is).

No cookies were delivered that night and our spirits were low. We drove through the darkness towards Paige’s ballet studio and I told them the importance of being a visiting teacher or a home teacher and that I needed to be better. I told them about being a Relief Society president and trying to find women who had stopped coming to church. This is a hard job, so it’s up to the visiting teachers to help watch for and care for the women of the church.

Daniel began talking about preparing for a mission. I asked him what he thought he needed to do to prepare. He listed several things like scripture study, exercise, becoming an Eagle Scout, and learning about priesthood responsibilities. He expressed a  desire to be better at studying the scriptures, beyond  just reading them. He’s in the middle of trying to read the Old Testament cover to cover. I shared what I am trying to do to make my own scripture study better. I knew this conversation was important and it probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken my sons visiting teaching with me.

This morning, I found my son with notebook in hand, studying the Book of Mormon intently.

I need to make some visiting teaching appointments… today.

Summer Holds On

Just look at those long legs! Summer seems to make them grow.

We have 350 days of sun each year. I think of summer like I used to think of winter in Utah. It’s 5 months of having to stay inside. The mornings feel a little cooler, so this gives me hope that we’ll be down in the 80’s soon.

Last night I sat outside and looked at stars. We have a long covered patio and a view to the south. I looked at Sagittarius and Scorpio. Antares is fascinating for me with its changing color and brilliance.

I sent Paige to Youth Conference all weekend. I sent Richard on a temple trip by himself on Saturday since we had no babysitter. I cleaned the cars and became drenched in sweat and went shopping for Legos to pass the time with the boys.

Richard gave a talk at the temple at the Stake Temple Day chapel session. He talked about the Ross and Spencer ancestors who attended the temple in Nauvoo during those last days the Mormons were in Nauvoo. He talked about temple blessings extending through generations. These were sweet and humbling thoughts.

I decided that I’m going to keep looking at the stars each night and enjoy that cooling September air. It will give me hope for some milder Autumn days ahead.

Catalog

I’m addicted to Picasa’s facial recognition feature. It’s a great way to catalog photos.

I’m thinking about my mom and dad today as they are in the final days of their 3 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is my dad. His countenance has been luminous and we are so happy that he and my mom have been able to serve together. They have taught us about unity in marriage and service. They have taught us about faith and testimony. They love the Savior.

I know they have made a difference in many lives and their service has brought blessings to their extended family that are great in depth and breadth. These blessings are so tightly interwoven in the details of my life that it would be impossible to list them all.

Truly, our family has been carried these past 3 years by a loving Father in Heaven through many things. Extended illnesses, accidents, a wedding, births, adoptions, and many smaller events have taken place during these last 3 years. Through it all, miracles have occurred and I continue to trust that everything will fit into place. One thing I have learned during these years is that the Lord intervenes according to His wise purpose and we can trust that we are in the Best Hands when we are doing what is right. Grace is a beautiful thing.

Ascent

I spent time at Girls Camp this week. I was just an observer. Nothing was expected of me but to watch. I saw a lot and enjoyed being with the girls. Now, if we can just scratch Twilight and Glee from their life experiences, things would be super.

I enjoyed the time on the mountain and nourished some old memories. I cried a tear or two when I left and then again when I remembered my mom singing in the mountains at Girls Camp.

It’s been 18 years but I still use my camp songbook when I play guitar.

The Healthy Sound of Boys’ Voices in the Mountains

I have been at Cub Scout camp this week. Oh, the mountain air and the healthy sound of boys’ voices echoing through the pines! In awe, I saw a 13-year old Eagle Scout lead 60 Cub Scouts in a trail cleanup project. There were shouts of “Let’s do it!” and “Yeah!” and then the mountain swarmed with Cub Scouts picking up fallen branches and trees. They worked so hard, and most were smiling. The challenges were car sickness, fatigue, and leaving computer games. The highlights were the water rockets, guns, archery, and ping-pong. It was such an adventure.

There is a monster that is devouring the hopes of many children. It begins with fear and can grow into anxiety and eventual incapacity or indifference. Scouting can be a catalyst for growth because a Scout must get out and do something and be someone. As he does this, he trades his fears for confidence and his selfishness for service. I believe that almost without exception, a boy is better off going to Scout Camp than staying home, nursing his fears (or the fears of his parents).

I speak from my experience, being the one who handles the budget, forms, applications, tour permits, and communication with parents. I also go to Cub Scout Camp with the boys and see a visible change in the countenance of a boy who has just conquered a task, especially a task he thought was hard.

Today it feels like Daniel is still enjoying the effects of his worthy adventure. The best descriptive word I can come up with is Contentment.

rocket launcher

Preparation

This is my violin at rest. Richard and I are playing at a friend’s funeral tomorrow.

It’s a tender time, losing such a young father in our ward.

Significantly, our ward will participate in the sacred process of dedicating a temple on Sunday.

As I prepare for this funeral and dedication, I examine my heart and find that along with the ache of mourning, there is peace and an ultimate hope of eternal families, made possible because of temple covenants.