A Baptism Here and There

A few weeks ago we studied as a family about being born of water and the spirit. While offering our family prayer after sharing what we learned, I felt I should thank our Heavenly Father for baptism. In an instant, I felt what this ordinance, along with confirmation, have meant to our family. Immense, personal, empowering, enhancing, clarifying, cleansing, gathering, unifying, and sanctifying, these gifts are something to cherish. Our Father is generous, and because of the sacrifice of his Son, we can be baptized. The Holy Ghost fills us and leaves its elevating effects without fanfare. The influence and power of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost seem to come together at important days like baptism, not just at the Jordan River, but for little David, Maria, and each of us. At baptism, we are gathered, and we find where we belong.

To the person who

…drives the band in the school bus to and from state basketball tournament games safely…

…sees me and talks to me while checking my groceries…

…gives my sons rides home from church activities…

…stays up a little later to make a lesson plan a little more engaging…

…donates money so our daughter can have scholarships and art grants…

…feeds our missionary son and asks for the recipe of his favorite dessert, even though it is in a different language and has different standard measurements…

…takes time to visit the school to speak encouragement and tell fun stories to my middle schooler…

…reads my self centered words…

…takes time to write to me…

…remembers important days and acknowledges them…

…shares talents…

…RSVP’s to a party invitation even when I don’t ask for it…

…shares a real life experience with me, not a contrived version she thinks would be more palatable…

…inspires me to seek deeper meanings in my study of scripture…

…inspires me to be myself…

…notices when we are missing…

…sees that we are trying…

…asks good questions and listens to the answers…

…doesn’t try to define us as just one thing…

…delivers mail in the snow…

…takes away our trash every week…

…selected our piano for their showroom so we could find it in Tucson…

…planted the trees in the yard…

…selected our white kitchen cabinets…

…wrote the book I finished today…

…shared the Book of Mormon with my family/ancestors…

I feel gratitude for you and many, many more.

German Lentil Soup

Every year on Richard’s birthday week, I make this soup because he loves it.

1 ½ c lentils

5 c cold water

4 slices bacon

1/4 c chopped onion

1 green pepper, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1, 15-oz can diced tomatoes

3 T butter

3 T flour

2 beef bouillon cubes (dissolved in 1 c water)

2 tsp salt

2 T white vinegar

Cook time: almost 2 hours

Rinse lentils and remove debris that may be in the package. In a large kettle, bring lentils and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cut bacon in small pieces and sauté in large skillet until crisp. Remove crisp bacon and set aside. To the bacon grease in the skillet, add onion, carrot, pepper, and tomato and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the lentils in the large kettle. In same skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth and gradually stir in bouillon and water. Add salt and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for about a minute. Add to lentils and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Add the crisp bacon in the last few minutes of cooking. Serves 6 to 8.

Missionary Monday

“These last few weeks have really just driven home my gratitude for the all-encompassing perfection of God’s plan.” -Elder Ross

I came across this song by divine accident after visiting with Daniel today. The tender voice of Collin Raye and the lyrics spoke to my thoughts and mood as nothing else could.

Here I Am, Lord

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry,
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save. I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright,
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people´s pain,
I have wept for love of them, they turn away. I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone,
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I will hold Your people in my heart.

I Read It Aloud

“Read the Gospel of Mark aloud,” I have been told several times in my life. “That’s the way it was meant to be experienced, aloud and during one sitting. It will take you a couple of hours.”

Well, today I did it, using Julie Smith’s rendition. It took less than two hours to finish. The King James Version is still awesome, but a modern language translation helped me see things I did not see before.

Her rendition is free on the Kindle. (LINK) If you have two hours alone, I recommend you read it aloud (or any way you like) and enjoy the good news.

Hello, Elder Ross!

We had a nice text exchange with our missionary for the first time today.

With a home centered focus at church, it makes sense that home and missionary work should mingle more often. Home and family are central to God’s plan. They can add strength. If they don’t, we can trust the missionaries and mission presidents and families to figure things out.

A few weeks ago, Daniel wrote to me, expressing that he wished he had talked to me more. What a blessing it is that we can now. Who else is excited in our house about this? His two brothers. This will bless their lives. Amen.

Organization

I have a sous chef in the house who likes to get creative with the spices. Lately, I have not been able to find anything in the cupboard because someone else has been using it. It was time to get organized.

I can find everything easily now, and Mark’s go-to spices have their own container. Why does this thrill me so much?

I did it to the medicine cabinet, too.

These are from Target. They are clear so you can see everything in them, they are as deep as my cabinets, and pull out easily. I bought every one from two Targets. I also bought some other sizes and they were a highlight from my week until I learned that missionaries can call home every week now.

Music this Week

I smile when I think of my violin students. I am just so lucky. They are doing really hard things in their violin study and I am proud of them.
We had another recital and Timothy played a dissonant piece with a rhythm not unlike chopsticks. Paige played the same piece years ago, so we really know it at our house. Only a good pianist can play it, so good job, Tim. A lot of the song is played with one hand on top of the other.
Mark played a couple of sonatinas really well.

Throwback Thursday time: “The Mamas” and me from Fiddler on the Roof. I am accompanying on the violin one of these women as she sings this weekend. Unfortunately, it isn’t a song from Fiddler, but it is a good one. I cannot believe this photo was taken six years ago. Many of these women have become good friends to me.

This morning I needed something good and this is what happened

You know how it goes. You think you’re set for the next little while, life is predictable or at least monotonous, and one little thing shifts and zap, everything that was fine is no longer manageable. Maybe you don’t know. But that was me this morning. I figured I would face the day only if I could be late to my class so I wouldn’t have to talk to anybody. Fragile: Handle with Care, my label would read. I listened to uplifting music and took great care to keep myself still. Around 8:30 I noticed my friend’s newly published book was sitting in the entry in its packaging. I cried as I read her acknowledgements and introduction. Her book is amazing and absolutely beautiful. Someone then knocked on my door, returned a dish, and was extra kind in her words to me. She didn’t mention the smudged mascara under my eyes. But I think she saw a happy person at the door, because I was by then. I needed a boost, and Heavenly Father was quick to deliver today. He has been extra close all day. I felt Him in the words of scripture, in the kindness of my friend at the door so early in the morning, in a message of gratitude, in an accomplishment of a friend, in the wave from my neighbor as she got her paper, and in being able to figure out a solution to a problem. He made it possible to manage today. He always does.