The Best of Me

Well, to start off I just need to say that I'm not the stay at home mom I was dreaming of becoming and I didn't realize it until a week ago when a friend of mine said to me "so, you've always worked". I will never be the mom next door who is home every day of the week with her children playing in the yard, or the mom who always gets to walk their kids to and from school, or the mom who sews cute outfits or finds the latest fashions for their kids, or the mom who spends time at the school volunteering in the classroom, or the mom who gets to take their child to the library for story time, or on long walks or runs in the nice jogging stroller. I will never be the mom who can crawl out of bed before her children wake up and make them breakfast. But I can be the mom to gather the children for prayer before they run off to school. I can be the mom to make them a nutritious dinner at night and talk about their day around the kitchen table. I can be the mom to show them how to work in the yard and clean the house and get their homework done. I can be the mom to help them get along with each other and their friends. I can be the mom to teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ and help them understand that keeping the commandments is most important. I can be the mom to teach them that marriage can be wonderful, magical, hard work and rewarding. I can be the mom who sacrifices her wants for the needs of the family. I can be the mom who loves their dad. I can be the mom who lets her children grow. I can be the mom who can give the best of me.

Marriage

Love as distinct from ‘being in love' is not merely a feeling. It is deep unity, maintained by will and deliberately strengthened by habit. . . . They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other. . . . . It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run; being in love was the explosion that started it. C.S. Lewis

Mr. Jewels' Message for April

We have been blessed this last weekend to hear from our Prophet. We were further blessed with words from the other great leaders of our Church. I am grateful for the Spirit that I felt and the urgency He put into my soul for improving myself. There were many awesome discourses and wonderful truths shared. But, for some reason, the message that resonated most with me was a line from one of the hymns. I have always liked the hymn and have always enjoyed this particular line. But, again, it really hit home with me this time. So, I feel impressed to share it with you: "and [I will] cause thee to stand..." (How Firm a Foundation, Hymn #85)

The leaders of the church repeatedly reminded us throughout the Conference of the difficult times we are facing. I feel for those that are experiencing hard times and my heart truly goes out to you. I know that for some the trials of this life can knock you off your feet. I know that sometimes you just want to let the lashings envelop you and submit yourself to defeat.

You all knew it was coming eventually. Here it is. I liken these difficulties that we call life to a workout. There are times during the workout when you have 40 more reps of a heavy dead lift or 1 more mile to run. You are completely out of breath, your lungs are on fire, your legs are shaking, and you want to sit or kneel down and never get up again. Every ounce of your concentration is put into just keeping yourself upright.

This is what is called "hitting the wall". It is a crucial part of the workout and of our lives. We can make a choice to sit down and give up or we can stay standing. The reason this choice is so crucial is the feet. Once your feet are removed from a planted position on the ground, you have to invest a lot of energy to get them back. (One of the reasons, I feel, that we pray while kneeling - a sign of humility to the Lord.) And, in my workouts, every second counts. So, stay on your feet!

So it is with our lives. We have so much depending on us - although some of us may not immediately see what it is: family, friends, coworkers, colleagues. These people look to us and love us and depend on our faith as we do theirs. To make things worse, the amount of love and appreciation we have for these good people is directly proportional to the load being placed on our backs. But, don't give up the faith.

In that moment of despair, when you can no longer move forward, or lift anymore, or get out of bed in the morning, or write another report, when you are about to let the darkness consume you, the Lord steps in and "causes thee to stand." Does this mean that it's over? Does this mean that it will all be resolved automatically? No. But, as least you're still on your feet. You can continue forward and finish the task at hand.

The miracles of the Atonement are infinite. The crown jewel of them is the Resurrection. We will all one day see our Father in Heaven again. Without the Resurrection, this would not be possible. The Resurrection of the Savior allows us to "stand" in his presence one day. But, first we must "stand" in this life and not give up. In spite of your trials and hard times, I know the Lord loves and is aware of you and will evermore "cause thee to stand."

The Finished Pieces

Of course it didn't take long for Eme to make a new home for all her stuff in this piece as soon as it was dry.


I really love how they both turned out. Now on to the next project. Whatever that will be I'm not sure.