An Example of Believers--"Doer's of the Word"

You know how some days you think it is your place to strengthen and lift people, but then it all turns around and YOU actually are the one who is being strengthened and lifted. Today I went visiting teaching, pondering & thinking for several days how I could make each of my gals' days better, but instead they lifted me with their strength, their desires to live and be "doer's" of the word.

At the first of the year, I was asked by the Bishop to give a talk on President Monson’s Conference talk, “To Learn, To Do, To Be.” In the talk we are counseled in the words of Paul to BE an example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, and in spirit, in faith, in purity. And further admonished in the New Testament to know our sheep and feed them. Little did I know, that I would in a few short months become a sheep that needed feeding, tender care, and prayers. Today was another example of those who I should be sheparding, in turn sheparding me. Truly an example of believers who are "doer's of the word." I have a saying…”it is usually through the enlightened people of the Lord that he sends help to those in need.” Today, I was surprised how much I was fed and I was sheparded in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity. I love my ladies! And thank the Lord for their goodness on this beautiful day.

The Circle of Women

Unique, individual, but as one in a strong bond circling those in need. These were my thoughts about women the other day. It seems there isn't a day that goes by that I don't recieve a phone call, a card in the mail, an email, a text, a visit, a gift left on my doorstep, meals for my family, items to help further nuture & heal, prayers...and the list goes on. Each sister has their own distinct talents & insights as to how to serve another in a situation; each providing their gift which together provides for a wholeness--a completness in the healing process of others. I am grateful for the women who circle around me--the Martha's & Mary's who give me insight, love, nuture, and most of all their friendship. Their circle of love extends to ALL in need. They are truly one of God's greatest gifts and creations!

Photo Credit: © Andres Rodriguez Dreamstime.com

Mis-information is Worse than NO Information

I haven't written for awhile for a couple of reasons; first, the kids came home for the month of July and we played and enjoyed each others' company, and, second, I was hit with some misinformation, which kind of through me for a bit of a loop.

After further testing, one of my lymph nodes came back with a small spot of cancer. The nurse called and told me I would have 6 months of chemo followed by radiation and it would be a 9 month process. It was a shock! Not even the doctors had exptected lymph node involvement. So...that was the first time I went into melt down since all this began. I cried for two days and then sucked it up as the kids were arriving home from NYC. As soon as they got home, we left for Denver to visit my brother (it was a good distraction). When we got home from that short vacation, I had my first meeting with the oncologist. I prayed so hard for good news! Well, somehow my prayer was heard, because the nurse had given me misinformation (I lived with the misinformation for 1-1/2 weeks). The doctor recommended only 4 treatments of chemo three weeks apart over a three month period; then the 6 weeks of radiation follow up (which I already knew I had to do). The chemo I am being given is not as bad as some...I will NOT lose my hair, but it may thin out. It sounds so much more doable!!! Yeah!

Next, I got a port put into my chest below the collar bone to receive the chemo. The surgery for the port was a "piece of cake." I was in and out in three hours. My anesthesiologist was the same man...the guy with a "wooden leg by the name of Smith." I think I told him three times that he did a great job in spite of having a wooden leg by the name of Smith (he never has told the name of his other leg--hahaha). The anesthesia was so good it made me feel like dancing naked to loud music on a table full of beautiful dishes & food in the middle of some big celebration--literally--and I even said that out loud. I kept laughing and laughing and laughing...I was so uninhibited that I remarked it was a good thing I wasn't a drinking person because I could be totally out of control. My poor husband kept apologizing for me! But, it did feel really great to just laugh and feel so carefree about all my woes.

Chemo started on August 10th--finishes Oct. 12th and is followed by the radiation. I will be through with everything for the holidays. Thanksgiving will be a little touchy, but by December I will be doing great! Back to total health with the immunities back on track by early February.

A Young Idaho Women from Harvard Explains about her Faith as a Mormon

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

The Surgery

Okay...so...I realize all of my dear friends and family are concerned and ask out of concern "how things went" or "how are you feeling." It is wonderful to have such good friends! In an effort to not repeat the saga over and over again, I have thought to put it on my blog. That way it's from the so called "horses" mouth--It's like getting the low-down from me. When you see me just say, "Hey, I read your blog! It sounds like things are going well." That works for me and I hope you too. If not, then feel free to call or stop by.

Anyway, we arrived at the hospital at 7:15 AM. By 8:30 AM I was back in Women's Imaging. Before surgery a needle localization is done to mark all the tumor areas. With ultra sound the lumps are found and then a needle is inserted for surgery. Before the needles are deployed (once a needle is deployed a sort of fish hook expands out and holds the needle in place), the placement is checked for accuracy with a mammogram. Yes, you read that right. Three needles were inserted into the left breast and one into the right breast and then several mamm pics were taken of the right. That turned out okay. But, the left--about 10 pics were taken until placement was accurate and then the hooks were deployed from the needle casing. In this case, the hook marks the spot. The radiologist then draws an area on the x-rays around the tumor spots, which usually indicates about the amount that will be taken out. On the right breast was an area about a small super ball size (nickel). That's been a piece of cake!!! On the left, there was another area a nickle size plus an area a couple of golf balls put together in an oval shape to encompass the cancer and benign tumors. But, you know me...through it all, we were laughing and telling jokes. The radiologist said he hadn't had that much fun at work for along time. In fact, many of the staff came down to the mamm room to see what all the laughter was about. Hey..."it is what it is!"

Next I was wheeled back into the pre-op room. The surgeon came in and shot me with some blue nuclear stuff which would travel to my lymph nodes. I sat around reading and talking to Scott for the next 1-1/2 hours waiting for the dye to make it's journey. By the time I got into surgery it was 2 in the afternoon and I was feeling a little tired. The anethsiologist stopped by. His name was Smith...I made some joke about how "I knew a man with a wooden leg by the name of Smith." He stopped, laughed and said, "You're funny!" "What was the name of his other leg--" from Mary Poppins. The last thing I remembered was being wheeled down the hall telling the doctor he was very clever because I didn't even see him sneek anything into my IV--I was starting to get really loopy and then I was gone.

After surgery, the first thing I remember was seeing the military digital clock with it's blue numbers lighted up on the wall of the recovery room. It was 16:22. The worst part of the whole entire day was just beginning. I have always done really well with anethesia, but NOT this time. I awoke to my legs and jaw shaking terribly and feeling extremely thirsty--notice I didn't say pain. I don't think I was very nice in the recovery room. I was telling them to get me warm blankets, water, and to quickly get something to stop the shaking before it got out of control (flash back from 12 years ago). They kept asking me, "how is your pain on a scale of one to ten." "Hang the pain, I don't know, just get rid of the shakes!" Finally I got some warm blankets and then I answered an "8" on the pain scale. Who knows?...how does one guage pain? It certainly wasn't the worst pain I have ever felt--better than child birth and not all that bad. They must have given me a whole lot of demerol because any pain I had was gone in just a minute. The next time I answered the question, it was "zero." It had been difficult to breathe for a bit. The nurse, with her annoying soft, condescending--like voice kept saying "Breathe, take a breath. You're not breathing." My word, I was trying. Did they think I wanted to stop? I finally got water and then got nauseated so then I asked her to get me something for nausea--fast. That annoying nurse, just said, "Well, you wanted water and now you pay the consequences of nausea." Duh, I realized that and yes, well the water was worth it. The nausea lasted just a bit!

Thirty minutes later I was wheeled back into my pre-op room where Scott had been waiting for me. They moved me from the bed to a recliner, wrapped me in warm blankets and there I sat, hardly able to move, talk, or anything until 9 PM. Have you ever been in such a state that you couldn't move, but your brain was still intaking information? I almost felt paralyzed! For once Scott didn't have to listen to me expel my 60,000 words in the day. I am sure he was most grateful!

The anethesia and demerol really wasted me out. This was no drug induced vacation like my shoulder surgery---I remember hearing a young girl cry out for help from pain. I really felt for her. She had been in a car crash. Later in the day, I remember being back to my cheerful laughing self and saying, Hello, Doctor" to the surgeon each time he walked by from my drug induced coma. He always looked over and smiled as he passed by. I heard him tell the charge nurse several times (I went through several shifts of nurses) I could stay over night if I wanted. How great was that. But, by 9 PM I wanted out. So I was wrapped in blankets again, put in the wheel chair, given a couple of "barf bags," and taken to the elevator. It was there both "bar bags" were used, but NOW I really did feel so much better. I was informed by the nurse it was her experience that anyone coming in to have breast surgery who also had blue dye injected had the same nauseating experience. She felt it was the blue nuclear dye which caused it.

I was never so grateful to be home and back in my bed. I took some pain meds and was out for the night. My friends took turns sitting with me on Friday. Since then, I have been exercising (you are given breast exercises to do everyday to keep the muscles stretched) and have been walking. All my extended family have been camping in Idaho since Friday. I could tell I was starting a "pity party" so Scott drove me 3 hours on Saturday into Idaho to see the family for 30 minutes and eat lunch and then drove me back home. I know..he really does love me...extremely! When I hugged my boy good bye, I made some quip about hugging me gently as I was "now missing half a breast. Well, at least a quarter," I corrected myself as my nieces and nephews peeled laughter over that one. Hey...."it is what it is!"

So you can see the humor is back and life is almost back to normal. The hardest part it seems for recovery at this point is the 1-4 sentinel lymph nodes that are taken out. My arm is a little numb (expected--have you ever tried to shave and can't feel it? It's creepy!). The nodes came back negative during surgery. Good news! The removed tissue will be checked and we will wait two weeks for a test to come back from California which will tell us what my risk of "cancer return" will be in the next ten years. But as for now, the Doctor said the nodes were clean and the surgery went well. He feels he got good clean margins. I will be given time to heal up and then radiation will begin mid July.

My son gave me a wonderful blessing telling me I would still be able to do all that I wanted this summer. And guess what? I am. I will still get to take Meghan to USC in August, still get to visit my brother in Denver, still get to have a 4th of July party AND I still got to see my family camping in Idaho. So we are extremely blessed. Life is good and the Lord is wonderful!

A Great Team

I recently read an article on Erik Weihenmayer who has climbed seven of the tallest mountains in the world including Mount Everest. This is amazing in itself; but more amazing--Erik is also blind. Many nay-sayers told Erick he would never be able to meet his goals, they warned him of the dangers, told him he was foolish. Erik only replied with, "They (the nay-sayers) didn't know me. My team knew me." He further stated it is key to always surround yourself with a great team. Together a positive and supportive team can overcome incredible challenges and accomplish great feats.

Tonight is the eve of my surgery. I have been surrounded by a great team of family and friends. All know me, all have been extremely supportive and positive. Together we have exercised our faith and prayers. I have received many visits, phone calls, texts, emails, cards, blog comments, gifts, even drawings from my young neice and nephew containing love and support--cheering me on (hanging on the refrigerator)! With a team like all of you, how could I lose. I appreciate and love you all very much.

I have great faith that everything will turn out well. In fact, I feel extremely calm and peaceful about the whole ordeal. While the world screams & bemoans the "Big C," each time I attend the temple the feeling of peace (the kind only the Lord can give) surrounds me. It's such a miracle that He is able to send such peace. It is almost undescribable--the inner calm. I sort of feel guilty about it--shouldn't I be grieving or crying or something like it? But, He is in charge. I know it. Whatever the outcome, I will yield to His will. With the Lord on our team, no matter--we will overcome.

Thanks again to all of you who laughed, cried, gave me privacy when I needed it, and brought me wonderful reminders of our friendship. Most of all, thank you for keeping me in your prayers, keeping my name in the temple, and carrying me with your extra faith. WE WILL SURVIVE this one too...Hallelujah....Again!

LIFT-OFF

The other night I had a dream. I was getting ready for a new adventure--flying into space. I was waiting around for the mission crew to get things going, wondering where they all were and wondering what was taking so much time. Finally everyone showed up 20 minutes before liftoff. I went out of the building expecting to see a rocket ship, but instead I saw a fast, futuristic jet on a tall intricate engineered support system of stilts. THAT would be the ship I would be taking to space. Wow! Its cosmetic appearance was black and silver with sleek smart lines. All of a sudden, the notion came to me that I might get nauseated up in space for the three days I would be there and I became a little frightened about going (I thoroughly hate being nauseated). I remembered the stories of John Glenn in space being rotated around for days--hard, but he wouldn't have missed it for anything. So then I thought to myself, “three days of nausea was worth what I would experience on my journey into space—three days was nothing. Oh, the things I would see and experience that most people wouldn’t. What an opportunity!” But, again a bit of doubt crept in as I also thought about my older body. Could it take the “g-forces” at lift-off. I imagined the skin on my face being plastered back as far as it could take (with 50 around the corner, one can only imagine the image I had in my mind), the force of my blood pounding, but then I remembered "they" had g-suits that would help my body handle it and figured, “why not!” I sucked it up, clapped my hands together to cheer myself on and said to all, “Let’s do this thing," as I headed for that awesome cool looking space jet.

Thursday AM I will head off for "cancer surgery" liftoff. I believe I will learn and experience things through this journey in my life that I would not otherwise be able to do. Time will tell where this journey will go, and “the places I will go.” Gotta' love the subconscious mind...

HOPE--One of the Three Sisters

I haven't had time to write--all the recent doctor visits and my life changing so fast and all. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I go in next week for a partial mastectomy on the left side and and a removal of a benign papaloma on the right. I feel blessed at this stage that it was caught early. So far the doctors say I have a "low risk" breast cancer. Because I opted for a lumpectomy (partial mastectomy), I will have to have radation. That requires travelling to the hospital for 5 days a week for six weeks. Talk about ruin a summer of fun! After the surgery, my auxillary lymph nodes will be sent out to California for a test called an Oncotype DX which measures your risk of cancer throughout the rest of the body. If this test comes back below a score of 17, then I will NOT have to have chemo. It looks like I should be in good shape that way too. So you might ask yourself, "where does the title of this article come in to all of this?" Well, let's take a look at HOPE. We don't always know what is in store for us--what the good Lord's purposes may be, but we have to trust in him. Even though the puzzle pieces aren't all coming together for me or aren't all there yet, I have learned through past experience that the Lord does come through. So HOPE is more than just a cross of the fingers--it's the experience I have had to know that HOPE combined with FAITH can work miracles for us.

Twelve years ago, I went through an interesting health scare. At that time my daughter was only in 8th grade. Now she is 25 and living in NYC. I asked her how she was feeling with all of the news. She replied, "You know mom, our last experience taught me a lot about faith and that the Lord will help us get through this one too. It has given me confidence to know He is in charge and knows all." Yes, I thought. He has ALL the pieces of the puzzle. If I possessed all the pieces, I would never have to exercise FAITH and find HOPE in the experience I have had with Him.

Photo Credit: © Jaromír Ondra Dreamstime.com

Mama's At a Glance: June Family Fun Calendar

Summer Reading: Oh, the places you will go...!

Oh, the places you will go without physically traveling very far. Summer is right around the corner and so is having an enjoyable time reading with your kids. Summer is all about sharing an Award winning book together in the tent at night in your own backyard OR each night sitting around the family room OR piling on a bed to read. Some of our fondest memories as a family was to camp and read from a novel each evening before bed using a flashlight or the trailer light. The best part was to hear my kids beg for more as I would end the read for the evening with a climatic high from the book. The next evening they couldn't wait learn more of the story. One summer we met an orphaned dog named Shiloh (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor), learned we didn't want to be The Whipping Boy (Sid Fleischman), and discovered ancient Egypt through The Egypt Game (Zilpha Keatley Snyder).

If you are looking for something to stimulate your child to read, I would suggest Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook. His book is divided into two sections; the first section contains specific information on the effects of reading aloud to your child and the second section contains a treasury of great short reads in which he pulls some chapters, sections, and excerpts from some really great books. His book will have your child wanting to know more about the various characters, the "rest of the story," and stimulate your child to want to read the entire book all because of the excerpts he chooses. I have several of his volumes. For more on his book visit this site: http://childrensbooks.about.com/cs/readalouds/fr/readaloudhandbk.htm

AND For a list of great 2009 summer reads for kids and teens, fiction and non-fiction, visit this website: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/libdev/summerreading/2009bcyl_handoutfromNLAsession.pdf

HAPPY READING!!! Hundreds of adventures await your family right in your own backyard. Oh, the places you will go!!!!

Living Water

Recently my husband and I spent time hiking through the beautiful red rock and desert. One particular hike was a 3 mile hike in through a box canyon called Calf Creek. We read the trail markers along the way describing the various vegetation and history of the canyon. We enjoyed pictoglifs, tiny budding red flowers in skinny little rock crevices, making a whistle out of horsetail, and watching scampering small lizards. The trail for the most part was good. At times there were deep pockets of sand to walk through, hills & valleys, which may have slowed down our journey, but also added to the depth of our experience. At times the journey seemed hot and long, but we knew their was a wonderful reward at the end. As we progressed through the hot afternoon, rambling on and talking away, we came to end of the canyon only to find a beautiful cascading cool waterfall.

During earlier days the box canyon held cattle. Even amongst the hot dry desert, there was water to keep the cattle alive. I pondered this for a bit, knowing that each of us have a journey to make in our life--easy, hard, well marked, not so clear, even slowed down by the unexpected. When the hills are high or the valleys extremely low, we always have a choice. Our journey can be barren, dry, and harsh as the unforgiving desert or we can choose to partake of living water. The kind of living water which will quench our thirst, give us life, and purpose for being.

Photo Credit: © Victor Russillo Dreamstime.com

Empty Nest Parenting: Top Ten Ways to Get Your Kid to Fly the Coop!

Having trouble getting your kid to fly the coop? Try one of our top ten ways to achieve an empty nest.

10. Watch a movie sitting between your son/daughter and the girl/boyfriend.

9. Program the doorbell to play "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission.

8. Borrow their car OR better yet trade them for a beater car.

7. Pay the girlfriend/boyfriend NOT to come over.

6. Change his/her facebook picture to something really dorky & embarassing.

5. Keep saying, "Out the door by 24."
4. Cancel satellite/cable and charge rent; (30)% of their income.

3. Invite the grandkids over for a sleepover every night.

2. Sell the house and go on a mission.

1. Redecorate their room as a nursery while they are gone. When they return say, "Won't it be nice to share your bedroom with your new baby sister?"

If all else fails, move to a third world country where hard labor is abundant and there are NO amenities. For YOUR sanity sneek home, leaving your child penniless.

Photo Credit: © Bruce Shippe Dreamstime.com
BYU Women's Conference. 2009. It’s Time to Fly! Encouraging Young Adults to Build Nests of Their Own. Marianne Hunt, Bruce Hunt.

Four Words A Woman Never Wants to Hear

I felt an overwhelming feeling of illness sweep over my entire body as I heard the four words a women never wants to hear, "You have a lump." "What?" I replied. "A lump in your breast," was the response. "Are you sure?" In denial, I felt the spot that was identified. Sure enough. There it was, unmistakenly, a large lump. How did I NOT notice it? How long had it been there? When was my last exam...a year ago; clean then. My last mammogram? Two-three years. Now panic had set in. My mind quickly went to the worst case scenario. My husband, thank goodness for him, calmed me down and reminded me not to panic until I had the facts. I quickly called to get a mammogram. Did you know there are two different kinds? A screening, which we all normally get, and then a diagnostic--the kind for those of us with lumps. It took several days to get an appointment for a mammogram and several more days for an appointment with the Doctor. In the meantime, I had to keep myself busy so my mind didn't wander. Really, it can make one crazy! So...until the appointments, I prayed like mad.

I arrived to get the "diagnostic" mammogram yesterday. It's much like the screening only more intense smashing with different sizes of paddles. I was asked several times, "tell me when you can't stand the pain and I will quick cranking the paddle." I remember seeing a cartoon about mammograms. That's exactly how I was looking and feeling! (Photo Credit: Joan Starks, ASCII Art http://www.ascii-art.com/) The screening was followed by an ultra sound. Not bad at all. During the exams, I was asked several times if my doctor discovered the lump or myself. "No," I replied, actually it was my husband. To which we all laughed and I was told that most husbands do make the discovery first. My friend and I quipped, "Who said we would ever be so thankful for sex!" and laughed together in a tense situation. Thanks goodness for female friends.

Back to the diagnostic test; Lastly, there was a doctor on staff who met with me. We went over all of the pictures and talked best case and worst; he was extremely helpful. He even gave me his card and told me to call any time I had questions--day or night. Wow! When was the last time a doctor said that to you.

When I first felt the lump, I quickly got on the internet (http://www.breastcancer.org/). Yes, it can make you crazy, but it helps to educate one about breast cancer so they are prepared to ask the neccessary questions. It's a great site. I suggest every women should visit it and educate yourself more thoroughly. Even if you are never affected by the big "C", the odds are you may have a friend or family member who is. Did you know a vast amount of women ignore or are in denial about a lump they may have. In fact, the Doctor told me many even wait up to a year before they seek a diagnosis...and then what? Do your monthly breast check and get out there and get your mammogram. Schedule your past due mammogram today (Davis County in Utah is 801-807-1000). Believe me, you DO NOT want to hear those four words, "You have a lump." And if you ever do, take immediate action...the sooner the better.

Oh, yes. At this date, we are calling my lump a fibroadenoma. Nothing too serious. Very common among women. The lump is oval, with clear defined edges and contains calcification. I will know more after the biopsy on Thursday. Worst case? I can live with it. I will survive.

Are You Being Remodeled?

"Imagine youself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently, He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? the explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of--throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into decent little cottage: but He is building a palace." -C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 174.

Don't we sometimes just want to be a decent little cottage! I do, it really hurts--those trials, the pain and suffering. When I pray I even say, "Thank you Lord. I am happy and healthy, I don't want to really be rebuilt, I don't think I'm up to it...everything is just fine." But, wham-mo...the battering ram swings around and knocks me flat. At times I even wonder how I am able to get back up; but, somehow I do. Somehow He knows I will--that I will plug forward again, building a new wing where I didn't think it was possible, adding that extra floor when I didn't know I needed one, running up a new tall tower of strength, filling my new courtyard with joy. So...don't you ever wonder WHEN the palace will be finished AND what it will look like? I do...I think He must know a whole lot more than me!

Cool Savings

Tired of trying to find the right coupon, have stacks of newspaper coupons cluttering the house, pick and choose without the mess. Customize your coupon clipping with my featured money saving site called Cool Savings. Print them off the internet or simply have them emailed to you. As you register, the site takes you through a few screens asking if you want free "this or that." Say "NO" to all of these. If you say "yes," all your information will be submitted to the specified advertiser and you could be inundated with email. Once you are registered, simply keyboard in your zipcode and "wall-ah," pages of coupons ready to print. You can print all of them, just the ones you want, OR have them emailed to you. Coupon categories include: Grocery, Health & Beauty, Clothing, Automotive, Entertainment, Pet, Travel, Home & Garden, Education, Computer & Electronics, and Personal Finance (sample screenshot above--grocery coupon page).

Rite of Passage...are they ready?

Remember when moving out of the house was a "rite of passage?" We stepped, actually lept, out into the world where we worked whatever job we could find. We found a crummy apartment stuffed with roommates just so we could afford the rent. We drove a beater car, lived off macaroni & cheese (Top Ramen & bean burritos my brother reminds me), and didn't mind if our clothes were worn and their was no cable or TV for that matter. Who cared? We were managing it, shabby standards or not, all by ourselves. We had our freedom and it was worth it!

I recently read an article about a property management investor who discoverd their was a huge market in really nice college-age real estate. Young people leaving home felt entitled to not just "any old apartment," but a place complete with pool, indoor gym, social court, and plasma tv on the wall. So he went to work and he built the apartments--thousands of them. We, as parents, came and rented them for our kids--thousands of them. We wanted it "better for them." We wanted them to have "what we never had." And it wasn't just about the college apartment, but other entitlements: the latest techie device, the car at 16, the prettiest prom dress, designer clothing, and the list goes on. But at what cost? Didn't we deprive our children of building valuable character traits? Of problem solving skills? Of the "happiness" and "self-esteem" one can gain from making a "go of it" on their own? Did we forget that it is by failure, pain, and frustration we grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually? Now here we are in an economic recession and we need to be asking oursleves if we have taught our children how to be resourceful. With our children facing bigger expenses than we ever faced, resourcefulness and self-reliance is key.

Here are a few ideas for teaching your children to be self-reliant and resourceful:

• Teach them everyday skills--that means household tasks from laundary to budgeting.

An example: we shared the cooking in our household. Each person had one night of the week to plan, grocery shop, and cook the meal; yes, dad was included in the schedule.

• Don't solve your children's problems for them--teach them to sort through the options, see the consequences of each and then live with THEIR choice. Don't take the problem from them!!!
• Make sure they have a job--a job teaches them to work for someone else, and to budget their time and money. They may even find out they don't want to flip burgers for the rest of their life--You mean education is important?!
• Be an example of resourcefulness & resilence; AND be excited about it!
• Learn something new--if your children see that life-long learning is important, they too will keep learning new skills.

Thoughts of a 22 Year Old Male

Do you ever wonder what thoughts go through the minds of your children? I have and now thanks to Facebook, I can view a few of those. It seems every week, my son puts a thought out there for all to see. I call them David-isms. Here are a few choice ones--some profound and worthy of inclusion within our journey:

• Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't and believe that everything happens for a reason. Live with no excuses and love with not regrets.
• If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it.
• Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.
• Some people say life is short. Is there really anything longer that you are going to do while you are here?
• The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be.
• Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.
• Ever wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?
• I was told today that I should date more, get a girlfriend, get married and that I should listen to the motab instead of devil music. To which I responded "No I don't think so." No matter what I say, it draws controversy. It's sort of like the abortion issue.
• You are only young once, but you can be immature forever.
• Sometimes people put up walls, not to keep others out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.
• Jesus is coming...Look busy!
• God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who walks away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.
• I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I play video games, which I think is a far superior addiction to any of those other ones.
• Have you ever noticed that anyone going slower than you is an idiot, but anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
• Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.
• If you want to be loved by somebody who isn't already in your family, it doesn't hurt to be beautiful.
• "I'm just a love machine and I won't work for anyone but you"....what a great song!
• David wishes that life was simple.
• You can never get enough of what you don't need, because what you don't need won't satisfy you.
• When you go into court you are putting yourself in the hands of 12 people that weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.
• Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
  

Which is it...The End or The Journey?

Let's talk book reading! Let's say it's the last book in the Twilight series (it seems to be the "in" book right now). You have been anticipating the last novel for some time. You can't wait to see how it all ends! As you begin to read, the novel becomes more and more exciting! You read so fast...so fast and furious. Skimming to the end, where you slow down and drink in every glorious word. The problem is that in getting to the end so fast, you forgot to relish and enjoy the novel along the way. I know...we've all done it--been there!

Let's liken this to a Mormon perspective on life. We know the beginning--where we came from and what it was like and we also know how it's all going to end. So...perhaps the message is, we just enjoy the journey along the way. God's in charge, our job is to live each day to the fullest.

Side Note: Speaking of Twilight...what if you had actually read the end first, just so you could really enjoy the read. (Credit to Michelle. Thanks for the great share)

Three "E's" & Sara

As I was finishing up my grad degree in Instructional Design & Technology in 2007, I was lamenting to Sara, one of my fellow students sitting next to me. My lament went something like this: "Woe is me, I am almost 50, my life is half over, I'm too old to do anything much, my kids are gone, no grandkids...what do I with myself....blah, blah, blah." She quickly reprimanded me saying, "What are you talking about! You have the three "E's"-- you're Engergetic, an Empty-Nester, and Educated. Get out there and kick-butt! Look at all the women who started businesses and made an impact in their 50's & 60's! The door is wide open with nothing to hold you back. You can have a great future!" To my astonishment, it was just what I needed...what a smart young pup she was. My "woe is me" mentallity started to change. She was right! I started to ask myself questions. Questions like, "where do my talents lie?" "What haven't I done in my life that I would like to do?" "Can I really do something I have never thought of?" "What opportunities are before me now?" Within a month of my conversation with Sara, I began working in Television--something I had never done, but always thought would be awesome to do. I was given a fantastic opportunity by a wonderful man to Executive Produce a women's show and often times host. It only lasted 6 months, but it was a great ride--full of up's and down's, steep learning curves, true successes, and fabulous people. I truly believe that we are given opportunities to prepare us for other experiences down the road. I look back through my life and have seen evidence of that fact. What's next? I'm hanging on for the ride....AND I will always thank God for putting Sara along my path!

Percolating Ideas & Centurions

Percolating in my head for the last few months has been an idea...I have asked myself this question, "I am an empty nester who has spent most of my married life doing the mom thing. How can I NOW use my talents and gifts--share my passions to enrich not only my life but help make someone's a little better?"

Being an empty nester is one thing, but not having any grandchildren (yet) or a passionate focus is frustrating! In fact, many of my friends seem to be in the same situation. We have been devoted & passionate mothers all of our lives and now what? Where do we focus our passion? It's so quiet..There is service or adding to the community; which we do--but there has to be something out there...something that is the perfect fit.

Yesterday I listened to a show which talked about centurions all over the world. There were five keys they all had in common to living a long healthy good & full life.

1. A purpose--something they were passionate about--something they were excited to do each day.
2. A 24 hour religious focus once a week, in which they turned their problems over to God.
3. Work with their hands (many of them dirtied up their hands in the God given soil we have right in our backyards or created something useful).
4. A decent diet--lentils, vegetables, fruits--things we find inherent in the land.
5. Mild exercise-walking, working hard in the yard, taking a bike ride.

How are you doing with 1-5? It seems many of us can handle 2-4; but #1 is still percolating...at least for me & many of my friends.