I love to see the Temple

Friday I was at the Temple for many hours. I served in the Youth Center where a family had a deceased baby boy sealed to them. The living children were an 11-year old girl and a 8-year old boy. When we finally took them to the sealing room to meet their parents, the children had been waiting almost two hours. As I saw the faces of the Family as they embraced, I realized they had been waiting much longer for this special moment to come. I started to cry. When I try to hold back the tears it looks really ugly.....which I know my family can understand because they all have this same issue when they are touched by the spirit.

It is funny how you can see and feel the love of a family you have just met. I was impressed by how very much the love this family had for each other was amplified by the Sealing power in the Temple. I choose not to go in the sealing room to watch the sealing because I was having a hard time already. As it turns out, it was a good thing I waited outside the Sealing room because every person coming out of there was crying. I heard the Sealing was wonderful and powerful.

Then we had a Stake Chapel Session followed by Stake Temple Session. Total I was in the Temple 6-7 hours that Friday.

I could write a really long blog on all the inspiration and strength I receive in the Temple however it is time to get back to the job of being a mom. In short I will quote someone who has said it much better than I. I testify of the truth of his statement and the happiness it brings.

"There exists a righteous unity between the temple and the home. Understanding the eternal nature of the temple will draw you to your family. understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the temple."---Gary E. Stevenson

and that is all I could ever need in my life.

Overcoming

At any point in time in my life there is always something I am working on. Sometimes it is helping another family member through hard times, mostly it is forsaking my own weaknesses. Right now I am reading Spencer W. Kimball's "The Miracle of Forgiveness" I read this book many times when I was young. I have my husband's copy from his youth and I am enjoying seeing the highlighted parts he felt were important. There are two things that have hit me really hard from my reading.




1."It seems that evil is always about us. It has been speculated by one of the earlier Brethren that there are hundreds of evil spirits working against each of us."

David and I have talked about this. I believe it was him who said "The Adversary does not need our permission to work on us, but, we need to ask the Lord for help to overcome." I love that.


2. "Perfection really comes through overcoming."

That is what we are here to do. It is what we aspire to help others do. It is why we should rejoice when we repent of our sins, and not keep bringing them up.


I am so grateful I get to learn new things everyday! I am so grateful for a husband I get to discuss these eternal truths with.

I know if I continue to ask the Lord I can continue to overcome and as I do that I can help others to overcome as well.


"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."--Romans 2:13

The hope of something more.

Summer is almost over....
I can feel it coming to an end. My middle child is leaving for College in days and it will just be the three of us. It is like a return to the beginning when Tasha was first born and it was just us three.


Many wonderful things come in threes. The Three Bears. The Three Little Pigs. The Three Wise men. Three is a magic number.

So many wonderful things are ahead of us. My daughters are growing to become incredible women in so many wonderful ways, David and I are spending more time together, James is getting more attention.
















Thank goodness for eternity.

Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet--Vietnamese Proverb

"Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister."---Alice

Walker



Tasha is the person James wants to call at the end of a rough day and tell his troubles to. She always listens to his daily musings. She explains things of an eternal nature to him.






James big goal this summer was to learn how to surf. His sister Megan has been patiently taking him out in the mornings. It is sweet to see them both soaking up their last moments together before she takes off for College in the fall. He looks to her for guidance.


"To help one another, is part of the religion of Sisterhood."---Louisa May Alcott





I enjoy the beauty of my children's relationships. I gain such insight from their love for one another.



"The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you." ----Hailey Kendall

Megan Graduates

Megan has never done things like other people. None of my my children have but, that is another blog post. Through the years Megan has marched to the beat of her own drum in so many ways I cannot begin to list them. Let me just say she went to school dressed as mime, pirate and alien to list a few. She did not get a yearbook, go to Gradnite and did not want to walk.


Luckily we insisted on it
and enjoyed a day of celebrating Megan.

I don't think it was about just the accomplishments in School, don't get me wrong we were so proud of her achievements. But, as she left High School behind that day I was so proud of who she had become as a person.


I am Proud of her beautiful relationship she has with her amazing sister.I am Proud of how hard she works at something she puts her mind to.I am Proud of efforts at originality in music and dress while trying to keep within the standards of the church.I am Proud of her developed gift of forgiving others.I am Proud of her goals and dreams for the future.I am Proud she takes the time out of her busy life for her little brother.I am Proud of her kindness to little children an old people.I am Proud that she has learned to assert her self even when it is hard.I am Proud that she speaks her mind.

I am Proud most of all to have found her at times of greatest turmoil
on her knees or with her scriptures looking for the Lord's way to deal with issues.
As long as that is the path she seeks I will continue to have many days to be proud in the future.

Tasha's Birthday

For Tasha's 20th Birthday we had the blessing of having her home to share it with us. Tasha has always loved doing the simple things in life. We decided to do some of her favorites, the first one was to dip her toes into the ocean at the seashore. We had a wonderful walk along the seashore and James collected treasures.




The next stop was a walk in the canyon. The canyon is really a treasure in our own backyard. We have enjoyed so many walks there and especially appreciate the peaceful quiet it provides. Tasha has taken some wonderful photos In Rose Canyon and has developed an eye for beauty.

It is so wonderful to do simple things with these wonderful people. I am so proud of the woman my daughter has become. She is a light in our family. She is an example of righteousness. She is more than I could have hoped for as a daughter and is one of my greatest joys. Happy Birthday Tasha.

"Everything has its beauty but not everyone see it." ----Confucius

Endings.......

They say all good things must come to and end.....and they are so right.

We are approaching the end to the most wonderful springtime in my life.

I love spring. I was married in March and thought I would never see a more wonderful spring. I was wrong.

This spring Megan has been lit up with excitement about heading off to college and being around her has been pure joy. I am most proud of her great determination to sew her own Prom dress. Which was amazing!

Tasha has grown into a lovely young woman and has enjoyed visiting her favorite places in San Diego and reconnecting with her family. She has been asked to sing many occasions and it has been sheer joy to see her perform so beautifully.

James has had fantastic times with his sisters home and the Highlight was the Sign Show that they all participate in together.

But, now it must end as all good things do. And soon my family of 5 will be a small family of three. Sometimes I wonder how I will manage without these two wonderful girls around to brighten our lives. But, the best lays ahead for them.

Tomorrow is a New Day
There is a new day coming tomorrow
Brighter than you have ever seen before
The sun will shine just for you
No need to be sad anymore

For it will bring with it a new beginning
No more looking back to the past
Tomorrow will show you how special you are
You can be happy at last

So look towards tomorrow and do not be afraid
Of what is there in the new day for you
For amongst all the sadness tomorrow is hope
The sunshine for all that you do.

Blogs, blogs, blogs! I love reading other people's blogs. I gain such insight to what matters in the writer's life. The pictures a bloggers posts are something I may carry in my mind all day. Sometimes they cause me to stop and appreciate the simple beauty in my life more. A child, a sunset, the sunshine through the trees.

One blogger in particular has given me insight into her soul, she speaks more freely in her blog than she does to me in person and she is my daughter. What she writes is beautiful and inspiring. I love reading her blog and she has inspired me to create my own. I hope it will be a personal journal of the wonderful experiences in my life. It may end up detailing my challenges as I adjust to this new phase.

So here I begin my step into the blogging world, I feel so excited to start something new. I can't wait to see what changes life will bring.

"Let no one come to you without leaving better, happier." ----Mother Teresa