Michael is my ex-husband. Since our divorce, I have remarried. He has not. Given that we are still good friends with a functional relationship, I find myself getting an interesting view into not-so-Young Single Adult dating in the church… Read the rest of this entry »
I attended Northern Arizona University (NAU). NAU is mentioned in the endlessly popular game of Trivial Pursuit as being the only university in North America that is bordered by three graveyards. When I first arrived I noticed the graveyards and wondered to myself what, exactly, went on at that university that would require so many graveyards to be nearby. I never did find out. One day, however, one of these quiet, clean, grassy graveyards became quite literally hallowed and sacred ground in my heart. Read the rest of this entry »
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
What stress, what strain, what difficulty can not be relieved by such a promise? I have so many things in my life that cause me distress, from the petty troubles like downtime for my website to the deeper consideration and angst that comes with the weight of the responsibility of shaping and creating another’s formative life, but the fact is that they are small things, as huge as they seem, and are contained well within this speck of life we call mortality. Read the rest of this entry »
Albania has emerged recently from communism and a ruthless dictatorship. Enver Hoxja created the only forced atheist state in the world. There was not even one religion approved of by Hoxja and in fact it was considered against the law to have faith in any supreme being. Churches and mosques were turned into government buildings and books were burned. During his long reign from 1944 to 1985, Albanians lost their faith in God and religion was non-existent. After Hoxja’s reign the people of this largely Muslim country returned to religion thinking that faith was more of an identity or roots passed on from parents to children. Read the rest of this entry »
I am convinced that my guardian angel has an ‘in’ with Elder Holland (and his wife). I can’t tell you how many times he (or she) has said something that has penetrated my soul, addressed my most tender troubles, and caused my heart to burn with the Spirit. Read the rest of this entry »
So, I’ve been considering the lilies of the field, and how they grow. While it is pretty easy to see the lesson on not relying on music to accurately quote the scriptures, the lesson the Lord was trying to teach us isn’t as forthcoming. Read the rest of this entry »
Take a quick moment, right now, to think about your heart. Feel your heart. How does it feel? Would you say that it is open, soft, and loving? Or is it closed off in some way or another? That’s all you need to do. You have just conducted your first step in the experiment. It’s that easy. This experiment is about awareness. That’s it. Pay attention to your heart in your various interactions as you go about your day, your week, your month. Be mindful of its state, and how that affects your own sense of the Spirit, as well as how you interact with others. Just pay attention; that’s all you have to do. Read the rest of this entry »
The world stands out on either side
No wider than the heart is wide;
Above the world is stretched the sky, –
No higher than the soul is high.
The heart can push the sea and land
Farther away
On either hand;
The soul can split the sky in two,
And let the face of God shine through.
But East and West will pinch the heart
That can not keep them pushed apart;
And he whose soul is flat – the sky
Will cave in on him by and by.
(Edna St. Vincent Millay “Renascence” [1912] last lines)
While we are soliciting ideas…
I was supposed to be headed home to the states for part of our summer vacation, but with the impending birth of our third child it wasn’t prudent to leave until fall when the baby is due. This is also my first experience with a school aged child (5) living in a foreign land with no Micheal’s nearby for scrap booking and craft making supplies. The majority of our friends and acquaintances here are leaving for the summer which leaves few children to play with and even fewer moms to relate to. I’m terrified of resorting to the television as our main source of entertainment in a city that becomes too hot, polluted, and dusty to play outside. (Also, the power goes out frequently which kicks on a very noisy smelly generator in the middle of the yard that makes it unbearable to play out there).
We’ll go to the pool and take a vacation here and there, but there will be down time in the afternoons in July and August. So I need some in-home activity ideas to do to keep us busy and happy and sane. Any ideas?
Like Michelle, I have been put in a teaching role, and need some help. I’ve been asked to teach a short class on Astronomy for an enrichment activity.
Let me start off by saying that I’m out of touch. During the years I’ve spent studying Physics and Astronomy I have forgotten at what point I learned things, and what I knew before I started my studies. I also don’t know what the average person is most curious about or interested in. So to help me prepare something that my Relief Society Sisters will enjoy I’m turning to all of you for help. The activity will be in a month, and it will be held indoors. I’d love to take them stargazing, but there is an awful lot of light pollution in these parts, and I don’t think they’d be up for a long drive. So what would you want to hear about? Is there something you’ve always wondered about the planets, the stars, the sun, the moon, the skies etc.? Read the rest of this entry »