Broomsticks Are For Cleaning House

Maybe you've seen this one floating around on facebook: "Women are angels. And when someone breaks our wings we simply continue to fly---on a broomstick." (Author unknown)

I wish I'd never ridden on one, but I daresay everyone has. We all have bad days when we're hungry, tired, stressed, sad, etc. and then someone comes along and clips our wings. They may do it intentionally, but I think most of the time we don't intend to do that to each other; but then, in our righteous indignation and pride, we mount that broom. The scriptures teach us that "pride" is the thing that gives lift to our broom. The air gets thinner up there and it's easier to look down on others and blame everyone else for our misery. While we may not really believe that misery loves company, somehow we perceive it's easier to breath up there, when we share the pain!

The world defines a cronically proud person as a narssist, or someone who can't climb off their broom, because of their own insecurities and real or perceived pain and injustice! They have little tolerance or compassion for others, simply because they only see their own problems and pain. While neurotics on the other hand, after their pride flairs up, land their brooms way too hard! They are so hard on themselves that they conclude they must somehow deserve the wing clips. Why else would someone do this to them? So then they beat themselves up with their broken wings, trying to figure out what they did wrong.

I'm so grateful (there's that word again!) for the gospel of Jesus Christ that teaches us how to really fly, how to mend our broken hearts through the atonement, and how to give lift to each others wings! I want to be like the healthiest people, who are slow to take offense, quick to forgive those who hurt them, and don't spend much time on a broom, but instead use it to help their neighbor and to clean their own house with!

Adoption/More Than Just A Shadow In A Picture

This is a picture of me as a baby at a picnic with my parents. I was told that the shadow in the corner was my father's leg.

I just read a facebook post about a young woman having the love and the courage to give up a child that will be born out of wedlock. I feel so passionate about this because I am a sixty-year-old grandma who should have been given the chance to have parents who loved me and who were prepared to care for me. My teenaged mother was pushed into a "shotgun" marriage by her father, and after the marriage didn't work out my father left when I was only two. I didn't see him again until I was twenty-one years old. I remember as a child I would touch the shadow in that picture and long to know what it felt like to have my own father!

I grew up in abject poverty, and my childhood was miserable after my mother married a man who was abusive. She finally abandoned me when I was ten, and I was raised by a grandmother who resented every moment of it. I remember when I was little my mother would tell me often about a couple she knew who couldn't have children and who wanted very badly to adopt me. Then she would add, "At least I didn't give you up for adoption." I think she was trying to say, that she had tried to do what she thought was right, but that decision to keep me ruined her life, and denied me the love of a mother and a father.

If you know of any young girl who finds herself in this difficult situation, please tell her my story. I have heard of adopted children who mourn their birth mother, feel abandoned, and wonder why their mother's didn't want them. If you know of anyone like that, please tell them my story! And then tell them the story of Soloman's wisdom in 1Kings 3 about two women who both claimed a baby as her own. When Soloman threatened to cut the baby in half, giving each a portion, the true mother offered the baby to the other woman to spare it's life. Tell the children who are lucky enough to have had a birth mother with such wisdom, and love, that to spare the life of her child, she gave them the gift of gifts, the love of a mother AND a father who desperately wanted them and were mature and prepared enough to give a child a happy life!

After my marriage of almost forty years now, I am truly one of the most blessed women on earth, but even with the love of my wonderful children and husband, I don't think I will ever get over a deep longing to know the love that only parents can give.

Please tell the children!

Happiness/Gratitude

I really like this quote, because I believe it with all my heart!

"Happiness...does not depend on obtaining all the desires of our hearts. In large measure, happiness depends on our ability to feel gratitude for the abundance we already have." Carolyn Wright, Tambuli, Nov 1994, 11

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Ultimate Career

I love this quote by C.S. Lewis!

"The homemaker has the ultimate career. All careers exist for one purpose only and that is to support the ultimate career."

It made me feel so good about myself this morning I cleaned a room that has been waiting for me for awhile! :)

Grandpa

We were so lucky to have our little Philadelphia grandkids here for a week! They had so much fun with their cousins. We miss them so much, and it was so fun to have them home, if just for a brief visit. I just had to post their adorable picture with Grandpa. I have to say that my Ron has to be the greatest Grandpa in the world! He is so awesome, and all of our beautiful grandchildren will agree!

The Greatest Joy of My Life

Out of respect for their privacy I try not to post much about my children, but I wanted it to be known that the greatest privilege of my life has been to be a mother and now a grandmother! I have the most beautiful grandchildren and wonderful children whom I live for and love with all of my heart! I would give my life for each and everyone of them. I am blessed!

Good Memories!

We had a swimming pool in our backyard for 17 years. A lot of good memories were made there and it was sad to take it down, but no one used it much, it needed a new liner and Ron and I are not getting any younger. So sadly it was time, but it feels like we said goodbye to a really good friend that we will never see again, one who has been so much a part of our lives!

Casyn Joseph

Casyn was one week old yesterday! I can't wait to hold him and my darling Aubrie, who is a proud big sister! I'm so proud of my Julie and her good husband Brent! They sure make beautiful babies, and are such wonderful parents! Lucky kids!

New Baby

Little Casyn Joseph was born this morning. Julie and baby are fine now but had a really rough twenty hour labor. We nearly lost both Julie and the baby, but through a priesthood blessing they are both well and healthy! I'll post pictures as soon as I get some, but for now that little family is pretty worn out. Aubrie is in love with her new little baby brother! I can't wait to see pics. I'm just so sad that I am not back there taking care of them! We decided that I cannot fly alone and it breaks my heart. Ron and I will go back for his blessing in August. Oh my arms and heart ache to hold him and take care of my Jules!

Missing Funny Bone

I think when the Lord created me he forgot to install a funny bone. I wish I could have more humor. I know many delightful people that have the ability to laugh at themselves and see humor everywhere in almost any situation. At least I smile a lot! I am basically a happy person and I know how to laugh, I just don't know how to be funny. Do you think humor is something that we can acquire? And if so how?

Embrace This Day!

Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks!

I Love That Man

This is a funny thing to do, but so many times today I've thought about my sweetheart Ron. I smile each time and think how much I love that man! And, I felt the desire to record that here on my blog. I'm probably the only one who reads it anyway, and I want it recorded! I love my husband—I’m glad he's the one I get to live with forever—the one I get to laugh with and love—the one who still gives me butterflies when I think of him. Like today!

Be Still And Know That I Am God

This is just a glimpse of the stories coming from faithful Saints in Haiti! If you haven't started reading this series you are truly missing out! Click the link on my sidebar for Meridian Magazine to read more and find out why these homeless Saints are dressed so beautifully! (It's NOT what you think!) But do think of last month's visiting teaching message!
Guerby Pierre was one of the more prosperous members who is now homeless and each night as he lays under the stars, it reminds him of what is really important in life. He said, “In one sense I have nothing, but in another, I have everything because I have the gospel, and this earthquake has only augmented my testimony. My life is changed. The earthquake simplified it. Since the earthquake, I could all of a suddenly think clearly.” Here he is holding up his temple recommend, which with his scriptures were one of the few things, he salvaged from the quake! When asked if his scriptures, which had all of the gold gilding worn off, were damaged in the quake, he grinned and said no, he just loved to read them! (My scriptures don't look like that!) No wonder he has such faith!

Charles Marie Murielle “From time to time the earth would shake again. I was continually scared. I was the only member of the Church nearby, and I felt like I was alone. People from other religions were making a lot of noise and were screaming. I found myself in silence because the Spirit told me exactly what to do. I knew it was not the end of the world. (Her story makes me think of Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God . . .")

I have often wondered, since we live in the last days, if we will not one day find ourselves in similar situations! What faith! What an example these people are to all of us!

Read of their remarkable sacrament meeting talks, and of their other classes on Sunday, and their songs "How Firm A Foundation" and "Come, Come Ye Saints!" Truly THIS is Zion!