I received a text on Sunday morning asking if I would teach etiquette and dinner conversations to the Deaf Ward youth on Tues night. My First reaction was "heck no" however the spirit was quick to press to my mind that I needed to teach. Ask anyone in my family, when it comes to setting the table, I just get a letter grade of F! Maybe a D+ on a good day, but for the most part I can never remember which side the cup goes on or what side the fork goes on. Me teach etiquette, quite a joke of a thought.
And then dinner conversation?! Boy, the angels must have had a good chuckle when I texted back, "sure I will".
:)
In preparation for the evening, Tues I woke up and went walking. I flipped my ipod over to the Young women General conference presentation. I listened to a great talk, and then listened to the music played in a special presentation done at that event. The chorus to the song talked about being strong and of good courage. I enjoyed the music as I had not ever heard it before. And then, towards the end of the song, I heard it sung, "be His". The words stopped me dead in my tracks. I played that part of the song over and over. I have a list of a 100+ be's to be, but never have I heard the be to "be His".
I LOVED IT! My eyes became moist as I thought of the girls and my opportunity to teach them.
Then right before I left work, I opened up an email from uncle Paul. There was a painting (the one at the top) in the email and a letter from the artist explaining his piece.
9 August 2010
The artist said:
"This painting was unique from its very beginning. It would be great if I could take credit for the composition and message it conveys but in my mind, that would be like Moses taking credit for bringing water from the stone in the desert.
"Usually when I have an idea for a painting it starts as a simple seed and it grows as I play with the image in my mind, moving the characters around, imagining the lights and shadows, the values and the colors, eventually deciding on its composition after what might be weeks or even months of pondering and sketches, but this painting was different. There was no seed, no moving of characters, it was totally different.
"I was sitting in church on a Sunday afternoon as the Sacrament was being passed and bang, there it was, the image was instantaneously placed before my mind's eye just as you see it here. This experience has happened to me only three times and it has been very special each time." --Doc Christensen
For the past two months I have been trying hard to ponder on the Savior during the preparation and participating of the sacrament. Confession, I am guilty of that being the time I am pleading for help or pleading for whatever I am in need of that week. But I have wanted to focus so badly on just Jesus Christ. When I saw this picture, I was moved.
I love the look of each family member as they realize or see who is passing their sacrament. I thought I might like the picture better in black and white, but nope--it is perfect the way it is.
Looking at the picture is how I want every time I take the sacrament to be. So beautiful and sacred, and the Savior, suffered/loves me perfectly.
... And thanks to this artist Doc Christensen who followed an impression to paint. I love it!
The evening with the yw and ym went great! All my old girls that I used to teach 2 years ago, are all grown up and even more beautiful inside and out then I could have imagined them. I was grateful for the experience. As I pulled up to the church, Bishop Larson pulled up next to me. Seeing him and his family always does good for my soul! God helped me teach two subjects I am lacking in. He was very kind.
Our Heritage Makers reunion was a great sucess. So many amazing people to meet and see. It was truly a week of miracles and of God.
Meet Jeremy! This is Patti's son. By being around him last week and seeing how positive he was, even with 110 degree heat, put me in my place. By the end of working with him I was/am bound and determined to be a better person. Jeremy really has a good heart. And I love that he is a hard worker. I LOVE people who know how to work! It is a big deal for me.
Speaking of hard workers, each of these women at some point last week made me want to cry. How is that I am blessed to work with such women!?!
Starting with Debbi on the left. She is very organized/blessed with the gift of having it all together.
Then there is Marin, our HM designer. I can tell you I have never enjoyed working with a designer as much as I have enjoyed working with her. Before reunion I had a couple marketing ideas to be sold at reunion. Instead of her trying to sell me on why her design was good and how she would not budge (this is an example of past designers I have worked with, not an example of her), she constantly would ask me if what I was looking at was what I envisioned. My projects turned out because one, God is amazing and inspired some pretty cool items to create, but two because her heart is so willing to design to what people envision. Ego is not to be found in her. I love working with her.
On my left you will find Susan. She is Don's (our director over marketing and creative) wife. She didn't get paid for being there, and yet didn't mind. She said she just likes being around the consultants and hearing the new things. She and her husband are great folks. Not only is Susan a hard worker, she is fast! I loved working with her in the store.
Then Jen, is next to my right. I have found in her someone who loves God. She is so willing to serve. By the end of the week, and this banquet we were all exhausted from early mornings, late nights and little, if any sleep. Four straight days of this heavy schedule, but there was Jen after banquet already with her gown off so she could start packing all our presentations up. Love that girl!
And then of course, last on the right is Patti! My Boss, and mission blessing!
I hope she won't mind me sharing this... but before reunion there was a night when her son had quite the episode and left the house and started to walk but not in a right state of mind. Patti followed after him wanting to make sure he would be okay and to help calm him down. A few miles they walked, each with no shoes, in the middle of the night. When Patti felt she had done all she needed to do to calm down his thinking, she called her husband to come and get her and to bring her son's shoes to him so that he could wear them.
Her son was complaining to me how messed up his feet were with walking two miles without shoes and blamed it partly on Patti. ... what was so tender to me was the love of a mother. Little thought did he give to his mother's feet who where all cut up and a little raw--feet that had a big week ahead of being stood on and in uncomfortable shoes all day long for four days straight. But Patti never complained and didn't say anything. She told me the story right after we had devotional one night. She had just mentioned her feet being sore and cut up. I drug the story out of her. Patti went off to bed, and I went into the bathroom and on my knees cried as I prayed. Oh the love of a mother. Oh to us kids that have no idea the sacrifices and love our parents show forth. My own mom and dad always giving so much with no return of anything--at least usually.
I love Patti. I love my parents. Oh to the moms and dads out there who don't give up on their children and their sometimes (and sometimes often) stupid acts of agency.
Nyk had quite a team in AZ. She hit Gold Director in Heritage Makers! Lots of women asked me how she was doing, and I was straight with them. Nykki is the most amazing woman I have ever met with covenant making with the Lord. When she gets a go a head with partnering with God with whatever--NOTHING can stop her from achieving it. I am sure for the Nephi in us, I would have gone back one and maybe even twice to get the brass plates, but three times? I think I would have written off the second time of, "I tried, and that must have been the test because it didn't work." But not Nyk. If she gets the okay/go a head from God that what she is about to do, or is perusing is okay--she puts all of her money in the bank and KNOWS that God will do his part. I learn a lot from this awesome little sister of mine! Little, because physically she is, but her spirit is a giant!
Does anyone know what type of tree that has flowers like this!?!?
This is my biggest regret of last week. I would walk past this tree oh, maybe 10 or so times a day. And when the blossoms are open, they make a perfect tight little star. This is a picture of the blossoms the morning I left. They were not quite open into the tight little star... but every day I would walk by this tree and every time I did I would look up to admire the stars. Lots of the flowers come to think of it at the resort were star shaped. Every time I looked at them, they made me think of God. A new star led the way for the wise men, and like the saying at Christmas time, "wise men still seek him". I want to be a wise woman and seek him always and forever.
This week on the "alter" I had the thought that I needed to place my heart before God. That meant that I was in for something that was going to break my heart. As I have been pondering this all week, really, I just want to do what God would have me do. Serving him and seeing people come closer to him is I think, the greatest joy I could experience at this time in my life. I am constantly amazed at the Christlike people that are planted in my path.
God sure does like to spoil me! And if I will follow him, he will not lead me astray.
My prayers have become more plead filled for asking for him to make me a tool. I don't want my will, or rather I want my will to become his will for me. He knows what is best. He never forsakes us or leaves us alone. He is my rock! He is salvation! He is hope and peace in the mist of a storm. In Him, I will put all my trust.
BE HIS!
This is what I want and will work on.
God is good. :)
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