This morning I was searching through favorite blog sites that I have saved that have cute crafty things to make. I was asked yesterday if I could help out with our wards upcoming Super Saturday (did I mention I am VERY excited to participate in at Super Saturday?) and so I thought I would brainstorm for ideas. As I was going through the blogs this morning I found the blog of a former co worker who is going through brain cancer. She found out this past spring that she had a brain tumor and they did surgery in June. I was reading through her blog that is mainly being kept up by her husband. Reading their story really put things into perspective very quickly this morning. First to make me appreciate how GRATEFUL I am that I can do the tasks I need to everyday. I can do the laundry, I can do the dishes and I can brush the dogs and I can make the beds and do all the tasks of home. On top of that, I can wake at 5:30 AM and get breakfast for my kids as they get up for seminary, I can wake up refreshed and ready to go to church on Sunday. I can read my scriptures without headaches or struggles. My list could go on and on and on. As I read about some of the things her husband is going through, I cried. Her brain right now has lost its ability to filter comments. He talked about the fact that she brings up things from years ago that he did, or even now things he does that make her crazy from not matching the kids clothing correctly (in her perception) to things he shared with her in confidence as a husband about his own insecurities or faults or temptations and she is just spouting them off to anyone and everyone. But then I read about his love for her and how much he hoped things would get better soon. He talked about her dropping to 96 pounds, he talked about her platelets increasing which is a great thing. I can not imagine the stress on this young father and husband, trying to care for a very sick wife and 2 small children. I cried as I read about the generous time and energy of their friends and family who completed a successful fundraiser for them.
I found myself wondering "what can I do" I have had many people around me, including my own amazing, sweet, strong, beautiful sister, go through cancer. What can I do? How can we make an impact? Instead of being hooked on TV, or the internet, what can I do to contribute to someone Else's life??? So that is my quest right now, to figure out a way to meaningfully give back. If you have suggestions please let me know. If you want to jump on the band wagon with me let me know. In the meantime. I will let you know what I come up with. There has to be "Something I can do"
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Playing Catch Up
Yep Yep, pretty much got slacker written all over me, right?
I was up in Utah the end of July and gave my new Nephew, Eric, a hard time about not keeping up on their blog....then I looked at ours.....hahaha!
So I guess I need to play catch up or post some amazing epiphany right?
Actually I have had a few of those lately.
Nick and Caitlyn started back to school on August 11th. Along with starting back to school, the also started back in Early Morning Seminary. I must admit, part of me misses not having seminary in our home each morning, but part of me is glad to have them in more of a classroom setting with more kids their ages. I get up and take them over and then have some time in the morning to wait while they are in class.
I decided while I waited that would be an AWESOME time to get my daily scripture study in and so I have been able to read in the scriptures more and to enjoy the insight they give me each day.
Last week, I was waiting in the car, Nick and Caitlyn had already gone in. I noticed kids driving in later and hurrying into the building, then I noticed two kids who had ridden bikes to seminary. They arrived about 15 min late and were clearly out of breath and I could almost feel that feeling from them of fatigue from riding, trying to get bike locks out and set up and knowing they needed to hurry into seminary. At that moment I had a thought enter my mind. I thought how nice would it be if someone was standing there saying "WAY TO GO....YOU MADE IT HERE" and I thought, isn't that part of our job? To encourage those around us to make it? No matter what the goal, to stand up and say "way to go..you are making it" "Way to go...you pushed harder today and succeeded"...."WAY TO GO...YOU MADE IT" How often as parents do we get caught up in our own agenda of only seeing the end goal and forgetting we are all figuring out a way to make it there. I know in my house, I get caught up in the "why didn't you get this done? mode instead of the "WAY TO GO...YOU MADE IT" mode. How often do I say to my kids... Thank you for all you accomplished today?
When I saw those kids make it to seminary, even though they had to ride, even though they were tired, even though they were late...they made it. Nothing else mattered at that moment...they arrived.
We can apply this to our lives as well. Keep our eye on the ultimate goal and then recognize our progress forward rather that berate ourselves for making a mistake or taking longer to get there. How much more progress would we make or would our kids make if the praise coming in was greater than the recognition of what we did NOT get done?
I found myself wanting to jump out of the car and go hug those two kids. I wanted to jump up and down and say "YOU MADE IT, YOU MADE IT....WAY TO GO"
I was up in Utah the end of July and gave my new Nephew, Eric, a hard time about not keeping up on their blog....then I looked at ours.....hahaha!
So I guess I need to play catch up or post some amazing epiphany right?
Actually I have had a few of those lately.
Nick and Caitlyn started back to school on August 11th. Along with starting back to school, the also started back in Early Morning Seminary. I must admit, part of me misses not having seminary in our home each morning, but part of me is glad to have them in more of a classroom setting with more kids their ages. I get up and take them over and then have some time in the morning to wait while they are in class.
I decided while I waited that would be an AWESOME time to get my daily scripture study in and so I have been able to read in the scriptures more and to enjoy the insight they give me each day.
Last week, I was waiting in the car, Nick and Caitlyn had already gone in. I noticed kids driving in later and hurrying into the building, then I noticed two kids who had ridden bikes to seminary. They arrived about 15 min late and were clearly out of breath and I could almost feel that feeling from them of fatigue from riding, trying to get bike locks out and set up and knowing they needed to hurry into seminary. At that moment I had a thought enter my mind. I thought how nice would it be if someone was standing there saying "WAY TO GO....YOU MADE IT HERE" and I thought, isn't that part of our job? To encourage those around us to make it? No matter what the goal, to stand up and say "way to go..you are making it" "Way to go...you pushed harder today and succeeded"...."WAY TO GO...YOU MADE IT" How often as parents do we get caught up in our own agenda of only seeing the end goal and forgetting we are all figuring out a way to make it there. I know in my house, I get caught up in the "why didn't you get this done? mode instead of the "WAY TO GO...YOU MADE IT" mode. How often do I say to my kids... Thank you for all you accomplished today?
When I saw those kids make it to seminary, even though they had to ride, even though they were tired, even though they were late...they made it. Nothing else mattered at that moment...they arrived.
We can apply this to our lives as well. Keep our eye on the ultimate goal and then recognize our progress forward rather that berate ourselves for making a mistake or taking longer to get there. How much more progress would we make or would our kids make if the praise coming in was greater than the recognition of what we did NOT get done?
I found myself wanting to jump out of the car and go hug those two kids. I wanted to jump up and down and say "YOU MADE IT, YOU MADE IT....WAY TO GO"
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