I can’t stop making these little cross stitch pictures, and I can finish one in about a week. Since our piano has been in the shop, Mark and I have spent a lot of time at the church so he can practice the piano and organ in the chapel. I sit and listen, stitch, and rest. I give these little creations as gifts to friends, and the pictures leave my shelves almost as quickly as I can produce them. I post them here as a record that they were made.
If I keep working, I might have a Dresden plate quilt to show for the year. I don’t feel any rush to finish this quilt, which is nice, so I can enjoy the process.
I can look back at photos of a quilt, doll, or cross stitch project and remember the circumstances around their creation. I remember who was with me while I worked. I recall the stresses and joys of the time. I remember the loved ones for whom they were made. Creation is tied to life, and it doesn’t seem to matter what I create, whether it is with fabrics, home decor, paint, or words, my creations hold my history.
“It must needs be that we should be led with one accord to the land of promise.”
1 Nephi 10:13
I never considered this line from Lehi until today. He has seen a lot of disunity in his family on their wilderness journey, and chooses to emphasize the need to act with one accord.
“With one accord = all together”
Why?
Lehi sees his family as being important in the overall plan of our Heavenly Father for his children. He is looking for unity stemming from a common faith.
Maybe we should think of our families like Lehi thinks about his family. Hey, our family is important to God! Together we can help each other and the world, beyond anything you can imagine. First things first: we need to understand Jesus.
“Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.”
1 Nephi 10:6
In what ways can a family be led with one accord?
In resolve to keep covenants.
In thanksgiving
In love
In work
In testimony
In support
In faith
In humor
In working for peace
What has helped my family to live with one accord?
worship
good traditions
communication
routines
goals
recreation
acts of love
Never have weaccomplished or needed to do all of these things well at the same time.
I note the first word in the phrase, “Led with one accord.” Our success doesn’t come down to how well we did all the things, and you know the long list of all the things. This is, above all, a journey in grace, God’s help, God’s path, and God’s love. Sometimes our self-imposed lists can be the biggest barrier to the grace that would lead us along. Being led by the Lord means being true to Him through keeping covenants.
We are here to learn how to allow ourselves to be led, together. That looks different, day by day, week by week, year after year. For us, it once looked like prayer and job charts, singing Primary songs, and even shouting “Bam!” when we heard an important word in the scriptures. Now, it looks like intentional mealtime conversations, different ways to study scriptures, and more fun time together. Being “led with one accord” is simply to allow the Good Shepherd to lead your family along.
It works to just ask in prayer, “What should I do today to help my family?” An idea or thought, phrase, or call to action will come. It will definitely be a simple instruction, manageable and meaningful.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and he have not as yet understood the great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you.
“And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.”
Mark’s junior year will bring less time at the high school, more time at home doing online classes, a new piano teacher, and longer hours at the piano. He has a calling to serve the special needs youth in the area as a counselor/companion/ “buddy” to someone during weekly church activities. It is a very different formula than we could have predicted for his school year, but we will trust the Lord.
Mark’s screen print T-shirt collection from his travels is refreshed, his maroon shoes match his school colors, and he remembered to get a photo before he left for school.
Richard gave Mark a priesthood blessing last night and I “covered him in prayer” this morning. Let’s go!
Our family story is punctuated by late summer adventures, year after year. Summer 2022 was important, so we ended it big. Seven of us traveled to Yellowstone in my brother’s 10-passenger van. We stopped short of ordering matching T-shirts, but we were pretty much a tour bus with people that poured out of the doors at each stop.
My heart dwells in so many memories of Yellowstone. But this time, I was a mother of adults and a junior in high school, which is a very different experience.
We are in the final week of summer break. This morning I took some time to look over some snapshots and screenshots from the last few months, and chose a few to share. These are some of people and places I want to remember. Two really good friends passed away. We have been really focused on wedding preparations. Mark was gone a lot, and his social connections got stronger. Richard worked from home. I lived my own version of The Secret Garden, increasing my strength. We planted a lot of flowers, and I am especially proud of reclaiming my favorite corner of the yard, the one that feels like a forest. We sat beneath outdoor lights on many nights. Paige and Michael were especially helpful hanging the lights. Tim made it to Guam. We said goodbye to friends who are going on a mission. Lots of lasts and firsts this summer. This means growth.
We changed the flag in front of our house as our missionary flew from Vancouver to his original mission assignment in Guam this week. It is a time of competing feelings, and we are thankful for the kindness of so many people in Vancouver, and look forward to hearing about Tim’s mission experiences in Guam.9 pmaround 10 pm1:30 am3 am
Because of an email error, when Daniel arrived at his mission, I didn’t hear from him for a week. I just wanted to know he had arrived safely.
This time, Google automatically added Tim’s itinerary to my calendar, so I had updates on my phone for the 27 hours he traveled. I could also check the progress of the flights on a website. Don’t judge me, I was desperate for news last time. I didn’t want the same story this time.
On this wedding week, there is no such thing as the single kindest thing someone has done, but this story ranks near the top.
This is the Hernandez family. They live near Vancouver, British Columbia, and they love missionaries. They consistently and lovingly invite our missionary and his companions into their home to feed them dinner and offer support. Bishop and Sister Hernandez recently welcomed home both of their sons from missions, and they are enjoying a road trip in the western U.S.
Tim is flying to Guam on Monday night, experiencing the biggest transfer of his mission, and has a lot of winter gear for Canada that he will not need in the South Pacific. The Hernandez family arranged to drive his and another elder’s extra clothing to Utah.
They drive a sedan and there are four of them, so there was not a lot of room, yet they took Tim’s Blundstone boots and two bags of clothing, plus a similar amount for the other elder. Sister Hernandez reassured Tim that she wouldn’t mind holding a bag on her lap if there wasn’t enough of room in the car.
So, I met these lovely people at the Payson temple. They carried his bags to my car for me, smiling, and then we took pictures. I consider them instant and forever friends.
I asked my sister Susan to take photos with my phone so we could have some candid shots of the wedding day. I think these photos can be more fun and can tell a story better than professional photos.
Eventually we will see the professional photos, but the day after a wedding, I am anxious to relive the day in my mind. These candid snapshots are a blessing to me. Thank you, Susan!
Another reality about the day after a wedding is that I awoke this morning on the couch where I had collapsed the night before. But look! My hairstyle was still intact!
Instead of, “Bow to your partner,” my brother Paul the caller said, “Pose for the camera.” 😂
Our family reunions are over, there is one week until the wedding (pray!), Mark is on Pioneer Trek (pray!), and Timothy flies to Guam in two weeks to begin his missionary work there (pray!). I have exerted so much mental labor over Mark’s piano teacher dilemma and school schedule dilemma that I must have burned some calories with those mighty thoughts. Also, I am laboring to find a new counselor in the stake Primary after Susan’s passing. This is difficult spiritual work.
I have been reading in 2 Chronicles this week. I am trying not to be overly worried or stressed about all that is going on, but sometimes I just swim in concerns. When I read these scripture verses, the words center me a little.
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect [completely] toward him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9
“For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15
