For Good

Our stake held a meeting prior to the broadcast on Saturday. As part of the program, they put together a slideshow of women interacting and serving others. I had the pleasure of helping to take some photos to use in the slideshow. For the music, they used one of my favorite songs from Wicked ... "I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those to help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return. Well, I don't know if I believe that's true, but I know I'm who I am today ... because I knew you." Such a great moment!!

Today, my heart has been inspired to think back on so many people in my life that have "changed my life for good" ... I don't generally recommend having that kind of moment in an airport! :)

However, I am so grateful for each one of them. Makes me want to go home and create my own video montage ...

Answers to Prayers

If you have less than ten minutes to give a quick lesson on prayer ... how do you make a quick impact?

Start with two balloons. One is blown up and the other is not. I told a story from the scriptures about a family that had a problem to solve and went to the Lord for help. We started talking about how the Lord answers our prayers.

Somewhere towards end of the story, I popped the first balloon. Why you ask? Well, first and foremost, it about gives the kids a heart attack, which I find completely entertaining. However, the real reason is to demonstrate the fact that the Lord doesn't usually send these massive and loud answers. Man, life would be so much easier if He did! We would know exactly what to do and when to do it.

While the kids shared some of their experiences with getting answers to prayers, I blew up the second balloon just slightly. I ended with the fact that the Lord knows we can't really learn and grow unless we figure out some things for ourselves. Let the air out of the second balloon nice and quiet like ... and end with the thought that we can only receive answers during those quiet little moments when we open our hearts and minds to that small voice inside.

Between Sisters

An older sister ... workaholic lawyer, slightly overbearing, kind of bossy ... and her baby sister, who drops out of college to build a rental property on a lake and decides to marry a guy she has known for about two weeks. What could possibly go wrong?

I LOVE stories like this! It is such a great opportunity to think about your own family and relationships. As the slightly bossy oldest sister ... it can be such an eye opener to think about how important it is to love and support people even though you may not agree with the decision. :)

Flashback Friday

We were joking the other day about doing more flashbacks ... since the people who kow my kids as teenagers, did not know them as little ones.

Here's a flashback -- Rach did dance for five years!! Fake hair, costumes and full make-up. She had her first recital at three ... and she cried through the whole thing (black and white costume). By the end of the five years, she was a cheese dog!

The Forgotten Garden

So, my sweet friend Marla talked me into joining this book club. Well, to be exact ... they sent me a list of books and told me I was presenting in December ... which is kind of the same thing! ;)

This was the first book. When I first started it, I was not too excited about the new book club adventure. The story begins back in the early 1900's ... there is an Authoress who writes slightly disturbed fairy tales. However, by the end of the book, I was seriously hooked. Hooked like ... stay up until midnight reading even though you have to be up at 5am ... kind of hooked.

It was a great story that spans several generations of a family, with a series of secrets that makes for an interesting puzzle to solve. Not the kind of book I would normally be drawn to, and I really enjoyed it. Maybe this book club will be a good thing after all ... now if I could just manage to not be traveling and attend!

Soccer Fever

Apparently being 41 makes one feel a little nostalgic! :)

We spent every fall for ten years on the soccer field ... and I miss it a bit!! It is actually one of my favorite sports to take photos of. Not to mention, I may have upgraded the camera a bit since the girls were little!

We would let Megan play, but as we are all well aware, she has a tendency to get concussions. We're going to stick with non-contact sports for the runt!

If anyone feels sorry for my nostalgic oldness ... send me your soccer schedule. I would be more than happy to do a drive by and take some pictures.