All Shapes and Sizes

Yesterday, I asked Oswald to pick up my Buddy's prescription from the grocery store and he said he would, so I brushed it out of my mind.

At 4pm I called him to see if he was on his way, and he told me that he car would not start. He had one of his employees help jump start his car and nothing.

I went to get the prescription and prayed that Oswald would be able to get things figured out without it costing too much money.

We're trying to move into a new rental house and money is just not growing on any trees we own, maybe it's because we don't own any trees?

This morning we were discussing our finances and the stress was pretty high. When Oswald gets stressed, he tends to shut down. I tend to eat. But I am overcoming that tendency.

I went into my bedroom and poured out my heart in prayer, the kind of pouring like when you see a waterfall. I cried my eyes out that we would get this taken care of and that things would work out for us.

We decided to drive down to his office and see if we could get it figured out. We took off the box to look at all the spark plugs, we opened the hood to find the alternator to see if it was something we could manage on our own. Oswald called Napa Auto Parts, they said to bring the battery down and they would give it enough juice to at least start. Then we would be able to move the car to get the alternator fixed.

We don't have the money to fix an alternator, not with all the expenses we have coming up. So while he was taking the battery off, a whole bunch of acid crusties (that's the professional vernacular) fell off the batter cable. He said, "I wonder if I put this back and turn the car on, if it would start?"

"It wouldn't hurt, I replied."

He sat down in the car, and it started up immediately! I got back in the truck with the kids and as I was driving home, said a prayer of thanks. I began to cry at the blessing that we had just received...it was a big one to us!

How amazing to know that when we say prayers, our Heavenly Father answers them. It's wonderful and I am thankful that our Father in Heaven has given us a way to communicate with him. Talk about a blessing!

Challenge Accepted!

image from lds.org

During my week a Girl's Camp, I had the opportunity to do one of the evening devotionals. I didn't have anything prepared and the night before I was to give my devotional, I had the idea to have all of the YW read the Book of Mormon by the end of the summer, or in my my September 1st.

I presented them with this challenge and was peppered with this response, "The Bishop's already making us read it, by the end of the summer!"

I had not spoken to the Bishop previously and had no idea he had issued this challenge. But I knew that the youth needed this challenge or we would not have both had the same idea at the same time, without even talking to each other about extending the challenge!

So I took this challenge to heart. I thought to myself, "if I am going to challenge my YW to read the Book of Mormon in less than 60 days, I need to do it myself!"

That night, Oswald helped me (because I'm lousy at math) figure out how many pages I needed to read to finish. There are 531 pages in the Book of Mormon and I had 53 days to read it. I had to read a little over 10 pages per day. "Piece of cake" I thought. WRONG!

Each day I would try my hardest to read a little in the morning, during the day and in the evening, so I didn't have to stay up super late to get my 10 pages in that day. Some days I was very successful and other days I was not. There were days when I had to read 12-15 because I got behind the day before.

Then the stress of finding a house set in upon me and that made life even more difficult and made the amount of time I had to read, even smaller. But I pressed forward, not wanting to shirk on my goal and responsibility.

On July 28th I was laying in my bed reading while Oswald was doing a bit of work at home, he looked at me and said, "Looks like you've got 50 more pages to read by Sunday. You going to make it."

"Of course I'm going to make it."

"Well, you want to be done before you go to church on Sunday, right?"

"Yes, and don't you worry, I'll be done." was my reply and I quickly went back to reading.

Sunday, July 31st at 10am, I closed my Book of Mormon. In the very last chapters of Moroni, he challenges those who read the Book of Mormon to pray to find out if it is true or not. I already have a testimony of it's truthfulness. I got that in college. But I had the strong impression that I needed to pray.

I went into the closet, for some peace and quite, knelt down and said a prayer thanking my Heavenly Father for helping me find the time to read this sacred book. I thanked him for my calling in the YW program and then I asked him to bless our family to be approved to rent this house we wanted so desperately.

Not even 5 minutes later, the phone rang. It was our agent saying we had gotten the approval and that all of the paperwork was being take care of.

I know that because I stuck with my goal of reading the Book of Mormon that our family was blessed. I know that blessings come to those to read the Book of Mormon. It's amazing that every time I read this book, I learn something new. The thing that stuck out the most to me this time is when Alma told us that if we look to Christ we will have everlasting life, just like in Moses' time they just needed to look at the serpent and they would be saved and some people didn't. We just need to look to Christ. He is the answer to everything in this life. He can help us get through any trial we have.

Just turn and look to Him

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If you would like a free copy of the Book of Mormon, please email me and let me know. I would love to send you one! amormonmommy@gmail.com

BY FAR the scariest day of my life!!

Saturday started out like any other day. We woke up and rushed to get out the door for a church Easter Celebration. My little man and my Princess were the last to awake, so we were even more rushed.

We arrived (late) at the church just in time to scarf down some food and for the kids to rush out to find their Easter eggs.

We've been looking at getting a new-to-us car, so Oswald wanted to drive to the other side of Atlanta to take a look at one that seemed to be a good price.

After being at the dealership for over an hour, we packed up the car and took off. Oswald is quite a shopper and Saturday was no different. We went to the Mall of Georgia.

I had never been to the mall of Georgia and had no clue what I was in for. This mall is huge! It has everything in it from Nordstrom to The Children's Place. We were there for about an hour and our big kids were getting a little restless.

Oswald decided to take the big kids down to the play area. (just typing this makes me shake) I continued to browse with my little man. When I was done, Oswald said to come on down and we'd let the kids continue to play.

When I approached the play area, my Princess ran up to me and said, "Mommy, can I go ride the train?"

I said, "Sure, go ride the train."

Oswald and I started talking when he looks at me and said, "She left the play place."

I grabbed the stroller with the baby in it and take off to get her, thinking I will reprimand her for leaving us.

But I can't find her. Anywhere.

I see that there is a little train that rides around the mall. She's not on there. She's not on the little coin operated train.

She's no where to be found.

I am panicked.

I begin screaming for people to help me find my baby!

I am shaking, sweating, crying and screaming. "HELP ME FIND MY BABY."

Several people came up to me and asked me what she was wearing, so they could keep an eye out for her. One store manager was on the phone with mall security. I continued to run around that area of the mall like a crazy person, screaming her name as loud as I could.

I said silent prayers. I said prayers out loud. I said prayers SCREAMING!

Oswald left the play area and went around to the other side, a kind woman offered to sit with my little man while we continued to look for my Princess. But there was no way I was going to lose 2 kids in one day, so I stayed with my little man. The next thing I know Oswald has a crying little girl in his arms.

He had found my Princess. She was over by where kids were taking pictures with the Easter Bunny. I have never been so thankful to see her in my life. I still look at her and thank my Heavenly Father for letting us find her.

I would have died had I lost this sweet girl of mine. She is a true blessing in my life and I am so thankful for her.

Lesson learned.

I KNOW He Lives!

 Oswald and my Buddy our first Easter in North Carolina, 2007

I truly hope everyone is enjoying their Easter holiday.

I want to share what I know to be true. I know that my Savior, Jesus Christ, came to this earth as a baby. That he grew up teaching the learned and the unlearned. That he befriended the friendless. That he healed the sick. That he was tempted of the devil and passed that test.

I also know that he went to the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered, truly suffered, for my sins. Not only my sins, but YOUR sins as well. I know that he was betrayed by a friend and taken before Pilate. I know that he was beaten and scourged and had a crown of thorns placed on his head. I know that he walked with his cross on his back to Calvary where he was nailed to it. I know that he hung there, and I know that when he could have stopped himself from this immense amount of pain, he didn't. He chose to die for us. He chose to suffer for us. He did this all because he LOVES us.

And I know that three days later, on what we celebrate as Easter Sunday, he rose from the ground. He was resurrected, so that we could be resurrected again. So that we could live with him and our Father in Heaven. I know that because of his Atonement, I can be with my husband and children for eternity.

I know that his sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice anyone can pay and I am so thankful for that.

As you sit down to a delicious dinner and open your Easter baskets, please take a moment to teach your children the reason we have Easter. Teach them what we are celebrating. Teach them that because of Jesus Christ, we can LIVE AGAIN!

Choices

My big kids all tucked out after our move to Georgia

The definition of a choice is: an act of instance of choosing; the right, power or opportunity to chose.

In life every day we make choices. We chose to get out of bed. We chose to eat or not to eat breakfast. We chose to stay home with our kids or go to work every day. We chose to be happy in our life circumstances. We chose.

Our Heavenly Father gave us choices and He lets us chose for ourselves which option is best for us. But what happens when a choice someone else makes effects our lives, for the bad? What happens when a wrong choice is made and the consequences directly effect you?

This happened to someone I care deeply about recently. Someone in her life made a choice that will effect her life eternally. She did not make the choice, but the choice made will dramatically change her life. All was not lost.

She did not have to wallow in self-pitty and despair. She did not have to feel this kind of pain all on her own. She was able to realize this choice was not her own, that it was not her fault. She was able to pick herself up, hug her baby, and know that there is a reason for her trial.

How was she able to do this? She has the Atonement in her life. She knows that our Savior paid the price for the sins of this world, but that was not all He did. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for everyone and everything. He bled from every pore and felt all of pain, agony, sadness, but He also felt our happiness, our joys, our triumphs, our excitement. He felt it all and in the midst of her pain and agony, she got comfort. She was able to hand this trial, a trial she has because of choices someone else made, over.

She does not have to face this trial alone. Even though I am one of her best friends, there is nothing I could say or do to make this hardship lighter. She needed to use the Atonement in her life. She needed to use the power of prayer in the name of Jesus Christ to confide in her Father in Heaven. He is the one who sent the Holy Ghost to bring her comfort and in her case, strength.

Because our Father in Heaven was willing to send His son to earth to be crucified for us, we have a person we can go to who understands what we think, feel and need. He is what brought peace and again happiness to this dear friend of mine.

It is hard when choices others make effect our lives in bad ways. But the Atonement is real. It works. It is there for us to use. Use it. Get on your knees and pray. You will feel its power.

A little piece of heaven...

 

If you're looking for the hairbow giveaway...keep scrolling!!

It had been weeks of dreary, gloomy, cold, rainy days here and I was on the brink of a breakdown. I needed to get out and do something or this gloom would creep itself inside my soul and I don’t want gloominess in my soul.

I packed up my three munchkins (which is no easy task). We got in the car, I set my GPS, and we drove.

“In ¼ mile turn left.” The GPS said while my kids giggled and peppered me with questions.

“Where are we going, mom?”

“How long is it going to take us to get there?”

“In ½ mile turn right.” I turned right as I began answering their questions, but I wanted to leave our destination a surprise. Because surprises are exciting!

“Make a legal U-turn and then proceed for ½ mile” That’s right, the GPS sent me the wrong way, it never sends me the wrong way.

I turn back around and my Buddy asks, “Mom, are we lost?” 

“No we’re not lost, Buddy.” And in the distance, I see the building. The building that will let our imaginations run wild and get us out of the house for an hour, at least.

We walk in the doors, and I can see the excitement in my kids’ eyes. They run through the stacks of books, pulling out books of every shape, size and color. They don’t care what the subject is; they take them off the shelf and look at every picture. 

After they had gotten their substantial stack arranged on the table, it was time for us to read the books. My Princess somehow managed to pick up Christmas books. My Buddy found a book on space. 

My Buddy sat and listed to every word I read. As I read the words scrolled across the pages, a sly grin crossed his lips. We were in his element; we were doing something he loves. My Princess may or may not have been crawling under the table the entire time we were there. For some reason, maybe her age, my Princess has a hard time sitting still and who can blame her when isle upon isle is beckoning her to come explore the books?

It doesn’t matter to me if they listened to every word, even though that’s really nice. What matters is my kids know I love to read. They know words are important to me and that books are special. That because of a book, you can escape reality and live in someone else’s shoes. You can travel the world with Dr. Seuss and turn pink with Pinkalicious. Books open our imagination and let anything become possible.

Each night before we go to bed, we read my favorite book. We open its pages as a family and listen to mom or dad read all about the Savior’s visit to the American Continent after His resurrection. My kids may not understand every word said, but they know that book is special and important to our family.

If you want a copy of the Book of Mormon, I’d love to send you one!

What are some fun traditions in your family? What is something that is important to you that you want your kids to understand it’s value? 

Called to Serve

Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we are called to serve in many different aspects of our life. And we serve willingly, being called to serve is a blessing.

We are called to serve missions. Some are for two years, some for 18 months, and others for 3 years.

We are called to serve in the Primary. (with the children)

We are called to serve in the Relief Society.

We are called to serve in the Young Women and Young Men organizations.

We are called to serve as Bishops, as Home and Visiting Teachers...

the list goes on...

Just recently I was called to serve in a way I have never been asked to serve before.

I was called to be the President of the Young Women. I am the leader of over a dozen girls ranging in age from 12-18. I remember being a girl age 12-18 and life was hard. Hard in different ways than life is hard for me now. Making the right choices was hard. Life was challenging from what grades I got in school to which boy said "Hi" to me in the halls. And now I get to be a leader of girls facing these same challenges.

I have wanted to put down my thoughts and feelings for some time now, but always felt like the verse in the scriptures when they said this of Mary, "and she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."

To me, accepting this calling was similar to that. I wanted to keep all of my feeling bottled up inside, for me to have and feel. 

When I was asked to accept this calling, I was in shock. I listened to every word my Bishop said, but I don't think I really took any of it in or even remember much of what he said. I do know that he started to cry when he was telling me that he was inspired that this is where I need to be.

The entire ride home, I was in such a state of disbelief and very overwhelmed that being so young I would be called to such an important calling. "The youth are important," he said to me. I know the youth are important. They are the ones who will be leading and guiding our church, our country, and our world in the future.

I felt blessed to know that Heavenly Father trusts me enough to help these girls make righteous decisions. He trusts me enough to help them hold to the rod. He trusts me enough to guide them in the path that they should go. And I am amazed at his faith in me.

I have been doing this calling for a couple of weeks now, and after much prayer, I know this is where I am supposed to be. I was born to be working with the youth.

It does not matter what capacity I am in. It does not matter how long I will serve there.

What does matter is that I have a testimony, which I do. What does matter is that the girls know I love them, which I do. What does matter is that I take the time to get to know each one of them, which I will. What does matter is that the Lord trusts me, and I trust him. And everything else will just fall in place.

Feeling the Spirit of Christmas

I have been bitten by Scrooge or maybe I have been secretly transformed into the Grinch, but whatever it is, I cannot get into the holiday spirit. 

I love the hustle and bustle of the season. I love going into shops and seeing them in all their Christmas glory. I love the smell of a fire burning. I love to bake yummy Christmas goodies.

But for some reason this year, nothing is helping. I've bought gifts, which I'm hiding in my bathroom! (good thing my kids don't read yet, huh?) I've baked Christmas cookies. I've been listening to music all month long. We've trimmed the tree and decked the halls (as much as this apartment's gonna get decked) and nothing, nothing is helping with my Grinchiness! (probably not a word, but it works!)

We watching the Christmas Devotional tonight and it's hard not to feel the spirit when the Prophet and Apostles are speaking! President Monson has a way of warming your heart and bringing the spirit into a room. He truly is a Prophet of God!

I am excited for the Christmas. I wish I could do some service for someone, that might make my heart feel the true spirit of the season a little more fully. 

I keep thinking about my kids and teaching them the importance of Christmas and what it means that our Savior was born. What it means that He died. What it means that He lived on this earth and that He will live again. I want to teach them all of these important concepts and have them cling to that knowledge. I want them to live their lives so that when people see them, they will really being seeing our Savior. I want my kids to know that I have a testimony of the restored gospel of Christ. I know He was born in a stable to a virgin who trusted in her Heavenly Father. I know He came to this earth with a purpose. I know He suffered in Gesthamane for my sins. I know He died on the cross for me and because of that I can live again. I know that because of the temple, my family can be together forever. This is what I want my kids to know. I want them to know that their mother has a testimony. That it burns inside her heart and warms her entire being.

I am thankful for this beautiful time of year when not only do we get to look at beautiful lights, eat yummy food, and open gifts, but we get to remember the greatest gift we have ever been given: the gift of our Lord and Savior.

I think the Grinchiness has left and I am really feeling the true meaning of Christmas...

Mormons and Chrismas...

Do Mormons believe in Christmas?

Of course!

The name of my church is, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We believe in Christ. We talk of Christ. We rejoice in Christ, and part of that rejoicing is in the fact that He was born. That He came to this earth. That He came as a baby to a world that would not believe Him or His mission and a world that would eventually kill Him.

My family and I set up our Christmas tree, got out our Little People nativity, and listened to Christmas music tonight. My princess kept calling the baby Jesus figurine baby Santa. It's such a struggle to teach your kids about the true meaning of Christmas with all of the commercialism infiltrating our homes.

Some people don't even write Christmas anymore, but use Xmas. I know it's just shortening the word, but it's literally taking Christ's name out of Christmas, when He is the true reason we even have this holiday because had he not been born, we would not be celebrating.

My Buddy had a birthday this month. What did we celebrate? The fact that he was born.

It's the Christmas season, the time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The time we the world slows down and everyone takes a few minutes to reflect on what really is important in our lives. Our families. Our friends. Our loved ones. Our Redeemer. Why not remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Now, I need to focus on ways I can teach my kids the true meaning of Christmas. I need to teach them why we have this special holiday. I need to teach them it's about our Savior being the greatest gift ever given to any of us, and not all about the gifts wrapped in beautiful paper. 

What are some ways you teach your kids the true meaning of Christmas, when we are being inundated with commercialism?

Arise

We watched Robin Hood last night, not the Disney one, but the newest one with Russell Crowe. It was good, very powerful, and one part was extremely poignant to me.

My husband and I are facing an incredible trial right now. We’re living in another state while we try to sell our first house in North Carolina. It’s hard because we’ve only had about four showings in four months. Rough. 

We just signed a contract to also put the house For Rent. Talk about a HUGE decision, one that Oswald and I didn’t take too lightly. 

“Are you sure this is what you want to do? What if the renters mess up the house we worked so hard to make look nice?” I asked each time we talked about renting it.

The house was in Foreclosure when we purchased it four years ago. We painted every single wall in the house, re-purposed the kitchen cabinets, put in new countertops, and new carpet. We spent hours fixing that house, so it has been very difficult for us to see no one even interested in going in the front door.

This is not the first financial trial Oswald and I have faced. When we first moved to NC, he was working in Real Estate and making peanuts. 

After he finished his bachelor’s degree at UNCG, he was without a job. I don’t know how we survived those months between graduation and his first job. 

I will never forget one experience we had. We were two months behind on our mortgage payment, and had no money left to our name. 

I had been praying and praying that the Lord would see fit to bless us. I had read in the Ensign one month that a sister paid her tithing, but didn’t have enough money to buy the food she needed for her family. She came home from work one evening, and there was a bag of groceries on her doorstep. Inside, was everything that was on her grocery list she was unable to buy herself. Miracle.

That day Oswald had spent the entire day working with his dad. I didn’t know when he would come home and what we would do if we didn’t get any money immediately!

I was coiling the cord around the vacuum when Oswald walked in.

He didn’t say anything to me, but put a check in my hand.

I looked down at it. It was for $900. Enough to pay our mortgage. Miracle.

I looked at him and with tears in my eyes said, “Are you serious? This is for us? How did you get this?” I proceeded to melt into a huge puddle of tears. I couldn’t stop crying. I got down on my knees immediately and said a prayer of thanksgiving.

So here we are now one year later, facing yet another financial trial. You’re probably wondering what this has to do with Robin Hood. Well, I’ll tell ya.

On a sword Robin is given is the quote, “Arise and arise again, until lambs become lions.” 

That’s what I’m trying to do right now. I’m trying to arise and arise again…until I become a lion. There is something Oswald and I need to learn in this trial. The Lord is testing us again to make sure we will arise. He’s making lions out of lambs, and I will never stop rising because in this world we need all the lions we can find.

***updated to add: our house has been rented. We're no longer behind on our mortgage and life has a way of fixing things. The Lord always blesses us when we need it. In his own way. In his own time.***

How have you been made a lion? What have you had to endure more than once in order to become the lion you are today?