I am thinking in lists these days. Paragraphs are too much work. Here is what I will remember about our weekend.
Apple harvest and preparation
A Poldark episode with a happy ending
Solar salesmen with long presentations
Gladys Knight, Vocal Point, And Lexie Walker at the BYU Homecoming Spectacular
Mark’s Primary program at church and his piano duet with Richard
Things that made me smile this week:
A conversation with friends Monday night
Mark’s declaration that when he is president he will change the flavor of envelope glue.
Two afternoons in my sewing room
Finding some pictures of Timothy on the camera
Mark being home in the evenings because baseball is over.
My presidency: Charlene, Cindy, and Kristy
Being invited in to visit by someone I dropped by to see on a whim.
Texts from women in my church, including, “I found my phone!” “I’m doing well!” “I am happy to help.”
Learning a new skill from a friend
Richard hand-washing the dishes
My beginning violin student who can’t stop smiling when she realizes she is playing a song.
Plenty to read
Halloween bunting
Spending time in Mark’s room, looking at his collections and art
My tried and true recipe of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
Teaching Mark about atoms and bonding while we mop the kitchen floor together
Mark and Richard’s piano duet
Daniel and Timothy’s good grades on tests this week
Parting with some of the clutter in my closet
Finding a pumpkin I didn’t know was growing in my front flower beds
Morning sunlight peaks through the tiny crevices in the closed blinds on my eastern windows into the darkened room. I close my eyes and pull the blankets closer. Cold mornings, after most of the kids and Richard leave, are lonely and still, and tempt me to stay in my place in the living room, wrapped in a blanket. I have been healthy this October, but gravitate toward stillness during this month of the year more than any other. When I sense that my thoughts are becoming circuitous, or my fingers grow weary from scrolling through the news, it takes an effort to begin the day.
I pray silently, “I WILL get up and fulfill my obligations. I am weak; I know you are aware of my limitations and love me. Help me to move forward today.”
Prayers like this are incredibly helpful.
My inertia is brief and seasonal. I don’t pretend to understand the struggle with depression which is my situation amplified by a hundred. But I do know how good it feels to accomplish something after a morning with a slow start. Even if it is the satisfaction of mopping the kitchen floor or making some phone calls or visits.
In the stillness of my thoughts, I remember my familiar pattern. During October I need more sleep; In October I need to be warm; In October I can make use of my need for rest by reading the best books and making plans. In October I crave comfort and require more self-care. I remind myself that God knows this about me and can still make me useful through my limitations. I remember that God is very kind and patient and inspires me to cook healthy food, gather my family for dinners, enjoy the colors and flavors of the harvest, be aware of the beauty of my surroundings, and press forward each day, even if I get off to a slow start.
Look at this young man and this young lady. A lot of effort went into this date. Daniel spent money he earned at work. His date’s dress was altered by a neighbor to add sleeves. Hair, flowers, a day activity, a dinner, and coordinating with other couples who joined them occupied a lot of their time. Cars were washed and vacuumed. Colors were matchy-matchy. One girl in the group provided her date’s shoes and belt. Other girls provided ties for their dates.
So much effort for a dance that was so dark, the music so loud, and the atmosphere so blaring that his date asked to leave early. Chaperones did not stay in the dance room, but were in the halls. Dancing, music, and attire were inappropriate. Daniel’s experiences at every school dance have been the same. He has stepped out every time.
When we lived in Arizona, there was a Mormon Prom, put on by parents and leaders in the Tucson area. Anyone could attend if they followed church standards. It was decorated beautifully, had amazing refreshments, and the lighting wasn’t too dark and the music was appropriate. It was a magnet for many, not just members of the church.
I didn’t think we would need a Mormon Prom in Salt Lake Valley, but here we are. I would be willing to help with an effort to do something beautiful for these kids, providing a more wholesome environment to enjoy the time they have with their dates. They deserve better than what is being offered.
We were reading the Bible as a family on Monday night and Mark was using my childhood scriptures. He found this note in the pages, written to my friend Thora when I was his age.
This note is one of the earliest surviving documents of the first time I decided to change my name to Angela. Back and forth, Angie and Angela have taken turns my whole life.
It also shows how I had an early interest in animals, which promptly disappeared after I finished a degree in Biology with a Zoology emphasis.
It shows the development of my handwriting style. I think I was imitating someone popular, who was actually very mean.
When Mark found this note he just laughed and handed it to Richard. I cringed and laughed and sent a picture of it to my friend Thora, who still has cute hair, while I still wonder if anyone likes mine. It awakened all sorts of preadolescent demons in my mind.
Be careful what you leave in your scriptures. You never know who will find it.
😉
This (edited) movie:
I watched it twice. And liked it both times.
These books:
It’s about aging and dying, medicine and home. It is an important and good read.
This was good because it shatters the idea that we need to build powerful friendships before we can invite people to come to Christ.
This audiobook:
We actually listened to this in August but I keep remembering outrageous quotes. Some sentences you just need to hear to believe. The narrator also has a great Han Solo voice. This is actually not worth your time…unless you are on a long road trip with a preteen, in which case, it is gold.
Someone said to me as I visited her elderly mother who was ill, “You’re a little young for this job. I think Relief Society presidents shouldn’t be called unless they are much older.” (She meant no harm, only concern for my young family.)
“Yes, I am young,” I agreed. “Yet here I am,” I thought. I do lack some years and life experience and knowledge. However, I have a lot of experiences that indicate that the Lord magnifies our efforts, whatever our age.
Last week I got a call from a man in our congregation. He sounded frantic, “I need your help!” and then the cell phone cut out.
Worried, I called him back, thinking of all kinds of awful possibilities for his call. “I have some peaches from my tree that I need someone to prepare. Can you do it?”
“Yes,” I said, remembering all the times we had offered to help this family, but they said they were fine. I knew this meant he had come to trust me. I also knew I could call many people to help me, but that takes time which I didn’t have. I did ask one person, but she wasn’t available. When I saw there weren’t too many peaches, I decided I could do it on my own…only I had never done it before.
Peaches don’t wait for you. You must deal with them quickly when they are ripe. It was after 8 pm when I had time to face the box of peaches and begin the task. I would be up late, of this I was sure.
At this moment, I saw the little light on my phone blinking. There was a text message from a neighbor telling me that she was canning peaches from 8-10 and inviting me to come over. I had signed up to learn her techniques at a canning presentation back in May. She was apologetic for the late notice; she had found a deal on peaches that afternoon and realized they needed to be canned right away.
I don’t love asking for help at the last minute. I don’t even like making phone calls. But I recognized a miracle happening and I needed to act.
I called her and told her I needed her help, not realizing her ENTIRE kitchen was filled with peaches. She and her husband, over steaming pots and sticky peaches told me over speaker phone, “Sure, bring your peaches. We will make it work.”
And they did. Jeremy washed and blanched. I peeled and cut, and Elizabeth prepared the syrup and packed them in containers. Their son also stayed up late in his pajamas to help. In a little over an hour, the task was done, their own peaches and jars set aside to help a neighbor late at night, with no advance notice.
Yes, I am young, and they are young, but sometimes there are miracles. And because of the peaches, I have strengthened friendships with the man with the peach tree, Elizabeth, and Jeremy.
Yesterday was the best day I have had in a long time. I got to speak in church and teach a class. Paige came home for a few hours and we had a nice Sunday dinner. At church I sat on the stand and could see the faces of the women in my congregation that I do not see in Relief Society. Some dear friends were well enough to attend church. The weather was sunny and the colorful mountains startled me with their vibrant red and yellow leaves. It has been four years since I have spoken in church. Sigh. I love writing and public speaking.
(I chose not to post a picture of everyone to avoid posting clear pictures of the neighbor kids.)
We had a wonderful neighborhood party this week. Our neighbors have been through a lot over the past year or so. Nearly every family has dealt with death and/or serious illness. We have come together to mourn and support one another during these times. It was nice to come together to enjoy an outdoor meal. I think they are wonderful neighbors, all. I stayed late, visiting, and came home with a huge bag of produce, a pitcher of homemade root beer, and plans to go on a walk with a neighbor I don’t know well.
These people touched my life yesterday in some way, and I am thankful for them.