Thursday, December 5, 2019

She


I’m diving deep today.  Ocean deep…

As I fall to my knees every night there is this cemented truth inside of me that a Heavenly Father is listening.  I am His daughter.  And I realize that the overwhelming love I feel pouring down from heaven is only a tiny portion of the unimaginable grace He truly has for each one of his children.

This had always pacified me.

… And then I became a mother.


It doesn’t take an expert to convince anyone that a mother’s love for her child is an incommunicable, astronomical power that overflows from the heart-organ like the broom-filled fountain of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.  

It was Elder Jeffery R Holland who said, ““No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for Her child.”

A spiritual stirring began inside of me and I wrestled with the understanding that if the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children and the home is patterned after the heavenly dwelling of our Divine Parents, why does my spirit lack that motherly-connection?

I knew that I had a Mother in Heaven, and I’ve been taught that She loves me, but I genuinely could not feel that love.  If you spend a lifetime listening on a phone-line conversation of your dad telling you, “I’ll tell Mom you said ‘Hi’.  She wants you to know she loves you too.”, could one be blamed for feeling so disconnected?

Now, as I sit and picture God I see a protector, a teacher, full of wisdom, cautioning me, wanting me to succeed, being patient when I fail, and strengthening me to pull myself back up again.

All of these loving traits have reflected in my relationship with my earthly father as well.  I remember going off to college and calling my dad almost daily, excited to tell him about my day and sometimes in tears venting to him about my challenges.  I truly needed him as I skipped and twirled (and sometimes stumbled) through that chapter of my life.

BUT...  There have been other times when I have just needed my MOM. 

It was interesting to me as I recently read Joseph Smith’s record of the First Vision.  After the most incredible experience a mortal could possibly be exposed to, seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ, the first person that young Joseph turned to was his mother.

I feel that a lot of people have a very different, but JUST AS STRONG relationship with their mothers.  I couldn’t grasp the idea that my Heavenly Mother wanted to silently watch me journey through this life without Her influence too.

So, I have spent months and months and MONTHS on this spiritual quest, trying to interpret this beautiful mystery.  It has been a sacred, wonderful, exhausting experience.  And after searching and studying, fasting and praying, attending the temple and meditating, and searching for answers from friends I trust, I finally feel ready and EXCITED to share how far I have come!  

I can now truly say with an honest heart that She knows me, She loves me, and She wants to see me succeed and to be a part of my earthly journey.  My bond with Her has never been stronger.

When I first desired to do this I felt so, so lost.  Spiritual leaders have guided church members to follow the example of Jesus Christ and only pray to the Father.  There are hardly any scriptures or manual lessons that teach in depth about Heavenly Mother and the church culture itself has adopted the taboo that She is not to be spoken of at all.

I even noticed this among the friends that I tried to open up to.  I would say about a third of the people were excited and passionate to discuss the subject, one third had truly never considered my questions, and the rest kind of… pretended they didn’t see my question I messaged them…

“… Sorry, I’m going through a tunnel…”   It’s cool.  I get it 😉

My first piece of advice would be to THINK about it, TALK about it, and HUNGER for MORE answers!!!  I was so relieved to find while researching that the sacred silence people tend to gravitate towards isn’t doctrine!  It was a recorded opinion of a seminary teacher that many have embraced over the years.*

Because of the lack of material we have, my second recommendation is to heavily rely on personal revelation!  

President Nelson gave the BEST ADVICE in his 2018 General Conference talk on personal revelation:


“Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits.”**

As I’ve quietly and prayerfully sat down to write, as the prophet has encouraged, these are some of the inspirational thoughts that I have recorded:

  • Focusing on the simple that I already know to be true makes things clearer and unclouded.
  • Look at your children and measure your love for them.  If you are able to feel the love of your Heavenly Father, just imagine what SHE feels for you.
  • Develop Her attributes and find them through the women and friendships around you
  • Feel the Savior’s love in your life and put in an extra effort to keep HIM in the foremost front of your thoughts. 
  • Meditate for Her.  Take time and find a quiet place alone.  Dive into your art: writing, drawing, music, etc
  • It will all be shown to you in time.
  • Continue seeking that which uplifts God and the Savior.   
    • I think this is so key!  As I ponder this mystery, it’s easy for feelings of frustration to naturally occur because of the lack of attention Heavenly Mother receives.  If I’m ever reading material where the writer is venting and throwing out those injustice vibes, I have to stop myself.  My Heavenly Parents are one in heart and purpose, and my objective while learning of Her is to help bring myself closer to God, not draw away from Him.
  • Turn to the women in my life that I admire most and learn from them.

Here is what I have discovered as I have asked some of the cherished women around me, in all different walks of life and faith, what they do to strengthen their relationship with Heavenly Mother or with their version of a feminine universal figure.

  • I believe her to be all the women strength I admire wrapped into one of perfection.  As we come to know our Savior, we come to know her better.
  • We can pass down spiritual gifts to our children.  In 2 Timothy 1 it talks about how Timothy was passed down the spiritual gift of faith from his grandmother and his mother and then he had very strong faith…. Just recognizing the women in our lives and the influence they have on us can help us have a stronger pull and connection with our Heavenly Mother.
  • Women in this life tend to have extra special help from Heaven in many things.  Wouldn’t it make sense that that is influenced by a heavenly, feminine figure?  
  • Draw closer to the Savior to draw closer to Her.
  • Strengthen my relationship with my own mother as well as grandmothers and learn more about my great-grandmothers.
  • I've been content (well, more than content...in awe really) with a relationship with my Father in Heaven and with Jesus Christ, but when I stopped to give it some thought, I felt a lot of love.  As moms we all know that our children are everything to us.  I'm sure it's the same (a million times over).  Cool to think of that love and an additional set of arms to welcome us home!  

 I love the quote from Glen L. Pace that says, “Sisters, I testify that when you stand in front of your Heavenly Parents in those royal courts on high and you look into Her eyes and behold Her countenance, any questions you ever had about the role of women in the kingdom will evaporate into the rich, celestial air because at that moment you will see standing directly in front of you, your divine nature and destiny.”

Learning of my Heavenly Mother has been such a rich journey.  As She makes Her way into to the center of my thoughts, I find myself gleefully asking Where was She? 

Where was She standing when we all rejoiced in heaven as we were presented with the great Plan of Happiness?  
Where was She when Adam and Eve confessed they had partaken of the forbidden fruit?  
Where was She as Her Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, suffered for the sins of the world?  
Where was She when Joseph Smith knelt in a grove of trees in search of spiritual answers?


Because of this spiritual journey, my love and understanding for this great and eternal plan becomes more whole.  I have been given another flawless role model to strive to live my life to become.  It has helped me to love myself more and has fueled me to help others around me feel that love as well.

As I’ve put together this post I have spent a lot of time searching through my journals.  I’ll conclude with this entry: 
“I was rocking Skye to sleep in the dark, staring at her adoringly and evaluated my love that I have for her.  I sat in awe and became overcome with my emotions.  It was then that a peaceful thought entered my mind… “This… This is how I can talk with you.”





Thursday, June 20, 2019

CFM: It is Finished


This week we will be reviewing the big events from the life of Christ and singing about them.  I put together a picture timeline and matched each story with a primary song we've been working on throughout the year.  On Sunday I plan to scatter the pictures up on the board and let the kids rearrange them in chronological order.  


If you tie a string across the room, you can hang the pictures with clothes pins or something decorative to give it more of a "timeline" feel.


I left the titles blank so the songs revolving around each story of Christ can be customized to whatever hymn is most meaningful to you.


Download Timeline PDF HERE.

Here's my list of songs I chose for each scene:
Birth - Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus
Baptism - Baptism
Apostles fishing - Come Follow Me
Sermon on the Mount - Love One Another
Atonement - Gethsemane
Cross - To Think about Jesus
Resurrected Christ and Mary - I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Christ in the clouds - When He Comes Again

Kids, Cabins, and Camping

Camping season embraced us with arms wide open, speckled with mosquito bites and caked dirt beneath its fingernails.  

Five years ago I met Mitchell at Olallie Lake for one of his PTC resupply drop offs and we promised each other that in the future we would bring our family camping here.  So we did!  And it was fantastic!


The lake perfectly frames the reflection of Mt. Jefferson like a classic Bob Ross painting.  It's just heavenly.  The dirt road to get there is so incredibly bumpy that it's never crowded because you have to truly commit to driving there.  


The cozy, little one-room cabins come with a burning stove and mattress bed.  And I get it, without the tent you're only half camping.  But I prefer coziness to bragging rights, so I can still totally live with myself.  


Pack-N-Play was a life saver for Little Miss.  Outside we'd throw a blanket on top to keep the bugs and the sun out and she was totally content playing with her baby toys. 

 Also, can anyone get over the fact that her hair is long enough for low pig tails now??  I am obsessed with the pigs.


Tried to keep our three-year-old as busy as possible with a bunch of activities.  He rocked the nature scavenger hunt like a boss.


Grandma hooked him up with an activity bucket too.  I'm pretty sure he always had something to do.


I did my first pedal boat ride.  Let's go ahead and add that to my resume.


Then, late one night I had a chance to sneak out and sit by myself on the lake dock studying the stars and the moon.  The lake was still.  Just the sound of frogs and crickets were there to serenade me.  I was so grateful for this beautiful world I was a part of.  I so badly wanted to have some sort of profound, spiritual experience, but things like that can't be rushed and I had the babies to get back to. So I just soaked in the peacefulness for a moment and whispered to God, 
"I see you."
"This world is beautiful.  This life is amazing."
"And I see you.  I see you.  I see you."


I think showing gratitude is one of the most powerful things we are capable of.  And I hope the Lord truly knows that I recognize my blessings.


Such a great family getaway.  We can't wait to go again and make it a new family tradition.


Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Testimony Tuesday

My caged spirit is rattling.  It wants out.  Everyone has their personal passions and outlets and I find mine is pouring out religious thoughts. Because I love it so much! The gospel is like chocolate ice cream to me.  And. I. Must. Eat. FAT. FAT. FAT!


Here's what's been on my mind lately...
            
 While we were visiting another Sunday ward recently, I was walking down the hallway with a fussy baby and peeked into the window of my son’s Sunday school classroom.  All of the two and three-year-olds were sitting reverently in their chairs singing along with their teacher to “Jesus Said Love Everyone”

… Except for my child who was in the corner on the other side of the room lying on the ground NOT paying attention.

 First of all…. Typical. 😂

 But as I drove home reflecting on my day of battling tears while putting on my toddler’s church socks, the anxiety of keeping the kids quiet enough during sacrament meeting to not disrupt the other families, the loneliness of doing it all on my own suddenly piled on top of me and the negative thoughts naturally crept in and began attacking.  

“You’re not a good enough mom.”

“Your family doesn’t have the religious structure that other families do.”

“Your kids will always be different from their peers.”

I thought and thought and thought.  And then a thought invited itself in, as those beautiful Holy Ghost lifelines usually do.  I recalled Christ’s parable of the servants and the talents:

            “And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
            His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
            He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
            His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord…”

I sat thoughtfully at the long stoplight gripping the steering wheel and whispered to God, “Here are my two talents, Father.  It’s not as much, but I am truly working with what I’ve got and giving it my all.”

I never paid attention to the details before. I think most people focus on the five-talent overachiever and the ONE-talent servant that shrinks away and hides his treasure. It seems like the two-talent character usually goes unnoticed.  But I suddenly realized in this story that the lord gives the same reaction to the five AND the two talent servant.

“Well done, good and faithful servant….”

In this moment I felt like God was proud of me.  He knows me.  He knows my circumstances.  And it is silly of me to judge or compare myself to others.  

When we got home from church I walked past my son playing with his toys and I could hear him humming to himself, “Jesus said love everyone…”

Everything is gonna be just fine.  We are all fine.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

CFM: O Grave, Where Is Thy Victory?

Family lesson ideas while studying with little ones
Download blank CFM weekly program HERE.


There are so many great Easter Hymns we never get around to singing.  For my primary singing time activity last year I made little Easter Hymnbooks.  You can click HERE to get to my post with the Hymnbook printable.


Another great family tradition we always do is decorate an Easter tree.  Click HERE to get to my Jesus ornament printables.  


Each picture is accompanied by an Easter quote or scripture that the family can read and discuss together to focus on the Savior.  



Saturday, March 30, 2019

CFM: Thou Art the Christ

Family lesson ideas while studying with little ones
Download blank CFM weekly program HERE.

Opening Song: This is My Beloved Son


It's just a tiny verse in the scripture reading, but the kids loved the story of finding money in the fish's mouth.


We ended the evening with a go-fishing game!  You could take turns making comments about the lesson as each person catches a fish.




Monday, March 25, 2019

CFM: Be Not Afraid

Family lesson ideas while studying with little ones

Download blank CFM weekly program HERE.

There are so many great scripture stories in this week's lesson.  Sometimes simple is best.  It's nice to just cuddle together on the couch and tell the stories of Jesus.  That's what we did this week.


We talked about when Peter tried to walk on the water.  This is one of my most favorite faith-testing scripture stories of all time.


Everyone munched on bread and fish while we went through the stories of Christ's miracles.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

CFM: Who Hath Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear

Family lesson ideas while studying with little ones


Download blank CFM weekly program HERE.

MATTHEW 13 - As your family members read the Savior's parables, they might enjoy thinking of their own parables that teach the same truths about the kingdom of heaven, using objects of situations that are familiar to them.  


A few weeks ago I shared a family game with cards of objects around the house.  Each person takes a turn picking a card and coming up with a homemade "parable".  Click HERE to download the card printable.

The righteous must grow among the wicked until the end of the world.
This always makes me think of Mormon.  He was just such a cool cat.  He lived in a time when the Nephites were super wicked.  Even though he was alone in his values, he kept the commandments, loved his people, and sprung where he was planted.  Mormon 1:14-17

The Friend magazine has a super cute board game all about loving your neighbor and teaching how we can make good choices when others around us are choosing differently.  Get the board game printable HERE.


No matter what's happening in the world around us, we can always let our light shine.  Click HERE for a special night activity I did back when I worked with the Young Women. 


 This reminds me of the Sleeping at Last lyrics:

Like fireworks
We pull apart the dark
Compete against the stars
With all of our hearts
Till our temporary brilliance turns to ash
We pull apart the darkness while we can
♥♥♥♥♥♥


Sunday, March 10, 2019

CFM: These Twelve Jesus Sent Forth

Family lesson ideas while studying with little ones

Download blank CFM weekly program HERE.

My yoke is easy and my burden is light
Mosiah is my favorite book in the Book of Mormon.  I love where Alma's people are in bondage and their burdens are made light.  This is so real.  I have experienced this where a trial I am experiencing is lighter than it should be, where the emotional weight no longer controls my life and I can find pure, pure joy in my hardest challenges because of the aid of my Savior.


For our activity we filled T's backpack with some of his heavy books. 


 It was funny watching him trying to carry it around without falling.  


We then went through his load and took out the books one by one.  Each book was sticky-tacked with a different emoticon.  We talked about all of the different ways we might feel down and how we can turn to Christ to help us ease those burdens.  And before you know it--BAM!  The backpack was light as a feather!


Download 😊Emoji😊 printable HERE.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Beach Babes

This weekend we were able to escape the snow with my in-laws and play at the beach!  It was a perfect break from our winter cabin fever.  

I have the biggest crushes on these two!

Hail, rain, wind, and sunshine.  Packing for the Oregon Coast be like....
😂

Winning at twinning 👯

 Sissy's first handful of sand...
... which we'll continue to see in her diaper for the next few days. 


Sunday, March 3, 2019

CFM: Thy Faith Hath Made Thee Whole

Family lesson ideas while studying with little ones

Download blank CFM weekly program HERE.

WHEN I AM AFRAID OR IN DANGER, JESUS CAN HELP ME FEEL PEACE
I'm cheating a little bit and using the activity from the Come Follow Me-- for Primary

Give each child a paper rain cloud, and ask them to write on it a trial that someone might have.  Put all of the clouds on the board, covering a picture of the Savior.   Invite a child to remove one of the clouds and suggest ways we could help someone with that trial to find peace.  When all the clouds are removed, testify of the Savior's power to calm the storms in our lives.

Download my cloud printable HERE.

It may be fun to make a homemade storm as a family.  Use rain sticks, shakers, snapping, or thunder audio on Youtube for your sound and be creative with flashlights or strobe lights for lightning. ⛈

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